IMCA Newsroom

Press Release 22/05

IMCA ESTABLISHES SECURITY TASK FORCE

IMCA - the International Marine Contractors Association - has formed the IMCA Security Task Force to work on such security related topics as security and health issues for personnel in transit, piracy, the implications of the International Ship & Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code and security in the workplace and onboard vessels.

"These are real issues of growing anxiety to our members who operate globally, some of them in politically sensitive areas," explains IMCA's Chief Executive, Hugh Williams. "The advent of ISPS, increased awareness of terrorist and piracy issues, and heightened health concerns have led to our members asking us to take these issues extremely seriously and to bring all manner of maritime security issues under the banner of our newly established task force."

"Under the chairmanship of Nigel Hope of Technip, the new task force has members from several IMCA contractor members working internationally," he adds. "It is not a workgroup with a limited set of objectives but has total flexibility to cope with ever-changing demand over a wide range of issues. We felt the term "task force" best summed up the nature of the foreseen work of the group. It will have input from, and feed into, the other IMCA committees, particularly our Safety, Environment & Legislation (SEL) Core Committee."

At the recent inaugural meeting of the IMCA Security Task Force the terms of reference of the task force were agreed; they cover:

• interface with IMCA committees to take forward issues raised relating to training, competence, marine and shore operations which have a security impact;
• develop industry guidance and best practices for security - for example, a common security audit, acceptable to clients, to prevent repetition of audits being undertaken and identifying an acceptable industry standard to be audited against, which would satisfy industry, clients and national authorities;
• identify the requirements for security information to be provided to personnel and develop appropriate guidance
• establish a security network among IMCA members for the exchange of intelligence information, to be interpreted, translated and disseminated through a security zone on the IMCA website;
• act as a catalyst for sharing intelligence information with the various intelligence agencies;
• take forward the International Ship & Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code and onshore security principles, by maintaining the focus on security and proactively promoting the security requirements for offshore vessels and onshore security provision, which specifically meets the needs of the membership;
• develop and enhance security initiatives to the benefit of the industry;
• develop and identify suitable security training acceptable to IMCA members, meeting industry and authority requirements;
• maintain the confidentiality of security information issued amongst IMCA members for members;
• develop a knowledge pool and intelligence surveillance to minimise the impact poised by piracy and develop best practices to combat the piracy threat.

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.