News Bulletins

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.

Last week, the IIMS Annual General Meeting 2018 took place at Heathrow Airport near London. This year we streamed the event live and attracted a good online presence. The AGM is always a time to reflect as well as to look ahead and the term ‘out with the old and in with the new’ springs to mind! I refer of course to the changing of the IIMS Presidents this year, always a symbolic moment. On behalf of members and myself I would like to personally thank Adam Brancher for his work as President over the past two years. He has done a sterling job and he has been required to do a bit more than previous Presidents due to circumstances; and I am grateful to him. I bid Capt Zarir Irani a warm welcome as your new President.

It was heartening to see those eligible to vote overwhelmingly accepting the proposal to develop a non-mandatory accreditation scheme for IIMS members. My colleagues and I will now look in earnest to better understand what this might look like and start to develop a framework.

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

A busy month completed and another one looms. Yes, June sees the IIMS 2018 Annual General Meeting being held by Heathrow Airport, London on 26 June. For the first time, we are streaming the AGM, which is free to attend, live. I urge you to read my CEO AGM Report ahead of the meeting as it gives details on some of the important activities you are being asked to vote on and to register your vote subsequently if you are a full Member. There are some important matters that I hope you will be of sufficient concern to engage you in this process. Full details of how to do that and how to get involved with the AGM are included in this news bulletin. Remember, it is your Institute and you can help to shape our future.

I alluded to May being a busy month and it was. As you know, I relish the chance to meet members. Both the recent tonnage measurement and Certifying Authority training days gave me ample opportunity to greet a number of members. Hard on the heels of these two events was the third eCMId AVI seminar, which we presented and held close to London. It was a great success and once again highlights the Institute’s ability to get involved in some key, associated industry sectors through its subsidiary, the Marine Surveying Academy, which is continuing to grow in stature and importance.

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