The organization is led by boards and councils appointed by its members, and an important part of the operations is carried out by groups and committees.
The association protects the members' employer relationship also through the contact and the influence of Norwegian and foreign authorities, and participate in international organizations like the EU, ILO and IMO.
Besides working with the Norwegian maritime schools, it also operate several international activities to ensure access and quality of foreign crew and officers serving on Norwegian-controlled ships.
The organization was founded on 15 September 1909 in Kristiania, under the nameThe Norwegian Shipowner Association, and changed to its current name in 1984.
The organization played an important role in the negotiation of shipping contracts with the United Kingdom in World War and World War II and several of the association's members were driving force in the organization of the Nortraship.