News from IMCA 2008

December 2008

• IMCA publishes outline syllabus for training of personnel in supervisory positions
  IMCA has published new guidance which aims to set out an outline syllabus for training personnel working in supervisory roles in a variety of positions both onshore and offshore. Its development was prompted by member feedback that those who have demonstrated technical competence can often be promoted to positions of responsibility, whereupon it may be found that they have inadequate competence in supervisory skills, and an incomplete or superficial understanding of the business of leading and managing their fellow employees. The syllabus draws together key subject headings from in-house course plans submitted by leading contractors around the globe.
   
• Registration open for 2009 safety seminar
  Covering the Global HSE Bases is the theme of the 2009 IMCA safety seminar which takes place at the home of US baseball's Houston Astros on 11-12 March in conjunction with the Gulf Coast Safety & Training Group. The packed programme, covering a range of health, safety and environmental topics with speakers including oil company, contractor and specialist consultancy representatives, is available online and registration is now open.
   

November 2008

• IMCA annual seminar 2008 breaks all records in Kuala Lumpur
  The 2008 IMCA annual seminar took place on 5-6 November in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and was a huge success, with over 430 delegates, 24 exhibitors, a new offshore/survey ROV strand in addition to the keynote, plenary, marine and diving sessions that have proved so successful over a number of years plus a range of social and networking sessions too. The CD of presentations and workshop reports has been issued to delegates and is now available.
   
• From the President - November 2008
  "Regardless of the credit crunch the number of new vessels coming into our business will continue to remain at a high level over the coming years. With this in mind it is encouraging to read the IMCA safety statistics for 2007; not because the results are any better than they need to be, but because we are able to maintain the safety performance at a constant level despite all the pressures which we experience in our industry. The long term objective is clearly to improve, but with the continuous inflow of vessels to the industry I believe just to maintain this level will be a tall order in the years to come. A clear and visible personal commitment from the leaders of our member companies is a necessity to keep us on the right track."
  Plus: The IMCA annual seminar and seasonal wishes.
   

October 2008

• IMCA publishes guidance on wire rope integrity management for vessels in the offshore industry
  IMCA has published new guidance on wire rope integrity management for vessels in the offshore industry, developed by a workgroup including contractors operating around the world, wire rope manufacturers and regulatory representatives. The resulting publication sets out the elements required to achieve an acceptable level of ongoing safety for the use of wire ropes in the range of environments, including a variety of harsh conditions, in which marine contracting operations take place.
   
• IMCA enhances range of audit templates
  IMCA has added new CDs to its publications catalogue which include audit templates previously available only in printed formats. The move enhances the usefulness for members, their clients and auditors with Word versions for electronic completion together with as-published PDFs.
   

September 2008

• Latest IMCA pocket card addresses hazards of 'caught between' and pinch points
  The latest IMCA safety card - Caught between and pinch points - what you should know - addresses a key remaining cause of incidents in the offshore industry, as identified through IMCA member safety statistics. Sets of the card are available for purchase, ready for use with the offshore workforce, as well as members having access to the commercial printing files for customisation and inclusion of company logos and references.
   
• IMCA recruiting new Technical Adviser - Legislative Affairs
  As a result of its continued expansion, IMCA is now seeking a Technical Adviser - Legislative Affairs. This post, based in the London SW1 secretariat,will focus on work ongoing within the International Maritime Organization (IMO), where IMCA holds observer status, and other legislative affairs that affect our members. Full details on the role and application process are now available on this site.
   
• New risk assessment DVD published by IMCA
  A new DVD on risk assessment has been published by IMCA. Published with ten language versions on two formats, the vital importance of identifying, mitigating and communicating the potential hazards of individual tasks at a worksite is brought to life for the global offshore workforce.
   
• New IMCA poster highlights vessel security messages
  IMCA's latest addition to its series of safety promotion materials is a poster addresing vessel security. Building on earlier publications, such as Introduction to the ISPS Code and other work by the IMCA Security Task Force, the poster sets out key issues that all offshore personnel should be aware of, accompanied by a selection of specially commissioned humorous cartoons.
   

August 2008

• New survey course directory launched
  IMCA has launched a new Course Directory as part of its online careers zone, covering over 500 survey-related courses. The directory updates and replaces a previous printed dossier and aims to help those looking at a future career in offshore surveying find relevant courses around the world.
   
• IMCA highlights careers in marine contracting with new web-based material
  IMCA's careers information portal has been incorporated into the new IMCA website with a wealth of additional factsheets and in-depth feature articles, together with a fully refreshed collection of downloadable PDFs and print format materials.
   
• From the President - August 2008
  "6 July was the twentieth anniversary of the Piper Alpha disaster. I think it is fair to say that this tragic event led to a definitive change in the approach to safety around the world. Safety remains at the top of the agenda for the marine industry. Reminding ourselves what has happened and what can happen is the best way of avoiding complacency, which is one of the greatest threats to good safety performance."
  Plus: Membership breaks 500 barrier, plans for a member survey and news on IMCA events
   
• IMCA launches new website
  IMCA has relaunched its public website (www.imca-int.com) with a bright new look, incorporating more photographs into a fresh, clean design. We have aimed to maintain the wealth of information (fully reviewed and updated) that visitors came to expect from our old site, but with additional navigation options (such as the new Topics menu and A-Z) to help you find what you are looking for quickly. Fully updated documents and events sections provide fast access plus a range of publications available for downloading for the first time
   

July 2008

• IMCA issues call for papers for its 2009 safety seminar
  Health, safety and the environment - Covering the global HSE bases will be the subject of a baseball-themed IMCA safety seminar on 11-12 March 2009 at Minute Maid Park, home of the Houston Astros baseball team. A call for papers has been issued seeking abstracts from members on possible presentations as a steering committee starts to develop another exciting programme.
   
• Updated pocket card addresses safety when working at height
  An updated IMCA pocket card, revised following regulatory changes around the world, sets out key safety reminders for those working at height on how proper planning, preventative measures, following procedures and having the right equipment in case of incident can help ensure safety of workers. The card forms part of a growing range of materials companies can use to promote key messages to the offshore workforce.
   
• IMCA - now over 500 members active in more than fifty countries
  IMCA has reached and passed the 500 member milestone, with an expanding global spread of companies active in more than 50 countries helping promote IMCA's message, spread adoption of its good practice guidance and enable dialogue with industry partners world-wide. View the full list of current members in our Member Directory.
   

June 2008

• Registration opens for IMCA's 2008 annual seminar
  Global alignment in marine operations is the theme of this year's IMCA annual seminar, which takes place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 5-6 November. An expanded programme features plenary presentations and discussion with parallel diving, marine and new offshore survey/ROV sessions, as well as workshops, a record breaking exhibition and social events. Full details are available online, with registration now open.
   
• New IMCA guidance on operational communications in lifting
  IMCA has published a second volume of its guidance on operational communications, this time addressing the wide range of lifting operations that take place in the marine contracting industry. The new guidance also complements the widely used IMCA guidelines for lifting operations published in 2007.
   
• IMCA midsummer ball raises record sum for charity
  The 2008 IMCA midsummer charity ball attracted over 250 guests to the spectacular Castle Fraser in Aberdeenshire for a sumptuous dinner, dancing and variety entertainment, raising a record £3000 through games and a casino for the Sailors' Society
   

May 2008

• IMCA updates guidance on diving operations from DP vessels
  IMCA has updated its guidance on diving operations carried out from dynamically positioned vessels (IMCA D 010) to reflect operational experience, other relevant documentation and provide further clarification and guidance on good practice. In particular, increased emphasis is placed on assessment of risks associated with diving within anchor patterns, as well as general safety management, umbiilicals and shallow water issues.
   
• Fourth IMCA golf day a great success
  Eighty members and their guests gathered at Newmachar golf course in Aberdeenshire for the fourth annual golf tournament - a day which saw fine weather, great competitive play and friendships made and renewed. A full report on the event has now been posted on this site.
   
• From the President - May 2008
  "Demand for oil continues to exceed supply with a resultant increase in oil price. We increasingly hear that we are at, or are close to, 'peak oil'. For our industry, 'peak oil' necessitates working in ever more challenging environments: deeper water, Arctic climate and remote locations with little infrastructure, as well as high security risk locations. Not good news for the planet, perhaps, but it does reinforce the sustainability of our industry at a high level for many years to come."
  Plus: Increasing IMCA's profile in South America, the geopolitical barriers study and forthcoming IMCA social events
   

April 2008

• Lost Bell Survival guide now available on DVD
  The IMCA-HSE video on training for survival in the event of a lost diving bell is now available on DVD, together with a printed guide giving additional information for trainers. Together they provide a useful resource to help companies develop their in-house training sessions on this vital subject.
   

March 2008

• New IMCA logbooks available for Offshore Managers and Offshore Engineers
  IMCA has extended its range of logbooks and competence records with two new publications, prepared for offshore managers and offshore engineers. Each enables recording of working experience, training and competence assessments in a common, recognisable format. The new logbooks extend the range to eleven books, covering a range of diving, marine and other offshore-related positions.
   
• Latest DP incidents report - beginning of a new way
  The seventeenth annual report on dynamic positioning (DP) system station keeping incidents is now available. For the first time, the analysis has been undertaken in-house by the IMCA secretariat, further enhancing the confidential nature of reporting and helping promote reporting by vessel operators world-wide. The 59 incidents are grouped into incidents, undesired events, downtime, near-misses and hazard observations, with incident trees and analysis undertaken for each. These are summarised and trends and common causes identified, enabling future work by IMCA to address specific aspects with vessel operators, system manufacturers and training providers.
   
• IMCA Golf Day 2008 announced
  The IMCA golf day 2008 will take place on 22 May at the Newmachar course in Aberdeenshire, UK. Booking is open now for this fourth annual event, with fierce yet friendly competition expected for the IMCA quaich (best individual performance), Poseidon Maritime Challenge Trophy (best team performance) and a range of other prizes. Make sure your booking is made early and don't forget to invite your guests along too.!
   
• Booking open for the IMCA Midsummer Charity Ball 2008
  The 2008 IMCA charity ball will take place on 6 June at the beautiful Castle Fraser in Aberdeenshire, UK. With IMCA aiming to emulate the success of the 2007 Fyvie Castle event, high attendance is expected for a spectacular evening of feasting, dancing and entertainment. Don't miss out - make sure your booking is made early.
   
• New 'open your horizons' careers micro-site goes live
  A new micro-site of careers facts, stories and information has gone live, ahead of our forthcoming website relaunch Packed with information in a bright new format, this expanding site tells potential recruits all they need to know about the exciting career opportunities available offshore
   
• ROV seminar attracts over 120 alongside oi08
  A record number of delegates attended the 2008 IMCA ROV seminar - Developments in ROV Technology which took place alongside Oceanology International (oi08) in London on 12 March. Presentations covered ROV and AUV technologies, oceanographic and meteological forecasting and current and future training provision for the global industry. The proceedings have been issued on CD, with a report now online.
   

February 2008

• New guidance aims to facilitate annual trials for DP MODUs
  While annual DP trials have been undertaken in most industry sectors for a number of years, due to the continuous nature of mobile offshore drilling unit (MODU) operations such trials could proves impractical. IMCA has published new guidance aimed at facilitating such trials on a phased approach. It is stressed that IMCA guidance remains that it is best to undertake DP trials in one go if possible and that this guidance is for the special case of MODUs only.
   
• Updated guidance on the use of chain lever hoists
  Chain lever hoists are used extensively in underwater construction activities. IMCA has now updated its guidance on the use of chain lever hoists in the offshore subsea environment. The changes in this version reflect the experience gained by the industry in using the guidance and incorporate lessons learnt during investigations into lever hoist incidents over the past five years, plus a new section on the use of chain lever hoists underwater.
   
• From the President - February 2008
  "These are turbulent times in the world economy ... but from the marine construction view this is not the picture we see. Our assets are achieving high utilisation, everyone seems to be busy and new people and new assets are continuously entering our business."
  Plus: Working with national oil companies, tackling geopolitical barriers and the latest IMCA safety seminar
   
• Safety exellence in a global environment - IMCA seminar a success in Abu Dhabi
  Over 120 delegates gathered in Abu Dhabi for the first major IMCA safety seminar to be held in the region. A packed two-day programme featured a variety of presentations and discussion sessions on good practice, covering both safety and environmental performance, as well as driving home the personal lessons learnt from incidents. Members displayed and discussed their own successful safety initiatives and ideas through a 'share fair' session. A CD of the proceedings has been issued, with a full report on this website.
   

January 2008

• IMCA addresses academic requirements for surveyors working in the offshore survey sector
  IMCA has updated its guidance on Academic requirements for surveyors working in the offshore survey sector. Updating the earlier (2002) guidance, a review has been undertaken and the text revised to fully reflect current practices and particularly new technological developments. Though its publication, IMCA survey contractor members aim to help ensure students are well prepared for joining the industry.
   
• IMCA updates guidance on basic safety training and vessel induction for non-marine personnel
  IMCA has updated its Guidance on basic safety training and vessel induction for non-marine personnel working offshore, including this revised title. Such personnel can include project and technical staff not normally based on a vessel but onboard to fulfill the needs of a given project. The guidance offers examples of topics to be covered in basic safety training programmes in a checklist form that can be adapted for the workforce, vessel and operations to be undertaken.
   
• New safety posters address ladder safety and dropped objects
  IMCA has published two new safety posters, entitled Working at height: safe use of ladders and Avoiding dropped objects. This adds to the growing range of IMCA safety promotional materials, which includes DVDs, fifteen pocket cards and the existing (2006) posters on manual handling and preventing slips, trips and falls. Members can also download the commercial printing files to enable incorporation of their own logos, names and references.
   
• IMCA holding second social reception aboard HQS Wellington
  Aiming to repeat the success of its 2007 event, IMCA is holding a second social reception aboard HQS Wellington, moored on the bank of the River Thames in London, on 5 March 2008. The event is intended to bring together and entertain a variety of members and guests, including international marine contractors, marine lawyers, insurance brokers and underwriters, P&I clubs, government representatives and other industry bodies. A beautiful floating museum, Livery Hall of the Honourable Company of Master Mariners, HQS Wellington provides an excellent venue for a social and networking event to look forward to.
   
• Registration opens for IMCA's ROV seminar at Oceanology International
  IMCA is holding a seminar entitled Developments in ROV Technology on Wednesday 12 March 2008 alongside the popular Oceanology International event in London. The event is free of charge and open to both members and non-members. An interesting half-day programme has been assembled and registration is open now.