The Purpose of the Association
The Chart and Nautical Instrument Trade Association (CNITA) exists:
- To develop and promote all means within the scope of the trade for ensuring and increasing the safety and efficiency of navigation and shipping
- To promote the consideration and discussion of all questions affecting the trade and to collect and distribute among its Members and others information on all matters relating to those questions
- To organise, promote and defend the interests of the Members through engagement with Government departments, public bodies and any other organisations of relevance
- To promote commerce in relation to the trade.
Membership
The following extract from the Rules and Constitution of the Association gives details of the Classes of Membership and the types of business covered. Where a firm is engaged in more than one of the types of business, the criteria applicable to each type must be met.
Ordinary Membership
The following shall be eligible to apply for full Ordinary Membership of the Association, viz:-
(a) Any firm engaged in business in the sale and servicing of Nautical and Navigational Instruments employing either at least one person on repairing and servicing said instruments covered by the Trade or at least one certificated compass adjuster.
(b) Any firm engaged in business as an appointed Admiralty Paper Distributor and/or an appointed Admiralty Digital Distributor
(c) Any firm engaged in the business of Compass Adjusting under the direction of at least one certificated compass adjuster.
Branch Membership
Any Branch or trading division of an Ordinary Member which carries on business similar to the Ordinary Member shall be eligible to make application to become a Branch Member of the Association.
Corresponding Membership
Any firm outwith the United Kingdom engaged in business of a type which would qualify them for Ordinary Membership and who in the opinion of the Council are unable to enjoy the full benefits of Ordinary Membership, shall be eligible to make application to become a Corresponding Member of the Association. Corresponding Members shall be advised of matters affecting the Trade and will receive reports from time to time of Association business.
Associate Membership
Firms carrying on business as Chart Publishers, Nautical Book Publishers or other similar business if approved by the Council shall be eligible to make application to become an Associate Member. Associate Members shall be expected to support the objects of the Association and the legitimate interests of its Members and to recognise and deal with its Members as the proper channels or agencies for supply to shipping of charts, books and other articles of a like nature manufactured or dealt in by them.
Affiliate Membership
Any employee of an Ordinary or Branch Member who holds the Compass Adjusters Certificate of Competency or Service or is engaged as a Chart Corrector or any other employee of an Ordinary or Branch Member is eligible to make application to become an Affiliate Member of the Association.
Senior Membership
Any retired individual who immediately before retirement was
(a) a Director, partner or principal of a Member Firm or a manager in the employment of a Member Firm and had served at some time as a Member of the Executive Council or as the Convener or a Member of any one or more of the Committees or Sub-Committees of the Association, or;
(b) an Affiliate Member of the Association
shall, upon his or her retirement from the Member Firm through which he or she maintained his or her connection with the Association, be eligible to make application to become a Senior Member of the Association.
If you are interested in applying for Membership of the Association, and consider that you fall within one of the classes, please contact the Secretaries giving details of your involvement in the trade so that the appropriate forms might be sent to you.
