Mark Dickinson honoured as he retires from global union

Retiring general secretary Mark Dickinson received a warm tribute celebrating his nearly five decades of involvement with the Union and more than 16 years at its helm. 

Nautilus chair of Council Wilco van Hoboken charted Mr Dickinson's remarkable journey from joining the union as a cadet in 1978 to becoming general secretary in 2009. 

Mr Van Hoboken, an engineer by background, told Mr Dickinson's story in numbers, noting that he served as general secretary for 6,180 days – or 16 years, 11 months and one day. During that time, Mr Dickinson saw the appointment of two deputy general secretaries and nine trustee directors and worked with multiple council members and chairpeople as the Union navigated profound change in the global maritime industry. 

Mr Van Hoboken highlighted Mr Dickinson's role in shaping Nautilus and the wider maritime community, including his influence on international maritime labour standards, the fight against the criminalisation of seafarers, and the successful campaign to have seafarers recognised as key workers during the Covid-19 pandemic. 

He also recalled Mr Dickinson's tireless commitment to seafarers' welfare through charity events, including gruelling physical challenges such as the '25 peaks', which he completed despite a broken arm. 

Mr Van Hoboken shared a memory from the year 2000, when a volcanic eruption closed European airspace during a Council meeting, leaving delegates stranded and forcing Nautilus to hire a bus at short notice.  

He described Mr Dickinson and colleagues running between cash machines to secure the funds needed, a story that drew laughter and underlined his hands-on, practical leadership style. 

Concluding the tribute, Mr Van Hoboken said: 'On behalf of the Council and the members I would like to thank you for all you have done for our members, the seafarers, the industry in the UK, in the Netherlands, Switzerland and worldwide. I wish you a happy and healthy retirement.'

Mr Dickinson's retirement marks the end of an era for Nautilus International, but his legacy will continue in the protections, policies and institutions he helped to build for seafarers across the globe.