If charity begins at home, there is no more apt cause for an ex-pat abroad working in the maritime industry than the Mission to Seafarers. In Hong Kong, where real estate (and, as a direct consequence, accommodation) is astronomically high, The Mariners' Club provides home comforts to seafarers and their families while many miles away from their own homes. W. E. Cox Claims Group is proud to be a contributor to the charity auction organised on behalf of the Mission to Seafarers by TSS.

TSS is a private members' club whose members meet socially once every month at the prestigious Hong Kong Yacht Club to take lunch and discuss the issues of the moment. Guest speakers impart insight and expert knowledge on matters of current interest – from economic trends in Asia-Pacific to discussions regarding a recent well-publicised event or casualty. Members are solely drawn from the maritime and aviation industries in Hong Kong – from Ship Owners to Charterers; P & I Club Executives to Recovery Agents; Master Mariners to Insurance brokers; Surveyors to Lawyers; Average Adjusters to Salvage Operators – and our own Gordon Blyth Snr is the Club's Treasurer.

As part of the annual fundraising event held by TSS on the Thursday before the weekend of the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens, members contribute items to be auctioned at the lunch. One such item was kindly donated by Tony Lai of South China Towing Co. Limited..

W. E. Cox Claims Group beat off the competition with the highest bid on the day of HKD6,500.00 for an afternoon aboard a tug to witness berthing operations at Hong Kong Container Terminal No.9.

As well as raising money for a good cause, the trip presented us with the opportunity to enable colleagues working in claims settling and recoveries teams to view these standard towing and berthing operations at close quarters. The photographs from the excursion illustrate just how close they all got.

In total, the TSS auction raised HKD130,000 for the Mission to Seafarers Hong Kong thanks to the generosity of all its members – both those who donated the lots and those who took part in the bidding.