At the turn of the new millennium, the shipping industry continued to change. In 2004, the ISPS code came into effect, a comprehensive set of measures to enhance the security of ships and port facilities, developed in response to the perceived threats to ship and port facilities in the wake of the 9/11 attacks in the US. 26th November 2004, Athos I struck a large anchor submerged in the Delaware River. The impact punctured the tanker's hull leading to an oil spill. The Club continued to evolve in the new millennium, with UK Clun (Europe) established in 2007. In 2008, the club raised $100 million of new capital through Hybrid Capital, a first for mutuals.

UK Club Japan Branch opened its doors in Tokyo in 1989. The Exxon Valdez oil spill occurred in Prince William Sound, Alaska on 24th March 1989, the US Congress passed the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 in response. The UK Club began regionalising its claims and advisory service offerings in the late 1980s, continuing throughout the 1990s. This was a groundbreaking initiative for the Club, taking the service to the Member’s time zone to better understand and manage their risk.

1967 and the UK P&I Club reaches a landmark 30 million entered tonnage. In the same year, the TORREY CANYON ran aground on the Scilly Islands (SS Torrey Canyon was an LR2 Suezmax class oil tanker with a cargo capacity of 120,000 tons of crude oil. She was shipwrecked off the western coast of Cornwall, England, on 18 March 1967, causing an environmental disaster. At that time she was the largest vessel ever to be wrecked). In 1969, The United Kingdom Mutual Steam Ship Assurance Association (Bermuda) Limited was established.

The first reinsurance contract is placed on 20 June 1951, running until February 1952. In 1955, former trucking company owner Malcom McLean worked with engineer Keith Tantlinger to develop the modern intermodal container. The challenge was to design a shipping container that could efficiently be loaded onto ships and would hold securely on long sea voyages. The result was an 8 feet (2.4 m) tall by 8 ft (2.4 m) wide box in 10 ft (3.0 m)-long units constructed from 2.5 mm (0.098 in) thick corrugated steel. The design incorporated a twist-lock mechanism atop each of the four corners, allowing the container to be easily secured and lifted using cranes. After helping McLean create the successful design, Tantlinger convinced him to give the patented designs to industry; this began international standardization of shipping containers

By 1938, the membership of the UK Club was still predominantly British, about 55 per cent by numbers of ships, but there was strong US (12%), and Greek (10%) presence in the Club. The second world war ravaged the globe between 1939-1945.

In 1924, the Hague Rules entered into force (formally the "International Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules of Law relating to Bills of Lading, and Protocol of Signature"). The international convention sought to impose minimum standards upon commercial carriers of goods by sea. The passing in 1927 of the Longshoremen's and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act, for which P&l clubs through lawyers had lobbied the US Congress, led to a more equitable settlement in many cases and fewer undesirable lawsuits.

The now invaluable Panama Canal was first opened on 15th August 1914, overshadowed by the declaration of war in Europe 11 days prior. After four years of unimaginable devastation in Europe and across the globe, the Great War came to an end. Around 9 million tons of British shipping, almost half the pre-war fleet was lost during the war. As the nation returned to peace, there was a demand for shipping of all kinds, with congestion at ports. There was also “an alarming increase” in the claims for cargo losses through pilferage. Another legacy was the loss of experienced seafarers, who in a time of no separation lanes knew their routes. Their loss partly explains the comparatively high number of immediate post-war collisions. Personal injury claims were also rising,

At the turn of the century, over 1 million tons were entered in both the protection and indemnity classes of the UK Club. Lord Walter Runciman (Chairman 1909-1937) of Moor Line takes over as Chairman. Sir Walter Runciman was a Director of the Club for 40 years. He began his career as a deckhand and founded Moor Line.

On 8th July 1892, The directors accepted the new tank steamer – Murex into the Club. The Murex was part of the fleet of M. Samuel (later Shell) The 3,564 ton Murex was purpose-built in 1892 and the first bulk oil tanker to meet new regulations for passing through the Suez canal. In 1899, the Club stopped insuring hulls due to diminishing business and focussed on pure P&I. In the same year, the UK Club joined with five other clubs in their first reinsurance link – a Club pooling agreement.

Thomas Miller, a shipowner through the firm of Chapman & Miller, was appointed Manager of the UK P&I Club in 1885.

Tramp steamers, such as the 700 ton ‘Ban Righ’, were typical of the first ships entered in the Clubs early years.

Foundation of the UK P&I Club

William Leetham of Bailey & Leetham was appointed the first-ever Chairman of the UK P&I Club, serving in his role until 1875.1869 also saw the opening of the Suez Canal and the launch of the Cutty Sark.