TT Club has single-mindedly served the international transport community since 1968 - the year that the first purpose-built container ship took to the seas.

It was McLean's significant involvement that set the wheels in motion to put containerisation into practice, but it was not until 1968 that the first purpose-built cellular container ship took to the high seas.

This revolution in international freight transport forever changed shipowner's insurance requirements. Whereas before they only needed insurance cover 'port to port,' they began to assume responsibility for the transportation of the container, and the cargo inside, from 'door to door'.

The P&I Clubs who traditionally covered ship's cargo at sea made a policy decision at the time that they were going to remain water borne insurers and therefore they were not prepared to cover the containers ashore, either for the risks of cargo liability or third party damage. Additionally, they also avoided insuring the 'hulls' of containers.

Shipowners who were going into containerisation on the Atlantic trade were faced with either obtaining insurance from the commercial market or creating a mutual alternative. So the 'Through Transit Club', shortened to the 'TT Club', was formed with the principle purpose of providing shipowners with insurance protection for damage to the containers on both land and sea.

TT Club was established as a mutual non-profit insurer, similar to the P&I Clubs, using all premiums and investment income for paying claims, administration costs and building up reserves with the Board of Directors drawn from the Club's membership. There were originally three joint managers all drawn from the P&I sector, although Thomas Miller assumed sole responsibility and remains the management company today.