Only those who have a strong common voice will be heard. This is all the more true in times when the technical requirements for passenger shipping are becoming increasingly complex and the costs of complying with the various regulations have drastic consequences for some companies. Individual entrepreneurs often lack time, resources, and know-how to deal with these requirements in depth.

This is exactly where our association comes in. The SNU – Swiss Nautic Union is a non-profit association registered in the commercial register having own legal personality. We define ourselves as a business association for private passenger shipping on all Swiss waters. We bundle the interests of passenger ship and taxi boat operators and owners and represent them at the Federal Office of Transport as well as the cantonal shipping authorities and any other offices and authorities.

Membership in the SNU represents a seal of quality and obliges us to maintain professional standards on board as well as to conduct fair competition among ourselves. In order to improve the public image of passenger shipping, the association is also taking legal action against illegal black or grey offers.

Commercial passenger transport by water in Switzerland is divided into public passenger shipping (approx. 20 federally licensed large companies, 15 of which are organized in the VSSU) and private passenger shipping with over 100 small and medium-sized companies. Our association is aimed at the latter.

This includes operators as well as owners of passenger ships (shipmaster category B) as well as taxi boats (i.e., small passenger ships up to 12 passengers – shipmaster category A), regardless of whether the respective ships are used as taxis, in charter, for tours or in scheduled operations.

Passenger ship operators without a (current) ship as well as shipmasters with a category B license can become passive members. In addition, the association is open to sponsors who want to contribute to promoting private passenger shipping.

The association, however, is not aimed at ship brokers or agents, operators of wakeboarding/water ski schools, boat rentals for self-drivers or boating schools.

We organize the exchange of experiences among members, represent their interests to third parties and offer various services. We cover a wide range of topics, from "Strategy & Competition", through "Marketing & PR", "Politics & Legislation", "Technology & Equipment" to "HR & Training".

Special concerns in this context are:

• Creation of a ship database
• Organizing the exchange of experiences among members, e.g., in terms of technical equipment and external service providers
• Influencing future technical regulations as well as training standards
• Political participation in laws and regulations for the further development of BSV, SBV and PBV
• Support in shipmaster recruiting as well as training & development
• General public relations work to promote the image of private passenger shipping

Membership fees and voting rights are based on the number of passenger ships in operation and their passenger capacity. Both ship operators and ship owners can apply for regular membership. Passive membership is available to entrepreneurs without a (current) ship as well as shipmasters with a category B license.

The annual membership fee consists of two components: a contribution for the company itself and an additional contribution for the fleet, i.e., the number and size of the ships operated.

Entrepreneurs who operate at least one category B passenger ship pay a higher membership fee than pure taxi boat operators, but also have double voting rights in the general meeting. Passive members pay a minimum fee but have no voting rights at the general meeting.