|
Press Release /10
DELIVERING VALUE IN MARINE OPERATIONS – HIGHLY TOPICAL IMCA ANNUAL SEMINAR
'Delivering value in marine operations' is the highly topical theme for the International
Marine Contractors Association’s (IMCA) 18th Annual Seminar. This year’s will be
held 23-24 November 2010 at the Grand Hyatt in Dubai, UAE – the 17th event in the
annual series was held in Rio de Janeiro.
"There is a universal drive to undertake tasks more efficiently, to retain high
safety levels, and to squeeze out waste and unnecessary costs," explains Jane Bugler,
IMCA Technical Director. "It is true to say that no clients, and no contractors
have money to waste. Cost effective, safe working practices are all-important throughout
the industry – every pound or dollar really counts. Our seminar will address this
by means of plenary sessions, dedicated streams on marine, diving, ROV and survey
issues, workshops that help determine our ongoing work programme, and a programme
of social and networking events."
Following opening morning plenary sessions which see Roy Donaldson, Topaz Marine,
IMCA Middle East & India Section Chairman welcome delegates; IMCA President Johan
Rasmussen, Acergy, lead a discussion on the conference theme with senior oil company
representatives; and three presentations – 'Delivering value by better integration
of ROV operations', by Neil Milne, Chairman, IMCA Remote Systems & ROV Division;
'Caspian Sea – operational challenges', Fazel Fazelbhoy, CEO, Topaz Marine; and
'Yours, theirs and mine: complexity or chaos in marine offshore management systems?',
Lance Birdsall and Tanya Vernon of Veolia, the conference then splits into three
streams.
Dynamic positioning (DP) is high on the agenda in the marine session with presentations
on 'DP station keeping capability'; 'Ensuring safety, reliability and effectiveness
– experience with testing of maritime control systems'; and 'New DNV approaches
to DP systems'. The diving session will look at 'The use of medical equipment in
saturation'; 'Monitoring H2S in the diving bell'; and 'Beyond the launch of the
hyperbaric lifeboat – are you prepared, do we need a coordinated global response'.
The final stream, aimed at delegates interested in ROV and survey matters addresses
AUVs in three presentations – 'Sharks have pilot fishes: WOROVs now have pilot AUVs';
'The hovering AUV'; and "The use of computer simulation in the development of AUVs".
These presentations are followed by a choice of five workshops on AUVs, CMID, crewing
management, SPS code and hyperbaric evacuation followed by summaries and feedback
from those workshops.
Day 2
The second day of the conference begins with a plenary session chaired by Guy Odell
of Fugro Survey who is Vice Chairman of the IMCA Middle East & India Section in
which 'Delivering value in lifting operations – the current issues'; 'New vessels
and equipment for subsea operations'; and 'Stereoscopic 3D visualisation tools for
offshore construction projects' come under the conference spotlight.
Simulators figure heavily in the three parallel sessions that follow the plenary
session with 'Simulator time vs sea time' in the Marine stream; 'The development
of an offshore diving supervisor simulator' in the Diving stream; and the ROV and
Survey stream hearing that 'Fiction beats reality (ROV simulators)' – one of the
day's workshops will, not surprisingly, be devoted to simulators in training, and
so too will an afternoon plenary session when 'Offshore crane operator training
using simulators' is one of three presentations.
Simulators are not the only issue being addressed. Other marine topics are 'Dynamic
positioning, tensioner and layspan dynamics'; and 'Selecting appropriate GNSS for
DP operations'; while those in the diving session will hear about 'The standardisation
of training tasks used at diving schools for the application of competence assessments'
and 'Submarine escape & rescue – the medical lessons learned'. Meanwhile, those
attending the ROV and Survey stream will consider 'Deepwater LARS challenges' and
'Tooling operations with fifth generation work class ROV capability'.
Another plenary session then follows. Chaired by Andy Bolton, Technip Oceania and
chairman of IMCA's Asia-Pacific Section, it will look at security issues with two
presentations 'Operating in high risk areas – the Dockwise strategy' and 'Convoy
management – offshore East Africa' as well as the crane operator simulator presentation.
The final round of workshops at the 18th IMCA Annual Seminar will consider simulators
in training; security emergency response; DESIGN/DSAA; installing ROVs on vessels
and 'Delegates choice' a topic chosen, as the title implies, by delegates themselves.
"These workshops are vital in helping to formulate our work programme at IMCA,"
explains Jane.
Social and networking events
Social events and the opportunity to network figure high on the list of features
of IMCA Annual Seminars. A welcome drinks reception will be held on Monday 22 November
in the gardens of the Grand Hyatt Hotel; at the end of the first day the Seminar
Dinner will be held in the desert with entertainment from Dubai Drums; and the Seminar
closes with a drinks and buffet reception on 24 November. Coffee and lunch breaks
on both days are taken in the exhibition area and provide opportunities for networking.
Further information on all aspects of the Annual Seminar, which will once again
include a members’ exhibition, and online booking are available on the IMCA website
at www.imca-int.com/events/seminar and from the Association at 52 Grosvenor Gardens,
London SW1W 0AU, UK. Tel: +44 (0)20 7824 5520; Fax: +44 (0)7824 5521; Email: events@imca-int.com
Notes to Editors (common)
- IMCA is an international association with well over 800 members in 60 countries, as at September 2011, 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 Asia-Pacific, South America, Europe & Africa, Middle East & India and Central & North America 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.
Press releases issued by:
Judith Patten at JPPR
34 Ellerker Gardens, Richmond, Surrey, TW10 6AA, UK
Tel: +44 (0) 20 8241 1912
Fax: +44 (0) 20 8940 6211
judithpatten@wwmail.co.uk
For more details, please contact Hugh Williams, IMCA Chief Executive
| 
