Benefits & Cost

The World Ship Society is the premier organisation for ship enthusiasts.
Here are some of the facilities available to members.

• BRANCHES — Over fifty local groups worldwide. Meetings, slideshows, lectures, competitions and visits to ships and places of maritime interest.
• MARINE NEWS — A 64 page, colourful, well-illustrated, monthly magazine covering merchant ships, naval ships & maritime matters. As well as articles, over ten thousand ships a year are notated – newly built, name changes, sales to new owners, casualties and demolitions. The magazine is produced primarily as a digital PDF file and emailed early each calendar month to a member’s e-mail address. A 20-40 page supplement accompanies each digital edition. A paper version is also produced and is available for an extra subscription.
• PHOTO LIBRARY — A major collection of ship photos. Prints are available at reasonable cost through regular Members’ Offers.
• BOOKS — Fifty WSS fleet lists & specialist history books are available to members at a generous discount – several new titles are published annually.
• MUTUAL INTERESTS SCHEME — This enables members to be put in touch with others who share the same interests.
• LIBRARY & RESEARCH COLLECTION — The Society’s Library, Reading Room and archive located in Chatham Historic Dockyard, Kent where members can research or peruse an extensive collection of maritime books and material.
• SPECIAL EVENTS — Members can participate in Researchers’ Meetings, an annual Naval Meeting & Quiz in Portsmouth, a Members’ Weeknd incorporating the AGM, shipping and social events and a Dinner held at a different location each year and regional events organized by branches.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE WORLD SHIP SOCIETY

For a free copy of our colourful magazine Marine News and details about membership – just send an email with your name and address to e-mail your request to newmembershipenquiries@worldshipsociety.org

MEMBERSHIP COSTS

Membership runs for a calendar year basis. The following costs are relevant to the calendar year 2025.

Subscription rates for 2025

If you are applying in the mid to late part of the calendar year, please specify if you wish to have your membership back-dated to the previous 1 January, or if you wish to start your membership at the beginning of the coming year.

OTHER DETAILS

• In addition to Society membership, individuals may also choose to join one of the many local branches that exist across the world. Such membership is entirely optional and the cost depends on the policy of the local branch. Local Branch membership subscriptions are paid direct to the branch concerned.

To Join

Please click here for details of how to join

To Renew

Please click here for details of how to renew