IMCA Newsroom

Press Release 23/04

IMCA ADOPTS A DECOMMISSIONING AND RENEWABLE ENERGY ROLE

Recent workshops run for the Europe & Africa Section of IMCA - the International Marine Contractors Association - highlighted two new areas of opportunity for IMCA members; offshore decommissioning and marine renewable energy.

"Decommissioning and renewables offer a potentially huge area of work for which IMCA members are especially suitable in terms of experience of actual projects; their safety record; and also their ability to use innovative techniques in hostile environments," says Hugh Williams, Chief Executive of IMCA.

"Our recent member-only session in Aberdeen combined a meeting of our Europe & Africa Section and was attended by over sixty delegates with workshops on these two topics. In the morning we concentrated on current IMCA issues such as work on diver training, updates on developments in European Union legislation, work relating to contract and insurance issues and reports from our world-wide committees. The main focus, however, was the presentations on decommissioning and renewable energy. They provided fascinating material and lively interaction.

The decommissioning topics covered regulations (Keith May, UK DTI), Maureen and Hutton TLP decommissioning experiences (Frank Bursill, Technip); a 2004 decommissioning perspective (Chris van Beek, Heerema Marine Contractors); and subsea decommissioning (Ian Murray, Oceaneering International). Inshore diving on windfarms (Chris Sherman, UK HSE Chief Inspector of Diving); and cable laying for windfarms: experience from Horns Rev (Mike Prowse, Global Marine Systems) were topics covered under the ‘renewables' heading. Alan MacLeay of Subsea 7 was able to embrace both topics in his presentation on decommissioning and renewables: exploring the overlap with the possible conversion of the Beatrice field into a wind farm.

"The discussions verified that IMCA members are focussed on the issues, challenges and opportunities of decommissioning and marine renewables, with some members demonstrating the expertise already acquired in the former and their awareness of the latter," adds Hugh Williams. "It was also clear that members are interested in taking part in workgroups relating to both subjects, and a number of action items have been identified on which our workgroups can focus.

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.