BNEA - British Naval Equipment Association

It is dedicated to the needs of the British naval and maritime defence industrial sector. As a market orientated trade association, it services companies, which build, refit and modernise warships, supply weapons and sensor systems and other naval equipment and provide related services in design, consultancy and finance in the naval market. It is also the focus for defence interests of members of the Society of Maritime Industries.

The Role of the Association
BNEA promotes and supports the interests of all UK companies in the Society of Maritime Industries that do business in the naval and maritime defence related sectors of the maritime industries and helps them with their domestic and export business.

BNEA Membership
Companies who join the Society of Maritime Industries and declare one of their interests as the naval and maritime defence industrial market are automatically members of BNEA for no additional subscription. Membership ranges from large corporations to smaller manufacturers and systems houses. Their products and services cover virtually everything associated with modern warships, submarines, coastguard and other government related vessels.

BNEA Council
The Association’s Council comprises 18 representatives from SMI member companies who have declared BNEA as their primary area of interest. It meets every two months to debate issues of policy and to address matters of interest or concern in the maritime defence field.

Benefits to Members
Based on the four distinct aims of the Society of Maritime Industries, these are centred on:

• Promoting and supporting domestic and export naval and maritime defence business by: linking companies with government export organisations, helping companies obtain export licences, providing guidance and training on export best practice, organising seminars, conferences and workshops, securing UK government funds and grants for companies, organising and leading UK groups at overseas exhibitions and trade fairs, managing inwards and outwards trade missions and promoting competitiveness through innovation and improvements in productivity.
  
  
• Seeking to improve the UK and European business environment for naval equipment and maritime defence related companies by: supporting companies in challenging discriminatory applications of regulations, lobbying for beneficial amendments on regulatory and fiscal issues through the Defence Industries Council, fostering relations with UK parliamentary maritime interest groups, promoting dialogue between the maritime defence industries and UK and European non-governmental organisations and monitoring UK and European legislation relevant to the maritime sector.
  
  
• Facilitating communication and networking in the maritime industry by: organising networking opportunities through regular briefings, presentations, lunches and dinners, researching and disseminating information from the Ministry of Defence and data relevant to the maritime defence industry, and contributing to the publication of the annual directory.
  
  
• Contributing to the provision of marketing and other services to companies in the Society of Maritime Industries by: promoting products and services through an interactive website and providing an industry web portal, publishing a regular naval marketing information summary and disseminating official information and company news in the Society’s monthly newsletters and on circulars on the website.