Community mural brings a splash of colour to Doncaster Lock
The UK canal network has provided me with inspiration once again, and not for the first time. Doncaster is a medium size city in the north of the UK. Volunteers have completed a vibrant mural at Doncaster Lock to celebrate the city’s heritage and encourage more boaters to experience this part of the waterway network.
Created by local artist Kate Rhodes, with assistance from volunteer lock keeper and ex-boater Jan Miller, the mural – measuring more than 10 metres long Continue reading “What caught my eye: April 2026”
This month, I want to address the matter of recurring safety issues in our industry, and I pose the simple question, to which there is no easy answer: “What are the barriers to progress?” Of course, I don’t have the answers, but as a joined up, interconnected industry, perhaps we could do as we seek to make incisive inroads into ship, crew and vessel safety. Over the years, the realisation for enhanced safety training and mechanisms has grown and is now accepted as the norm, as has their implementation, but still, we see the same old type of incidents and accidents recurring. 
Of course, the sea, ships and boats have inspired artists for centuries – as well as me, although my artistic skills are not at the level of Joey Blazek! The original work of art (pictured right), entitled Matagorda Pilot Transfer, was painted by US artist Joey Blazek and measures 30 by 48 inches. It depicts a dramatic scene of a pilot transfer underway, and his expressive style of painting really caught my eye.
For my first two stories this month, I turned to the UK inland waterways, always a source of inspiration. The first story is shocking as you are about to find out.
You don’t need me to remind you of the catastrophic incident in March 2024, which resulted in the MV Dali totally destroying the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, killing six highway workers in the process. It really is one of the most spectacular and tragic maritime accidents in recent times, witnessed around the world by millions. We have covered the story in more detail elsewhere in this news bulletin, 
Well, it is not often that I find myself at the centre of the news, but so it seems this month. On my trip to Goa in September to participate in the IIMS Indian Conference, I met up with Nishit Doshi from Trader Magazine, who has closely followed the Institute’s progress over the past decade. We chatted, and I gave an exclusive interview to him. He was keen to know about my journey over the past decade, leadership ethos, and how IIMS continues to evolve and remain relevant amid sweeping changes across the maritime industry. Reading Nishit’s 
How cool to have a boat named after you. Can there be a higher accolade? I always thought a street being named after you, or a library perhaps, would be incredible, but a boat has far more cache! This was the surprise that awaited Richard Parry, the outgoing chief executive of the Canal & River Trust. Volunteers and colleagues at the charity’s base on the Grand Union’s Hatton lock flight in the UK have named a new workboat in his honour.
Dear colleague