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Year: 2020

IMCA Awards 2020

Nominations are now being accepted for the International Marine Contractors Association’s (IMCA) 2020 Awards programme. IMCA initially launched its Awards programme in 2018 to recognise the activities of its Members in the areas of Safety and Environmental Sustainability. This year we are also including a special COVID-19 Category. Allen Leatt, Chief Executive explains: “Since launching our awards programme in 2018 we have received entries showcasing a wide range of initiatives from our Members and I look forward to seeing this year’s submissions.  2020 has been a challenging year so far for our industry however, these awards programmes present an opportunity

Industry Group Achieves Breakthrough as Governments around the World Pledge Action to Support Crew Changes during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The Industry Group comprising IADC, IAGC, IMCA, IOGP, ISOA and the Workboat Association (details below) applauds the breakthrough at an international maritime virtual summit hosted by the UK Government on 9 July where 12 other governments also pledged their support for actions needed to ensure the welfare of the world’s seafarers during the COVID-19 pandemic, including making sure that crew changes can take place in a safe and timely manner.The government representatives at the summit expressed support for recommendations made by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) developed in consultation with industry groups, which encourage all IMO Member States to support

IMO Supports Industry Group Recommendations

The International Maritime Organisation has received Recommendations for port and coastal States on the prompt disembarkation of seafarers for medical care ashore during the COVID-19 pandemic, developed by a broad cross section of global industry associations in consultative status with the Organization representing the maritime transportation sector, including IMCA. Read the full IMO Circular Letter No 4204/Add 23

IMCA continues to call on governments to recognise offshore energy sector workers and seafarers as key workers

The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) supports the call to action for governments to recognise offshore energy sector workers and seafarers as Key Workers on a global basis.Offshore Energy workers and seafarers have not yet been classified as Key Workers in many countries. This means that crew movement to and from ships is severely hampered by stringent border control measures adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic. This has led to a crisis at sea: there are 200,000 workers who have overrun their contracts and are currently stranded on ships. Another 200,000 are at shore, waiting to start their tours of duty.

Information Note on COVID-19 and Safely Re-establishing Working Arrangements

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on the global economy and continues to present the marine contracting sector with some significant challenges, particularly when in association with the effects of the recent fall in the price of oil. This Information Note provides members with information intended to help them safely re-establish working arrangements as restrictions on movement and social contact are modified. The information herein is drawn from good practice occupational health and safety guidance provided by our members, by governments, and by the World Health Organisation (WHO). It is anticipated that the risk of transmission of COVID-19

IMCA Supports Day of The Seafarer

The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) celebrates the Day of the Seafarer on 25 June 2020. IMCA encourages all its Members and everyone associated with the offshore marine contracting industry to recognise the efforts of seafarers and the role they play in our industry. This year, the 10th anniversary of the Day of the Seafarer, is an ideal opportunity for us all to acknowledge the contribution of seafarers in keeping the global supply chain moving and understand the current issues they are facing. Like Offshore Energy Workers, including those working in the renewable energy sector, many seafarers have been away

Join our DP Webinar, 1 July 2020

Safety Aspects of Marine Hybrid TechnologyIMCA’s Marine DP Committee is pleased to announce is is hosting a webinar on the Safety Aspects of Marine Hybrid Technology on Wednesday 1 July 2020 from 11:00am BST to 12:00pm BST.Reza Yaghoobi, Technical Adviser will present:Hybrid technology has proved to be a beneficial one improving system efficiency and reducing greenhouse gases emissions.Lithium ion batteries provide an excellent form of energy storage system which is an imperative part of a hybrid system.Conventional lithium ion batteries suffer from a major drawback called thermal runaway with high risks of explosion if not monitored and controlled drastically.Lithium ion

Industry Group Urges the UK Government to Exempt all Offshore Energy Sector Workers from its Quarantine Restrictions

The global Offshore Industry Group, comprising IADC, IAGC, IMCA, IOGP and ISOA urges the UK Government to exempt all offshore energy sector workers from the 14-day quarantine restrictions introduced on the 8 June.The Group has the support of the United Nations’ International Maritime Organization’s Secretary-General for its Recommendations (IMO Circular Letter 4204/Add.13) calling upon Governments to recognise offshore energy sector workers as ‘key workers’. This allows regular crew movements during mobilisation and demobilisation and exempts such workers from quarantine restrictions.The Group has formally written to more than fifty governments and maritime authorities urging them to implement these Recommendations.In a subsequent

Celebrating World Environment and Oceans Days: Sustainability includes the Blue Planet!

Nadine Robinson, Technical Adviser – Environmental SustainabilityToday marks the 46th year of celebrating World Environment Day.  The interconnected nature of environment, economy and society is more apparent than ever as we face the global challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic.Since joining the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) three weeks ago, I have been engaging with members about the steps that they are taking and their emerging plans for ensuring environmental sustainability across their businesses.  They have kindly shared their progress towards helping to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals, recognising that environmental sustainability is only one element of broader sustainability that

Survey on Inventory of Hazardous Materials

Dear IMCA Member The European Union’s Ship Recycling Regulations (EUSRR) entered into force on December 2018 for EU-flagged new builds. For existing EU-flagged vessels and non-EU-flagged vessels, the effective date is 31 December 2020. There is a requirement in EUSRR applying not only to vessels flying the flag of countries in the European Union (EU) or European Economic Area (EEA) but also to all vessels of 500 GT and above, regardless of the which flag they are flying, when calling a port or anchorage of a country that is a member of the EU or EEA. This requirement means that

IMCA Launches Unit Two of Diving CPD App

The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) has launched a new unit of its App-based continuing professional development (CPD) scheme for Diving Supervisors.The App incorporates the latest in training techniques to support Diving Supervisors in keeping up to date with current information and guidelines from IMCA.The scheme went live early in April with 250 diving supervisors who had pre-registered and now, within six weeks, more than 600 supervisors are using the system.The App can be used across many mobile devices and operating systems, on or offline, thus allowing users the flexibility of choosing when and where to complete the relevant modules.

IMCA and Industry Group Target Governments on a Global Basis on behalf of Offshore Workers

The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) continues to play a key role in an Industry Group lobbying governments and maritime authorities on a global basis to gain support of an IMO a recommendation for authorities to facilitate the movement of offshore energy sector personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic. The group comprising IADC, IAGC, IMCA, IOGP and ISOA, gained support from the IMO in early May and have now formally written to more than fifty governments and maritime authorities to gain their recognition of offshore energy sector personnel as key workers alongside seafarers and marine personnel. The aim is to achieve

IMCA, Together With Industry Groups, Influencing Key Worker Designation

ICAO, ILO, and IMO issue joint call to world governments on need for ‘key worker’ designations for essential air and sea personnel The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) joined the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) on 26 May 2020, in issuing a new Joint Statement on the need to ensure ‘key worker’ designations for the millions of skilled personnel now maintaining essential global air and sea trade capacities. The call to world governments comes as COVID-19 restrictions and guidelines continue to curtail travel and restrict border movements, ports and airports are being closed and ships

Survey to Support Implementation of IMO Recommended Framework Regarding Crew Changes

Members are invited to complete a very short survey to support industry efforts to encourage Governments to implement the IMO Recommended Framework of Protocols for Ensuring Safe Ship Crew Changes and Travel During the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic (Circular Letter No.4204/Add.14of 5 May 2020) and facilitate crew changes throughout the pandemic in as many ports as possible. ICS is collecting information on the ability of ships to conduct crew changes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Please fill in theCrew Change Report Form– it only takes one minute to complete and is entirely anonymous. Shipping companies or Mastersare requested to complete the form

IMCA Strengthens Expertise in Environmental Sustainability

The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) today confirmed the appointment of Nadine Robinson to lead the Association’s strategy on environmental sustainability.Allen Leatt, IMCA Chief Executive stated“We are delighted to welcome Nadine to the team. Following our strategic review in 2017, we established our first dedicated committee on Environmental Sustainability, which has over the last three years been very successful in promoting and sharing best practice amongst our Members. Nadine brings an excellent external perspective and we are confident that she will help move our agenda to the next level”.Nadine is a policy professional with over 20 years’ experience advising on

Lobbying IMO on Behalf of Offshore Workers

The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) is playing a key role in two industry groups lobbying the IMO to support a recommendation for Governments and national authorities to facilitate the movement of offshore energy sector personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is designed to ensure they are considered ‘key workers’, essentially to enable ease of movement during mobilisation and demobilisation for offshore sector crew changes. An international offshore energy industry group, comprising IADC, IAGC, IMCA, IOGP and ISOA, having gained initial approval from the IMO, wrote formally to the IMO Secretary-General to gain recognition of offshore energy sector personnel as

One Year On! IMCA DP Practitioner Accreditation Scheme

The International Marine Contractors Association’s (IMCA) Dynamic Positioning (DP) Practitioner Accreditation Scheme launched on 1 May 2019, has received close to 1000 enquiries in its first year. The Accreditation Scheme is the output of a cross industry workgroup consisting of DP vessel owners/operators, training providers, DP consultants, major energy companies and relevant organisations. This workgroup was tasked by IMCA’s Marine Division Management Committee in 2018 to devise a scheme to improve consistency and conduct of DP Trials. Additionally, the scheme set an industry recognised level of knowledge for DP Practitioners responsible for developing, witnessing and reporting of DP Trials in

IMCA Actively Participates in eCMID Online Festival of Knowledge

The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) will be actively participating in an eCMID online festival of knowledge aimed at sharing the latest updates with Accredited Vessel Inspectors (AVIs). The IMCA eCMID system provides the marine and offshore industry with standardised formats for vessel inspection and offers a safety management system (SMS) ‘health check’. Using eCMID can help improve the quality and consistency of inspections, as well as reducing the frequency of inspections on individual vessels through the adoption of a commonly recognised inspection process. The event The event taking place on May 20 is hosted by IIMS and is scheduled

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