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Year: 2015

IMCA South America Section meeting and Social in Macaé

The next South America Section meeting of the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) will be held 22 June in Macaé at the Mercure Macaé. The section meeting will incorporate a presentation and discussion session on the CMID Accredited Vessel Inspector Project, a presentation on competence and training and following the section meeting there will be a networking drinks reception at a nearby venue. Further information on both parts of the Macaé meeting, which is open to members , potential members and guests, is available from events@legacy.imca-int.com and free registration is online at legacy.imca-int.com The CMID Accredited Vessel Inspector Project The

IMCA Europe & Africa Section meeting and briefing session heads to Livorno in Italy

The International Marine Contractors Association Europe & Africa Section meeting, which combines a briefing session open to members, potential members and invited guests, with a drinks reception and dinner, takes place on Tuesday 9 June at the NH Grand Hotel Palazzo, Livorno, Italy. The day starts with a welcome and introduction by Sergio Cappelletti, Vice Chairman, IMCA Europe & Africa Section who will give an IMCA overview. IMCA’s Technical Advisers Nick Hough and Andy Goldsmith will then provide a full update on IMCA including technical and regulatory developments. A series of presentations then follows from Subspec; Saipem; RINA (on classification

IMCA Europe & Africa Section meeting and briefing session heads to Livorno in Italy

The International Marine Contractors Association Europe & Africa Section meeting, which combines a briefing session open to members, potential members and invited guests, with a drinks reception and dinner, takes place on Tuesday 9 June at the NH Grand Hotel Palazzo, Livorno, Italy. The day starts with a welcome and introduction by Sergio Cappelletti, Vice Chairman, IMCA Europe & Africa Section who will give an IMCA overview. IMCA’s Technical Advisers Nick Hough and Andy Goldsmith will then provide a full update on IMCA including technical and regulatory developments. A series of presentations then follows from Subspec; Saipem; RINA (on classification

IMCA celebrates 20th anniversary

Over 120 members and guests from home and overseas attended the reception celebrating the 20th anniversary of the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) last week (19 May). The reception followed IMCA’s ‘Allocation of risk in challenging current market conditions’ seminar organised by the association’s Contracts & Insurance Workgroup, for which over a hundred specialists – CEOs and executives, risk managers, lawyers, consultants and insurance managers/advisers had registered. Welcoming guests, IMCA’s Technical Director and Acting Chief Executive, Jane Bugler explained that IMCA was formed in spring 1995 through the merger of the Association of Offshore Diving Contractors (AODC, founded in 1972)

Management change within IMCA secretariat

IMCA’s Chief Executive, Chris Charman, has stepped down, with immediate effect (as from 1 May). Jane Bugler has become Acting Chief Executive, thus ensuring that IMCA is in very safe hands. A new Chief Executive will be sought to take IMCA forward and continue to deliver ever more support for our 1,000+ members in over 60 countries. In announcing his decision, Chris Charman has asked that all members and members of committees receive this message: “Now that the changes implemented inside IMCA are well under way and gathering pace, by mutual consent I am standing down, leaving the way forward

IMCA publishes security measures and emergency response guidance

The threat to maritime security from piracy, terrorism, criminal acts, and hostage and kidnapping threats continues to pose challenges to ships’ owners, masters and crew members, and has resulted in the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) (Booth S16 at OTC) publishing ‘Security Measures and Emergency Response Guidance’ (IMCA SEL 037, IMCA M 226). “Safety is of paramount importance, and our document aims to provide guidance to masters, company and ship security officers and other crew members and staff, on security measures and emergencies onboard vessels when underway, at anchor or alongside in their own or another country, and also for

IMCA publishes guidelines for safe DP OSV operations

Reliable and robust methods of positioning are required for safe vessel operations in close proximity to offshore installations. Dynamic positioning (DP) is well-established as a primary method of vessel positioning in the diving, drilling, construction, accommodation and shuttle tanker sectors, and is especially suited to deep-water developments. As development and management of DP becomes more refined, increasingly logistics support vessels are becoming equipped with DP systems with increasing reliance being given to such systems. With this increased use in mind, the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) [Booth S16 at OTC 2015) has published an updated edition of ‘International Guidelines for

IMCA publishes Guidance on the Use of Simulators

Simulators are used for many purposes in the offshore industry such as for work planning/mission planning purposes including engineering development, procedure development, technical assessments, research, and asset risk assessment. Importantly too they are used in the training environment and as part of competence assessments where they enable measurable assessment of individuals in training to be undertaken. It is particularly with training and competence assessment in mind that the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) (Booth S16 at OTC 2015) has produced the fourth revision of ‘Guidance on the use of simulators’ (IMCA C 014). “This revision sets out a template for

IMCA's CMID: Applications for IIMS Accredited Vessel Inspectors open

Today (1 May 2015) is a significant date for both the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) and the International Institute of Marine Surveying (IIMS), for it sees the website going live through which those wishing to apply to become IIMS Accredited Vessel Inspectors (AVIs) for IMCA’s CMID (Common Marine Inspection Document) work on a global basis from 1 June can register their interest. The new website is at cmidvesselinspectors.com with the registration application at https://www.ecmidvesselinspectors.com/cmid-accreditation-scheme/application-process/. The site includes full information on IMCA, IIMS, CMID, and on the CMID Accreditation Scheme, with sections on accreditation benefits, the application process, fees, frequently

IMCA publishes An Introduction to Inertial Navigation

The increased use of inertial navigation systems (INS), particularly in support of offshore survey, installation and inspection tasks, has emphasised the need for a general introduction and outline of the use of inertial navigation technology used offshore. The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) has risen to the challenge and published ‘An Introduction to Inertial Navigation Systems’ (IMCA S 022) produced for the association by Gordon Johnson under the direction of the IMCA Offshore Survey Division Management Committee. Jane Bugler, IMCA’s Technical Director explains:”This new document provides a broad overview of INS technology currently in use in surface and subsurface positioning

Packed programme at IMCA Asia-Pacific Section meeting in Singapore

Sea Asia, being held next week at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre in Singapore, is providing the ideal venue for an information-packed International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) Asia-Pacific Section meeting to which guests are invited to hear a number of highly relevant presentations. A members-only meeting will be held until 10:00 on Thursday 23 April when the open meeting begins. “I am looking forward to seeing members from throughout the region; we have much to discuss with them and their guests,” says Jane Bugler, IMCA’s Technical Director.”We will providing a world-wide update on the work of our two core

Competence seminar being held by IMCA in Mumbai

Competence & Training is a core activity of the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA), providing guidance on competence assurance and assessment, training, and information on recruitment and careers in offshore, marine and underwater engineering – and it is a topic that will come under the seminar spotlight next week in Mumbai when IMCA stages a competence seminar at the Sofitel Hotel on the afternoon of Tuesday 21 April. “Our competence assurance and assessment guidance provides members with a framework for creating their own in-house schemes for assessing and recording the competence of people working in safety-critical and other roles,” explains

Launch date for IIMS Accredited Vessel Inspectors announced

The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) and the International Institute of Marine Surveying (IIMS) chose the final day of Ocean Business at Southampton (16 April) to announce the eagerly awaited start date for the IIMS accredited vessel inspectors (AVIs) scheme, for CMID (Common Marine Inspection Document ) work on a worldwide basis as 1 June. Those wishing to apply to become IIMS AVIs will be able to register their interest from the beginning of May in order to allow for processing of applications from 1 June. “The accreditation process for CMID vessel inspectors, to be known as accredited vessel inspectors

Successful first Angola-based meeting for IMCA section

The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) recently held one of its regular Europe & Africa Section meetings in Luanda, Angola. “This was a very successful ‘first’ for us,” explains Jane Bugler, IMCA’s Technical Director. “The event was co-hosted by Pascal Grosjean of Technip, Chairman of the Europe & Africa Section and IMCA Technical Adviser, Nick Hough. Over a dozen contractors were represented by the 23 delegates who attended and were updated on IMCA’s vision and strategy and our resources and materials; as well as being provided with a technical update. This embraced recently published guidance; documents nearing completion; safety flashes

Countdown to CMID V9 continues

When IMCA members flocked to Copenhagen in March for EWEA Offshore 2015, we saw it as an ideal opportunity to reach them by hosting a seminar in conjunction with the show. The topic: the progress of Project TRADEWINDS, which combines the upgrade of CMID version 9 and the introduction of an accreditation scheme for vessel inspectors (which we are working on in collaboration with the International Institute of Marine Surveying (IIMS)). If you missed out on the seminar, don’t worry you can find the information and presentations from the day here now. Delegates from vessel operators, clients and inspection companies

IMO accepts IMCA paper as basis for updating DP guidelines

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has agreed to use the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) proposals as the basis for the review of the IMO Guidelines for vessels with dynamic positioning (DP) systems (MSC/Circ.645). The review will be taken forward by an IMO intersessional correspondence group that will further develop the draft, with a view to finalising it at the next meeting of the IMO Ship Systems and Equipment (SSE) sub-committee, in 2016. “IMO’s circular 645 is the established international standard for DP systems. The guidelines have successfully provided the framework on which national regulations and classification society rules are

Call for papers for IMCA's annual seminar opens

The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) has issued the call for papers for its Annual Seminar 2015 being held in Abu Dhabi 27-28 October, submissions on the theme of ‘A health check for the marine contracting industry’ should be submitted to events@legacy.imca-int.com by 24 April using templates available from the IMCA website at legacy.imca-int.com . “Our theme can beconsidered as ‘fitness for purpose’ or ‘removal of platinum plating’ and could cover personnel, assets, working practices, business requirements and the supply chain,” explains IMCA’s Technical Director, Jane Bugler. “Maintaining high levels of safety remains at the core of the event as

Busy springtime for IMCA's Technical Team

It’s proving a busy springtime for members of the Technical Team of the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) with presentations being delivered at conferences in Brazil, Canada, Norway, and in three UK cities. “I am travelling to Canada this week for the Canadian Underwater Conference in Victoria (29-31 March) where I will be speaking on hyperbaric evacuation, and was in Stavanger recently, where I spoke about ‘News from IMCA’ focusing on diving and ROV issues at the Norwegian Oil and Gas Network for Subsea Operations event,” explains IMCA’s Technical Director Jane Bugler. “Technical Adviser Nick Hough is speaking on ‘IMCA

Safety and survival key to survival, says IMCA's President

“Our industry must prepare for times of change and turmoil and IMCA (the International Marine Contractors Association) – representing the marine contracting industry globally – must be in tune with our members and support them,” says IMCA President, Massimo Fontolan of Saipem as the fall in the oil price continues to dominate the headlines. With over a thousand member companies in more than 60 countries, IMCA is well-placed to take the ‘temperature’ of this vital part of the supply chain. In an open letter to IMCA members and other stakeholders in IMCA’s quarterly publication ‘Making Waves’ Mr Fontolan explains: “Whilst

Making Waves #74 – March 2015

Making Waves 74 (PDF)Highlights from issue 74 of Making Waves include:Cyber Security: we reveal facts, look at the current state of play and consider the security practices needed by our industryCMID V9 and a vessel inspector accreditation scheme gets nearerIMCA on the Indonesian mapNew riser boundaries offshore Brazil

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