IMCA Newsroom

Press 'Early Warning' and Briefing Notes

IMCA 2003 - WHAT'S IN THE PIPELINE?

Note to Editors: This information is supplied to provide you with background information on some of the key issues being addressed during 2003 by IMCA - the International Marine Contractors Association. We hope it will stimulate you to want to know more (but not burden you with too many pieces of paper)! We are always happy to provide fuller information/articles written by specialists to your requirements (in terms of content, length, style and deadline); or to arrange interviews for you. We will, of course, be issuing press releases on key developments throughout the year - but we felt it was wise to let you know in advance what to expect! After all, what IMCA is working on might well tie in with a feature you have planned! Whatever you need, your contact is Judith Patten, IMCA's Press Officer at judithpatten@blueyonder.co.uk; Tel: +44 (0)20 8241 1912; Fax: +44 (0)20 8940 6211. Address: JPPR, 34 Ellerker Gardens, Richmond, Surrey TW10 6AA, UK.

Background Information

IMCA - the International Marine Contractors Association - is an international trade association with over 200 members in more than 30 countries and represents companies providing marine and offshore construction activities. These include companies in pipelay, heavy lift, diving, remotely operated vehicles, hydrographic survey, specialist vessels, supply of marine contracting plant and equipment, as well as those active in skills training to support the industry. IMCA includes 20 or more oil companies who join as corresponding (non-voting) members which forms a key part of IMCA's communication campaign.

IMCA has a small London-based secretariat led by its Chief Executive, Hugh Williams - who will shortly celebrate his first year in office. The IMCA Council comprises representatives from the larger ‘international contractor' members who provide political direction and support. An organisation chart is attached. One of the developments for this year is a "What is IMCA?" CD being produced primarily for potential members.

The main areas of focus continue to be the pursuit of efficiency through the soft issues of:

• Health, safety and environment
• Legislation affecting the industry
• Contracting regime
• Training, competence and recruitment

and through the technical work of IMCA's divisional committees who develop and share good operational practice.

IMCA's 2003 objectives will be:

• To strive for the highest possible standards of health, safety and environment with a balance of risk and cost
• To ensure endorsement of and continually improve IMCA guidelines
• To ensure endorsement of and continually develop IMCA competence schemes
• To ease the free movement of equipment and personnel globally
• To promote equitable contracting principles
• To provide the framework for recruitment and training to sustain the industry

Hugh Williams shares below, in note form, thoughts about what 2003 holds in store for IMCA.

• Establishment of the Europe & Africa Section will be completed in the first half of this year (IMCA has Americas Deepwater, Asia-Pacific and Middle East & India sections.) The first event to be held by the new Europe & Africa Section will be on 'Security Issues for West Africa', a seminar to be held in the UK in the autumn at which members and clients can share the issues, and the solutions.
• Staging the 12th Annual Marine Seminar - this year it will be a combined Marine and Safety Seminar and be held in Houston, USA on 5-6 November. The CD-ROM of the 11th Marine Seminar (which incorporated Diving and which was held in Aberdeen) is now available - press review copies on request.
• DP for supply vessels - IMCA guidelines are being prepared and will be published later this year, these are being developed with clients and supply vessel operators (touched on in the press release on DP incidents)
• Guidelines for the utilisation and exchange of digital video data from subsea inspection operations. It is possible that it is too early to lay down strict guidelines on the acquisition of digital video data, however a set of guidelines outlining the options available and perhaps proposing standards for the rendition of such data to the end user are the main objectives of the working party.
• Underwater explosions/underwater cutting and their influence on divers - DVDs to be produced to provide members with useful tools for their employees
• FMEAs (failure modes and effects analyses) - last year we published guidance on the technique to help take away some of the mystique, this year we are putting the technique to the test in our major study on the review of safety/ reliability of DP systems
• A DVD is also being produced on safe working at height - obviously tailored to the needs of those working offshore. The topic is relevant to the vast majority of members, there is an EU Directive to be taken into consideration, but most important of all, it is an area where accidents are still happening. As our members strive for zero injuries at work, this will be a hard-hitting DVD aimed at ramming home the safety message. Timing - should be ready around the end of 2003.
• Diving guidelines - we will be updating and re-writing some of the vital guidelines which have had such a beneficial affect on diving safety levels around the world.
• Working safer offshore. Safety lies at the heart of all IMCA activities. Our 2002 and 2003 Safety Seminars (member only events - a mini-report on the 2003 one appears at the end of the enclosed release on this year's Marine and Safety Seminar). Has led to IMCA working on guidelines on behavioural aspects and safety - the aim is to deliver advice that strikes home across differing cultures. There are huge cultural differences just around the North Sea, but moving further away they get ever more fascinating - and diverse! In addition, cultures vary in the workforce of our members where the officers, deck foremen and crew may all come from different parts of the world. The guidelines should be published at the end of 2003.
• IMCA continues to help members implement their Competence Assurance & Assessment schemes and to work towards ever greater understanding of the scheme as a whole. It is certainly paying dividends for member companies. Their clients are, increasingly, needing guarantees of competence; and accident investigators are asking for 'proof of competence' - IMCA members are well prepared!
• We believe contractor pro-activity is all-important and increasingly see the industry becoming self-regulatory. The client profile is changing: the bigger oil companies have merged together and they are focussing their efforts on a few, mega-projects. This leaves the multitude of smaller projects to be developed by smaller operators who outsource work and responsibility to contractors. So, here, contractors cannot rely on client supervision or regulation and must look after their own destiny. Often IMCA guidelines can fill this requirement. We constantly encourage members to let us know what topics should be the subject of guidelines. This vital work will continue throughout the year. Those guidelines ‘on the books' include topics as varied as ‘surface supply mixed gas diving' (stimulated by the Asia-Pacific Section) to ‘inter-vessel survey data standard telemetry protocol'.
• We aim to encourage more corresponding members to join IMCA - an oil company may have a person dealing with dynamic positioning of vessels in six different offices, yet IMCA may only have one contact at the moment. That's why we need you to help spread the word about what IMCA is doing and has done for its members in the pursuit of safety in the industry as a whole!

There will be other projects started during the year, but those detailed above give something of an overview of our plan of campaign - we look forward to working with you to spread the word on all or any of our projects. Remember, Judith Patten (contact details in the box at the start of this briefing note) is available to help you in any way she can. (Perhaps even something as simple as ensuring that you receive all releases electronically rather than by mail - put her to the test, send her an email telling her how she can help you).

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.