The Australian Institute of Marine and Power Engineers was originally founded as the Australasian Institution of Marine Engineers in January 1881. The impetus to form the association came from the Sydney Association of Marine Engineers, established in June 1880. Branches were formed in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Dunedin, Wellington, Auckland, and later Brisbane and Newcastle. The Institute was federally registered as the Australasian Institute of Marine Engineers (Employees) in June 1906, and in 1922 amended its name to the Australasian Institute of Marine and Power Engineers to encourage the membership of hydraulic and electrical engineers. In 1924, the New Zealand Branch gained autonomy from the main body, and the Institute then renamed itself the Australian Institute of Marine and Power Engineers (Employees). From December 1967 'employees' was dropped from the title and the Institute has since operated as the Australian Institute of Marine and Power Engineers.

On 11 July 1905 the Commonwealth Steamship Owners' Association was formed and registered under the Conciliation and Arbitration Act to assume the industrial responsibilities of the Australasian Steamship Owners' Federation. The two bodies were identical in composition but differed in function, the ASOF dealing with matters pertaining to the Navigation Act and the CSOA handling industrial disputes, awards, and representing shipping companies in matters before the Arbitration Court.