Shipping Controller

Shipping Controller of Ministry of Shipping

Appointer	Lloyd George Coalition Government
Constituting instrument	New Ministries and Secretaries Act 1916
Formation	10 December 1916
First holder	Sir Joseph Maclay
Final holder	Lord Pirrie
Abolished	1921

The British Shipping Controller or, more accurately, simply the Shipping Controller was a post created by the Lloyd George Coalition Government in 1916 under the New Ministries and Secretaries Act (6 & 7 George 5 c.68) to regulate and organize merchant shipping in order to supply the United Kingdom with the materials to fight the war following severe losses.

The first Shipping Controller was Sir Joseph Maclay, later Baron Maclay who was appointed on 10 December 1916.

The second Shipping Controller was Lord Pirrie from 1918.