IMCA Newsroom

Press Release

GROWING AND SPREADING WORLD-WIDE

Membership of IMCA - the International Marine Contractors Association - is growing throughout the world, an Americas section of the Association is to be formed, the Middle East Section has changed its name and the growing Asia Pacific Section is rapidly developing new initiatives.

There are now 170 members of IMCA from 30 countries - ten new member companies having joined the Association in the last quarter of 2000. "We are highly encouraged by the constant rise in membership," says Tony Read, IMCA's Chief Executive. "During 2000 we added 34 new members from 11 countries. Our growing membership understands the value of the practical work we are doing for them within the industry and of the opportunities to network together to determine a continuing programme of improvements. New initiatives such as the all-important competence assessment scheme, diving guidelines that are accepted worldwide, and networking opportunities on deepwater and DP drilling operations are all key factors in encouraging companies to join the Association."

Having balloted members with interests in the Americas who came out strongly in favour of an IMCA Americas Section covering both North and South America, IMCA is now hard at work putting the new Section in place with the launch expected in the second quarter of 2001.

IMCA's first overseas Section was the Middle East Section. Formed in the early 1990s now undergone a name change to become the Middle East and India Section to reflect the growing membership and activities in the Indian sub-continent. Diving contractors in India have decided to develop an India annex to the IMCA International Code of Practice for Offshore Diving.

The Asia-Pacific Section formed in 1999 has grown rapidly and now has 35 members. The Section is conducting a pilot project for the IMCA Diver Card to address the problem of forged and bogus diver certificates being proffered around the region. This new card will bear the diver's photograph and confirm the diver's certificates had been checked with the issuing authority. There are plans in hand within the Section for the development of guidance on the cross hauling of bells and on the assessment of chartered vessels for ROV deployment; and at the last Section meeting in Bangkok, Australian members reported on their active implementation of the IMCA Competence Assurance and Assessment Scheme for ROV personnel. The next meeting of the Section is in Perth, Australia in March 2001.

Notes to Editors (common)

• IMCA is an international association with over 450 members in more than 50 countries, representing offshore, marine and underwater engineering companies. IMCA has four technical divisions, covering marine/specialist vessel operations, offshore diving, hydrographic survey and remote systems and ROVs, plus geographic sections for the Americas Deepwater, Asia-Pacific, Europe & Africa and Middle East & India regions, as well as a core focus on safety, the environment, competence and training. IMCA seeks to promote its members' common interests, to resolve industry-wide issues and to provide an authoritative voice for its members.
• IMCA publishes some 200 guidance notes and technical reports. These have been developed over the years and are widely distributed. They are a definition of what IMCA stands for, including widely recognised diving and ROV codes of practice, DP documentation, marine good practice guidance, the Common Marine Inspection Document, safety recommendation, outline training syllabi and the IMCA competence scheme guidance. In addition to the range of printed guidance documents, IMCA also produces safety promotional materials, circulates information notes and safety flashes.
• Judith Patten is here to help you if you want any additional information on IMCA; would like to discuss a feature article; want to organise interviews with key members of the IMCA team, etc.