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Shipping industry calls for release of Galaxy Leader crew still held captive

Monday 19 February 2024 marks the three-month anniversary since the Houthis seized the Galaxy Leader and its 25 seafarers in the Red Sea. The vessel, a roll-on/roll-off vehicle carrier, was seized on the 19 November 2023. IMCA has joined the maritime industry to express concern for the seafarers who have been held hostage, and call on the Houthis to release the crew of the Galaxy Leader, co-signing an industry statement calling for their release: “The 25 seafarers who make up the crew of the Galaxy Leader are innocent victims of the ongoing aggression against world shipping, and their plight is

IMCA Live 2024: Finding solutions to the challenges we face

We are delighted to share our event programme for 2024, IMCA Live, which brings Members and the industry together to find the solutions to the challenges we collectively face. Alongside the next editions of our industry-leading DP Conference (21-22 May) and Lifting & Rigging Seminar (12 September) – which are both held in Amsterdam – IMCA is hosting an Underwater Ship Husbandry Seminar (10 October) in Singapore to explore this safety-critical diving issue. Our Secretariat-led ProjectGHG Forum (10 April), which is kindly hosted by Board Member Boskalis, will bring our Membership together to find the answers in meeting new ambitions

ProjectGHG: A new campaign to support Members on their decarbonisation journey

IMCA has launched a new campaign, ProjectGHG, which will bring Members together to explore the solutions to meeting ambitions for Net Zero Greenhouse Gas emissions by 2050. A new online hub has been launched at the IMCA website which pulls together related technical documents, industry commentary, along with details on the latest on the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO’s) targets for Net Zero shipping. To support this activity, a new Greenhouse Gasses (GHG) focal group has been established to drive the publication of related content and develop the tools to support Members to take positive steps towards the sector’s 2050 goal

Next steps identified on Underwater Radiated Noise (URN) at IMO

As previously shared in September 2023, the IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) approved Revised Guidelines for the Reduction of Underwater Radiated Noise from Shipping to Address Adverse Impacts on Marine Life (MEPC.1/Circ.906). Following on from this, the IMO Sub-Committee on Ship Design and Construction has considered its next steps where it was agreed that the work in this area will now be entitled ‘Experience Building Phase for the Reduction of Underwater Radiated Noise’ with a target completion year of 2026. At the 10th meeting of the IMO Sub-Committee Ship Design and Construction (SDC 10), attended by IMCA, the following views were expressed: While

Red Sea & further developments on IP Code at IMO

We report from the 10th meeting of the IMO Sub-Committee on Ship Design and Construction (SDC 10), attended by IMCA, where some of the key discussions focused on the Red Sea, developments on the IP Code, and on Underwater Radiated Noise. Red Sea There was general condemnation of the attacks by Houthi rebels on commercial ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Concern was expressed for the safety of ships and their crew. The plight of those on board the MV Galaxy Leader, whose crew is still being held hostage was highlighted with several Flag States calling

Event analysis reveals common causes of DP failure

IMCA shares new detailed analysis of Dynamic Positioning (DP) station keeping events reported in 2023. Dynamic Positioning Station Keeping Review – Incidents and Events Reported for 2023 (IMCA M266), offers a comprehensive review of the 177 separate DP events submitted to IMCA in the last calendar year. These came from 133 distinct vessels. The analysis provided enables the industry to identify emerging trends, and IMCA to highlight areas which require additional focus, developing targeted guidelines and best-practice. It also feeds into our Continuous Professional Development (CPD) scheme, which has an ongoing focus on professional learning and adherence to the safest

Offshore Industry bodies join forces to boost safety and sustainability

On 22 January 2024, IMCA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF). The agreement commits the two organisations to closer collaboration to address critical and common safety challenges. Some of the areas and topics covered include:• Dynamic Positioning (DP).• Competence and Training.• Maritime Security.• Offshore Marine Operations.• Maritime Autonomous Ship Systems (MASS).• Environmental Sustainability. IMCA Contact Iain Grainger CEO Contact Error: Contact form not found. OCIMF, is a leading authority on safety and focuses on promoting best practice in the design, construction and operation of tankers, barges and offshore vessels, as well as

New Guidance supports Members making the transition to digital data recording

As the pace of digitisation increases in our workplaces, IMCA has produced two new Guidance documents to support Members making the transition to online/digital approaches for the recording of skills, competences, and work experiences. Digital platforms are increasingly preferable to physical logbooks owing to the additional data they hold and the in-depth analysis of offshore work they unlock. They ensure records of training course completion can be kept, especially important given many roles require this for CPD, or can act as an online CV for individuals when moving onto new roles. Principles for data platforms for work and skills (digital

New engagement lead in South America

Paulo Veronesi has joined IMCA as its new Director of Client Engagement – South America. He has a long career in offshore energy having held a variety of roles at Member companies TechnipFMC and most recently, McDermott. His career to date has seen him work across South America, as well as hold roles based in Paris, France and Houston, USA. Joining IMCA’s engagement team, Paulo will work closely with John Chatten (Fugro), South American Committee Chair and the regional technical lead at IMCA, Richard Purser. Commenting on Paulo’s appointment, Iain Grainger, CEO, IMCA, said: “The decision by Brazilian national oil

New guidelines for Underwater Ship Husbandry (UWSH)

Owing to a number of fatalities involving divers working on Underwater Ship Husbandry (UWSH) projects in recent years, IMCA has released new Guidance with the goal of limiting further dangerous incidents. Guidance on Diving Operations in Support of Underwater Ship Husbandry (IMCA D082) explores all the elements relating to UWSH, including considerations for selecting diving contractors, the roles and responsibilities of those involved, the type of diving equipment which should be used, and the hazards associated with these decisions. It supports vessel owners in the preparation of bid documents and contracts, as well offering assistance on quality assurance and around

Preserving our ocean’s ecosystems

Invasive species are organisms that spread to areas outside their native range posing a threat to native flora and fauna and are seen as a major cause behind the global decline in biodiversity. Marine invasive species can negatively impact ecosystems in several ways. They can: Eat or parasitise often defenceless native species which in some cases, can lead to their extinction. Outcompete native species for food, light, or spawning sites and, if left unchecked, can dominate habitats and smother native species. Bring new diseases and alter habitats. Trigger ecosystem change. Cause negative economic impacts. Green Crab (Wikimedia) IMCA Contact Mary

Replay: Navigating Offshore Wind Contracts

Last month IMCA brought the sector together in London to explore the current contracting challenges for offshore wind. Following the launch of IMCA’s first standard T&I contract for offshore wind, Navigating Offshore Wind Contracts featured a range of prominent industry speakers, a passionate panel discussion, and an engaged audience Q&A. Replay our video recordings of the sessions in the playlist below, or view them on our YouTube channel. View all the photos from the Seminar. Once again, our thanks to the presenters and speakers, and an active and engaged audience for ensuring the event’s success. IMCA Contact Iain Grainger CEO Contact Error: Contact

Exploring Emergency Response for offshore wind in New England

IMCA, in partnership with Board member G+, hosted the Offshore Wind Emergency Response workshop at the New Bedford Whaling Museum in November. 80 delegates were in attendance including representatives from contractors, developers, the emergency services and regulators. Welcoming attendees to the event, Dustin Varnell of IMCA introduced New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell. Taking time out of his busy schedule, Mayor Mitchell addressed the workshop emphasising the importance of offshore wind as the next step in New Bedford’s long and proud maritime legacy. The workshop started with an introduction from Beate Hildenbrand (G+) and explored emergency response in North American offshore

Offshore wind contracting: “the start of a renewed emphasis on co-operation”

On Wednesday 6 December we welcomed representatives from contractors, developers, insurance, legal firms, and stakeholder groups at the Royal Horseguards Hotel in London to explore solutions to current challenges in offshore wind contracting. Following the launch of IMCA’s first standard T&I contract for offshore wind, Navigating Offshore Wind Contracts featured a range of prominent industry speakers, a passionate panel discussion, and an engaged audience Q&A. Commenting on the Seminar, David Bloom, Director of client engagement – Europe & Africa, at IMCA said: “There were plenty of takeaways for the sector, including a focus from many in the room on the

Safety Statistics: help tell the story of our industry

As in previous years, contractor Members are being asked to submit safety statistics for 2023 for inclusion in IMCA’s analysis. Results are completely anonymised ahead of publication. The exercise forms a key part of IMCA’s safety work, allowing us to explore trends, analyse data, and compare performance with other stakeholder groups working offshore or in energy production. Most importantly, it ensures that any emerging safety issues are identified as early as possible and can allow pre-emptive steps to be taken. Your company’s involvement ensures that your organisation is proactively playing its part in helping the industry as a whole to

New Diving lead announced at IMCA

Bill Chilton has been announced as the new Diving Manager at IMCA. Bill joined IMCA in November 2021 and has 25 years of experience in the commercial diving industry, including 12 years at the Health & Safety Executive in the UK regulating the safety of divers working in the offshore energy and other sectors of the diving industry. During his time at the HSE, Bill also worked as a decommissioning specialist. Prior to this Bill worked as an air and saturation diver on a wide range of diving projects and also held a variety of topside positions, including project engineer

New standard contract for offshore wind projects ensures a fairer distribution of risk

IMCA has published the industry’s first standard contract for transport and installation (T&I) works in offshore wind projects. The contract has been written to ensure a fairer allocation of risk. Building on the release of our Contracting Principles in January 2023, its publication comes on the heels of an IMCA-led campaign for an industry-wide discussion on sustainable contracting in offshore wind. The campaign was highlighted by the UK’s Offshore Wind Champion Tim Pick in his report to UK Government in March 2023 which noted that IMCA’s Contracting Principles, “is a helpful piece of thought-leadership.” In recent months, several high-profile projects

New colleagues welcomed boosting skills and capacity

IMCA is delighted to welcome two new colleagues to the team to boost skills and capacity in strategic areas for the Secretariat. John Kingston – Technical Document Assurance Co-ordinator John will support the delivery of IMCA’s Technical Library and work with the team of Technical Advisers to ensure greater consistency across IMCA’s technical documents. As a Technical Writer, John has worked continuously in the marine oil and gas sector since 2011, when he joined the team revising BP Shipping’s fleet operating management system, with new documentation being approved by the Plain English Campaign before issue. He then worked as a

Bryan McGlinchy set to retire as diving lead

After almost 12 years leading diving at IMCA, and more than 40 years working in the sector, Bryan McGlinchy will be retiring at the end of the year. Throughout his time with IMCA as Diving Manager, Bryan has had a huge impact on its Diving output and, through his work with IMCA and previously at the HSE in the UK, a positive impact on offshore performance and diving safety across the industry. IMCA Contact Iain Grainger CEO Contact Error: Contact form not found. Commenting on Bryan’s retirement, Iain Grainger, IMCA CEO said: “I’m sure everyone in the industry will join

New recommended practice aims to improve safety in shallow waters

The rise of offshore wind means specialist vessels are increasing their activity in shallow waters. With this in mind, we have released Guidance which aims to support Dynamic Positioning (DP) operations in shallow waters. Recommended Practice for Shallow Water DP Operations (IMCA M263) expands on topics mentioned in previous IMCA Guidance, offering a broader understanding of DP operations in waters where more fixed assets can be found in condensed work areas and where the increased numbers of vessels can raise the risk of collision. M263 will assist land-based project managers to better understand time scales and processes and adjust expectations