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IMCA to Stage eCMID workshop During WindEnergy Hamburg

Improving eCMID report quality’ is the title of a workshop being held by the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) to coincide with WindEnergy Hamburg on Tuesday 27 September. The morning-long workshop will be held at Global Maritime’s Hamburg offices. IMCA’s Common Marine Inspection Document (CMID) provides a standard format for inspection of offshore vessels. Its use helps promote safety and efficiency and is an aid in helping to reduce the number of repeat inspections on individual marine vessels. The eCMID database website enables vessel operators to allow potential clients access to completed eCMID reports. The workshop will include demonstrations, presentations

eCMID Update #11 – August 2016

In this latest eCMID Update: Revised versions of CMID and MISW published Watermarking and report cyber security The AVI scheme: one year in Continuing professional development points at eCMID events What is coming next? Please click the ‘flipbook’ above to launcheCMID Updatein the viewer or download as a PDF for later reading and sharing.

IMCA publishes 2014 DP incident report

Seventy one accounts of incidents that took place in 2014 on 54 vessels were submitted for the annual ‘ Dynamic positioning station keeping incidents: Incidents for 2014’ (M 231) report produced by the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA). These accounts have been analysed, made anonymous and detailed in the report which is online and freely downloadable at www.imca-int.com/media/252294/imcam231.pdf Thruster/propulsion issues proved to be the main cause for dynamic positioning (DP) incidents in 2014 accounting for 36% of such events; followed by computer issues at 18% and power and references both at 13%. Following these as the main cause are human

IMCA makes minor revision to M 103

IMCA has made a small revision to its guidelines for the design and operation of dynamically positioned vessels (IMCA M 103). The update is on page 25, under section 3.4.3 on Annual DP Trials. However, the update (further to the revision made in April 2016) was minor enough that we’ve deemed it unnecessary to re-release the document with a fresh ‘Rev. #’. You can view IMCA M 103 here.

Change in concept of operation of IMCA's CMID system

To say that there is a burden of over-auditing on the International Marine Contractors Association’s (IMCA) vessel operators is without doubt. In an effort to reduce this burden IMCA intends to improve the integrity and quality of their Common Marine Inspection Document system (CMID) by adopting a greater degree of oversight of the system. This will enable greater cooperation with the Offshore Vessel Inspection Database (OVID). The Accredited Vessel Inspector (AVI) scheme is already proving successful, and changes will be made that ensure that by January 2018 only AVIs are able to use the eCMID database and only eCMID reports,

IMCA CMID Workshop to be held at Seawork International

The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) is hosting a CMID (IMCA’s Common Marine Inspection Document) workshop at Seawork International on the morning of Wednesday 15 June aboard Ocean Scene, a vessel moored at the show which is being held in Mayflower Park, Southampton. The theme of the workshop is”Improving CMID Report Quality”. It will include demonstrations, presentations and discussions about CMID, and is aimed at all CMID users. Accredited Vessel Inspectors (AVIs) who attend will earn 3 CPD validation points. There are now nearly 200 AVIs and over 230 people have applied to join the scheme from countries all over

Key DP documents revised and published by IMCA

Two highly respected International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) documents, often written into contracts by clients, have been fully revised and published. ‘Guidelines for the Design and Operation of Dynamically Positioned Vessels’ (IMCA M103 Rev 2), and ‘Guidance on Failure Modes & Effects Analyses (FMEA)’ (IMCA M166 Rev 1) are both now freely available on the IMCA website. “Both important documents were reviewed using the IMCA ‘open forum’ web-based system introduced last year,” explains IMCA’s Technical Director, Richard Benzie.”This made for wide stakeholder engagement. All comments were welcomed and taken on board, so M103 and M166 can rightly be described as

IMCA on OCIMF Working Group updating MEG3

The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) has been invited to assist with the Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF) working group on the revision of ‘Mooring Equipment Guidelines’, the third edition – MEG3 – which was published in 2008. “We are delighted to have a role to play in helping revision of this key document,” says IMCA’s Technical Director, Richard Benzie.”Like all the organisations deliberating over the revisions, our primary aim is to promote ever safer mooring. “To this end we publish ‘Mooring practice safety guidance for offshore vessels when alongside in ports and harbours’ (IMCA M 214/SEL 029); and

Common Marine Inspection Document under the spotlight at IMCA meeting in Macae

The Common Marine Inspection Document (CMID) will be coming under the spotlight at a meeting of the South America Section Meeting of the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) in Macaé in Brazil on the afternoon of Wednesday 9 March. And, that is not all, Eduardo Gritti, of the Instituo de Ciências Náuticas (Institute of Nautical Sciences) will be delivering a presentation his organisation’s training centre. The two presentations take place at the Comfort Suites Macaé after a networking lunch for members, and non-members interested in finding out more about the work of IMCA; and sessions bringing all at the event

IMCA publishes report on Mini RadaScan system for DP operations

Reliable and robust methods of positioning are required for safe vessel operations at offshore installations. The development of dynamic positioning (DP) systems has been gradual over the past 50 years and today, various manufacturers’ systems are available around the world. IMCA has published a report, IMCA M 229 ‘Mini RadaScan microwave radar sensor for dynamic positioning operations’ to provide an overview of the Mini RadaScan system. “Every measurement technology is bound by limitations (i.e. physics) and external factors (e.g. signal obstruction, solar activity, weather, sea conditions, range), which makes it difficult for one technology to cover all applications and uninterrupted

IMCA publishes shared use of sensors guidance

Two documents on the shared use of sensors have been revised and merged to form one common document recently published by the International Marine Contractors Association as IMCA S023 ‘Guidelines on the shared use of sensors for survey and positioning purposes’. Download this new document by clicking here. The document reaches the conclusion that provided an appropriate and adequate risk assessment is undertaken and procedures to mitigate risks are in place using the guidance given in the new document, the shared use of sensors for different applications should not present any operational issues. Nevertheless, it is vitally important that vessel

CMID inspector scheme reaches a milestone … and so does CMID

The CMID (Common Marine Inspection Document) Vessel Inspector Scheme has reached a milestone with the hundredth Vessel Inspector application having been received. The Inspectors accredited so far are based in over 20 countries, with both the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) and the International Institute of Marine Surveying (IIMS) actively promoting the scheme globally. IMCA has also announced that CMID Version 9 will go live on 7 September. IMCA and the IIMS have released dates for CMID (Common Marine Inspection Document) Vessel Inspector Scheme Database Workshop Training Courses in Aberdeen, UK; Liverpool, UK; Abu Dhabi, UAE; Shanghai, China; Amsterdam, the

IMCA playing a key role in offshore wind safety

The Offshore Renewable Workgroup of the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA|) is one of the association’s best attended workgroups, and the level of enthusiasm is not only seeing an increasing number of highly relevant guidance documents being published, but has gained IMCA a seat at the UK HSE GB ‘Offshore Wind Industry Leaders Workshop’ in Bootle in November. “There is no doubt that the Offshore Renewables Workgroup, under the dynamic chairmanship of Alan MacLeay of Subsea 7/Seaway Heavy Lifting, is extremely proactive and producing some highly relevant documents,” explains Jane Bugler, IMCA’s Technical Director and Acting Chief Executive.”It is vital

Competence Assurance and Assessment: Marine Roles for Small Workboats – guidance published by IMCA

Following a number of incidents involving small workboats operating in the wind farm sector during 2012 and 2013, a need was identified to set out the elements of competence required for crews operating and working on small workboats. ‘Guidance on Competence Assurance and Assessments: Marine Roles for Small Workboats’ (IMCA C 017) has now been published by the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA). “For the purpose of our new guidance a small workboat is any vessel less than 200 gross tonnes,” explains IMCA’s Technical Director and Acting Chief Executive, Jane Bugler. “Working together, our Competence & Training Core Committee, Marine

IMCA publishes guidelines for safe DP OSV operations

Reliable and robust methods of positioning are required for safe vessel operations in close proximity to offshore installations. Dynamic positioning (DP) is well-established as a primary method of vessel positioning in the diving, drilling, construction, accommodation and shuttle tanker sectors, and is especially suited to deep-water developments. As development and management of DP becomes more refined, increasingly logistics support vessels are becoming equipped with DP systems with increasing reliance being given to such systems. With this increased use in mind, the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) [Booth S16 at OTC 2015) has published an updated edition of ‘International Guidelines for

IMCA's CMID: Applications for IIMS Accredited Vessel Inspectors open

Today (1 May 2015) is a significant date for both the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) and the International Institute of Marine Surveying (IIMS), for it sees the website going live through which those wishing to apply to become IIMS Accredited Vessel Inspectors (AVIs) for IMCA’s CMID (Common Marine Inspection Document) work on a global basis from 1 June can register their interest. The new website is at cmidvesselinspectors.com with the registration application at https://www.ecmidvesselinspectors.com/cmid-accreditation-scheme/application-process/. The site includes full information on IMCA, IIMS, CMID, and on the CMID Accreditation Scheme, with sections on accreditation benefits, the application process, fees, frequently

Launch date for IIMS Accredited Vessel Inspectors announced

The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) and the International Institute of Marine Surveying (IIMS) chose the final day of Ocean Business at Southampton (16 April) to announce the eagerly awaited start date for the IIMS accredited vessel inspectors (AVIs) scheme, for CMID (Common Marine Inspection Document ) work on a worldwide basis as 1 June. Those wishing to apply to become IIMS AVIs will be able to register their interest from the beginning of May in order to allow for processing of applications from 1 June. “The accreditation process for CMID vessel inspectors, to be known as accredited vessel inspectors

Countdown to CMID V9 continues

When IMCA members flocked to Copenhagen in March for EWEA Offshore 2015, we saw it as an ideal opportunity to reach them by hosting a seminar in conjunction with the show. The topic: the progress of Project TRADEWINDS, which combines the upgrade of CMID version 9 and the introduction of an accreditation scheme for vessel inspectors (which we are working on in collaboration with the International Institute of Marine Surveying (IIMS)). If you missed out on the seminar, don’t worry you can find the information and presentations from the day here now. Delegates from vessel operators, clients and inspection companies

IMO accepts IMCA paper as basis for updating DP guidelines

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has agreed to use the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) proposals as the basis for the review of the IMO Guidelines for vessels with dynamic positioning (DP) systems (MSC/Circ.645). The review will be taken forward by an IMO intersessional correspondence group that will further develop the draft, with a view to finalising it at the next meeting of the IMO Ship Systems and Equipment (SSE) sub-committee, in 2016. “IMO’s circular 645 is the established international standard for DP systems. The guidelines have successfully provided the framework on which national regulations and classification society rules are