Environmental Issues
In December 2000 IMCA's Overall Management Committee approved the renaming of the former Safety & Legislation (S&L) Committee to "Safety, Environment & Legislation", reflecting the recent work of the committee on this issue, of high importance to marine contractors.
The following recent activities provide good examples of how IMCA's members have brought together their cumulative experience and expertise to help ensure efficient operations with minimal impact on the surrounding marine environment.
Environmental Performance Indicators
Data on environmental performance is becoming increasingly useful to outside stakeholders and internal management systems for company benchmarking and strategic planning. The SEL committee recently commissioned the development of a set of environmental performance indicators to assist members in this regard. As part of that work, the committee held a workshop on performance measures, which provided valuable input. The draft indicators were also successfully trialled prior to publications. For full details, click here.
Events
Environmental Seminars
In recent years IMCA has held two seminars dedicated to environmental issues, in particular to moves by operator clients and IMCA's own contractor members to obtain certification under international codes and standards.
These events have involved independent experts in the field, experienced speakers from member companies who have been heavily involved in such activities and representatives of both clients and regulators, enabling informed and wide discussions to take place and thereby allowing each viewpoint to be represented and better understood by the others. To read about the latest IMCA environmental seminar, click here.
Halon Phase-Out Workshop
As part of an expanded Marine Division Annual Seminar & Workshops in Stavanger, Norway on 13-14 September, a presentation authored by David Catchpole (specialist consultant, until recently top-level adviser to BP and author of the IMCA report "Halon and the alternative fire suppression gases") was given. The presentation was well-received and was followed by a constructive workshop session on the topic. The proceedings of the full seminar are now available - click here for more information and ordering details.
Publications & Briefing
Environmental Management Standards - ISO 14,001/ISM Gap Analysis
This document has been prepared in the context of members having secured or about to secure ISM compliance for their vessels. A number of clients are calling for their contractors to have ISO 14,001 certification. The gap analysis can be used to determine what more would be needed to take that step. It can also be used to show to clients that ISM is the appropriate certificate for specialised vessels and that the extra steps are not necessary.
Halon and the Alternative Fire Suppression Gases
Marine contractors will long have been aware of the progressive moves to ban first the manufacture and then the use of CFCs and halons, because of concerns over the thinning of the ozone layer over arctic and antarctic regions. David Catchpole, a leading expert in the field, was commissioned by IMCA to prepare this briefing report on the problems caused for ship owners in tracking down suitable substitute systems/gases for halon and on potential solutions and alternatives that can be employed.
Briefing to Members
Through its members-only information notes, IMCA has provided further briefing and updates on issues covered in the above documents and other areas of concern to members in the environmental arena.
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