From the President -  2011

At the nineteenth IMCA annual seminar in New Orleans my keynote address was on how I see the future of marine and subsea operations. The future is rosy if the client base is confident enough to provide contractors with regular contracts and continuity. Confidence generates the investment necessary to assist the technological advances that are required in our challenging industry, and a buoyant industry attracts the manpower needed to utilise it. Each individual component is not guaranteed and we can be knocked off course as an industry.

Other keynote speakers covered the views of Chevron, NOIA, API, Louisiana State and BSEE. Naturally they focused on returning their region’s activity to previous levels as well as future expansion. They also shared in the world-wide industry concern in communicating challenges and rewards to the next generation of workforce in readiness for the safe delivery of oil and gas from more remote and challenging locations.

A welcome common message from the speakers was that the conference gathered a significant representation of the marine contracting world, and that IMCA should be part of discussions about matters affecting this sector. This is an important responsibility for IMCA, and its members need to contribute both individually and collectively to the debates. They need to seek out opportunities and points of contact in relevant bodies to do this, and actively respond to calls for comment issued by the secretariat. Only in this way will IMCA’s voice truly reflect members’ wishes and be heard and respected by relevant bodies. Having earned this recognition we must use it wisely and be careful not to lose it.

Andy Woolgar, Subsea 7
IMCA President 2011