Insignia Crew launches initiative to place former Royal Marines in to the superyacht industry

Insignia Crew, a specialist MLC compliant crew agency, has launched an initiative to place former Royal Marines as deck and operational crew in the superyacht industry.

Working closely with the Royal Marines and Royal Marines Charity, former Royal Marines Commando Andrew Holme identifies suitable positions for former serving Royal Marines and matches them with superyacht captains seeking elite crew to join their team.

Holme argues that former Royal Marines are perfectly suited to roles on board Superyachts due to their diverse skill set, immense discipline and ability to maintain high standards under intense pressure. Insignia Crew’s candidates have specialist training in multiple areas that are relevant to the yachting industry, such as advanced first aid, expert boat handling and coxswain skills, basic engineering capabilities, extreme cold weather operational understanding in support of expedition yacht cruising and the Polar Code, and a heightened awareness of risk and security. 

Holme said, “I know first-hand that in today’s modern Superyacht industry, owners and Captains alike expect the very best in technology, design and cruising capabilities from the vessels they own and command. I believe they deserve the same high standards from the crew who serve in support of them.” 

All Insignia Crew candidates hold a distinguished service record in support of an ‘innate sense of duty and discretion’.

Recruiting the right crew remains a pertinent issue in the superyacht industry; an unhealthy crew culture can cause gross inefficiency and unsafe work environments. Speaking to The Islander about the dangers of crew complacency, Derek Smith, marine superintendent of Hill Robinson Yacht Management said, “It’s a culture that pervades throughout everyone on board. There needs to be a culture of safety and continual improvement.”

Insignia Crew recently worked with The Royal Marines Charity to support former Royal Marine Tom Banfield. Tom joined 86M M/Y Aquila as part of the deck crew after he was medically discharged due to a knee injury he suffered during his time in service. M/Y Aquila’s Captain told Insignia Crew that “he has exceeded our expectations and has quickly become a valuable addition to our deck crew”.

For further information, visit Insignia Crew.

Read our guide on finding the right crew for your superyacht.