News Bulletins

As many members know, preparing the Report Magazine is a job I love and being able to call on 30 plus years of publishing experience is my excuse! However, the December Report Magazine takes things to a new level. This issue is the biggest ever that IIMS has ever published at 92 pages. Staying with the Report for a moment, I have written a candid review of 2018 in this edition. This year has seen highs and lows that have stretched me mentally and physically, but as my article states, ultimately it has been a year of progress with some key decisions taken by members to reflect upon.

The past couple of months have seen IIMS out on the road running various training events. It is remarkable to discover that over the past eleven months I have met well over 200 members personally. The events we have run this year have been very varied with a wealth of diverse content. I am pleased to announce our provisional events schedule for 2019 in this bulletin.

HOT NEWS just reaching me comes from your President in Dubai, UAE. Capt Zarir Irani has informed me that the next UAE branch conference (the 10th anniversary edition) taking place towards the end of 2019 will be held on board the famous QE2, now permanently moored in Dubai. Now there’s a mouth-watering prospect.

View the bulletin to continue reading: IIMS-News-Bulletin-December-2018 (pdf format) or click to read it in eReader format.

As I write this month’s column, my colleagues and I are putting the finishing touches to the Marine Surveying International Fest 2018, which in case you are still not aware, is rapidly approaching now. This 24 hour ONLINE ONLY marathon, undoubtedly one of the most ambitious projects IIMS has ever attempted, starts at 11.00 (UK time) on Tuesday 6th November and concludes at 11.00 (UK time) the following day. One new presentation will start on the hour every hour for 24 hours. I am grateful in advance to my colleagues who will help me host and manage the event round the clock. Black coffee will be on hand!

I was delighted to attend the one-day Symposium in Mumbai in early October. To share a stage with Capt J.C. Anand, Capt. Kapil Dev Bahl and AWJ (Tony) Fernandez, all three of whom are held in the highest esteem and respected for their individual and combined skills, was a special memory. And having the Director General Shipping, Dr Malini Shankar, grace the occasion as our Chief Guest was an honour. The videos made on the day of the presentations will be released for viewing on the IIMS YouTube channel shortly.

View the bulletin to continue reading: IIMS-News-Bulletin-November-2018 (pdf format) or click to read it in e-reader format.

I have repeatedly tried to avoid the B word – yes you’ve guessed it, Brexit. I am increasingly being asked by members in the UK and continental Europe what it will mean for surveyors on both sides of the English Channel. In truth, I simply have no answer, no crystal ball and am clearly far less informed than those who are currently conducting the protracted negotiations! I have no intention of pre-empting the outcome, but like others I am increasingly drained by the rhetoric coming from both sides of the argument. What is certain is that we are edging towards an outcome, the impact of which on the UK, continental Europe and marine surveyors cannot yet be understood.

It is a fact that surveyors are often the beneficiaries of work as a result of inclement weather as their services are in high demand when people and insurers try to assess and calculate the damage as the clear up begins. Ships blown on to shore, marinas torn apart, small boats planted in trees are all reminders (as if we needed any) of what can happen. But my thoughts go out to all those who have suffered losses recently through the destruction caused by Hurricane Florence which has ripped through the Carolinas on the US east coast and also Typhoon Mangkhut that has had a similar impact in The Philippines and China. No surveyor would surely ever want to get work this way I am certain, but these crazy weather patterns are keeping surveyors busy.

View the bulletin to continue reading: IIMS-News-Bulletin-October-2018 (pdf format) or click to read it in e-reader format.

The past month has been very revealing! I refer to the outcome and findings from the most detailed IIMS membership survey to have been undertaken for four years. The survey findings provide a snapshot of what members think about their organisation, but the verbatim comments – (of which there were dozens and dozens) – reveal far more. Nearly 300 members responded to the survey, equivalent to almost one-third of the membership, a high percentage indeed. A number of these verbatim comments have been captured and published in the Report Magazine September issue, both positive and negative, together with my own personal interpretation of the results. Whilst it is clear that the overwhelming majority of members are generally content with their professional body, there are a few learnings that we can and must take.

I had the pleasure of spending some time with members in South East Asia last month when I hosted the eCMID and IIMS seminars in Singapore for the second year. Both days were a success and well attended. Personally, I found the range of presentations very apt and of great interest as it seems did those present did too. Travelling to new places gives the opportunity to make new contacts. I had a number of side meetings whilst there with some interesting and influential people and the results of those meetings will be seen in the coming months.

View the bulletin to continue reading: IIMS-News-Bulletin-September-2018 (pdf format) or click to read it in e-reader format.

The past month has seen the UK basking in record high temperatures with rain a seemingly distant but needed prospect – not what us Brits are used to. This meant that the Seawork exhibition, held at Southampton in early July, was a great success due in part to the amazing weather conditions, if a bit warm inside the tented structures. We met a good number of members, students and others interested in the activities of the Institute. This year, the Small Craft Surveyors Forum presentation, held on the afternoon of the middle day, was one of the best – a resounding success and it attracted a strong audience. Read a brief report elsewhere in this bulletin.

It is several years since we undertook the last membership research study. Over the past few years, much has changed at IIMS and it is now a very different organisation which I would describe as outward looking, forward thinking, operating in niche marine sectors and generally embracing technology. We have developed a range of new products and services from launching a series of handy guides and a specialist App to upscaling our small craft and online training offering, developing an effective social media strategy and generally pushing the profile of the Institute higher in the surveying and wider shipping and boating world. So that is why we are asking for your views again at this time.

View the bulletin to continue reading: News-Bulletin-August-2018  (pdf format) or click to read it in e-reader format.