News Bulletins

We have done it. Yes, we have really done it. I still have to pinch myself to realise that after months of challenges and not insignificant hurdles, IIMS has finally completed the purchase of the freehold of Murrills House, a major new asset for members. We can finally boast that we are the owners of a period property dating back, in parts, some 500 years – a real piece of history and something to make our members proud. I will not begin to suggest any of this has been easy, because it hasn’t. But now that the deal is done, I can finally reflect on this momentous occasion.  When I look back to the parlous financial state of the Institute when I arrived six years ago, we have come a long way. This really is something worth celebrating and shouting about.

Many things have changed in the past few months and not all of them good either as we have learnt to cope with tragedy and a new way of living courtesy of the pandemic engulfing us all. COVID-19 certainly has a lot to answer for, but out of the situation that was forced upon the profession, a new way of surveying is fast emerging, particularly in commercial shipping. I refer to remote surveying, which although not entirely new, was probably unimaginable to most of us just a few years ago and is perhaps a shock to the system for more traditional surveyors too.

View the bulletin to continue reading: News-Bulletin-August-2020 (pdf format) or click to read it in eReader format.

Halfway through another year? You bet. Hard to believe and 2020 has been like no other year we have ever known with a set of unprecedented challenges to deal with and overcome. I am encouraged to hear increasing reports that marine surveyors are suddenly very busy and in demand in many parts of the world. But just a word of warning for those who have found themselves overwhelmed with enquiries for pre-purchase surveys. Please exercise caution and ensure your reports are not rushed and are thoughtfully crafted!

There are two stand out news items I want to bring to your attention. The first is the unveiling of Geoff Waddington as your new President for the next two years. My hearty thanks to Zarir for his efforts and unwavering contribution over the past two years as President. And my congratulations to Geoff for achieving this milestone. The second item I wanted to mention demonstrates the growing authority with which IIMS is seen around the world and is in relation to the recently published Australian Senate report into the performance of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority. At over 100 pages it is a hefty tome digging deep into the organisation, its structure, and culture. Bizarrely, IIMS was the only marine surveying organisation brave enough to raise their heads above the parapet to make a detailed submission to the enquiry.

View the bulletin to continue reading: News-Bulletin-July-2020 (pdf format) or click to read it in eReader format.

A month in the world of COVID-19 sure is a long time. The pandemic continues to consume our thoughts on a regular basis, but there are signs that worldwide lockdowns are starting to open up slowly and members are reporting that surveying activity is starting again. Hurrah! Please, however, do not let yourself become complacent to the dangers of this awful disease as you work.

Working from home, the IIMS team has put their time to good use and the past few weeks have proved to be busy. The IIMS UAE Branch hosted over 400 delegates at their recent online seminar. New membership applications are reaching the office at a much higher rate than normal. The number of students joining the IIMS Professional Qualifications programme has soared. Our twenty third handy guide is published, an authoritative piece of writing by Capt Allen Brink entitled ‘What a marine surveyor needs to know about on-off hire condition and bunker surveys’. And today we have published the biggest ever Report Magazine at 112 pages!

We have all been kept busy and I am pleased to say that my CEO report for the Annual General Meeting on 16th June will be an upbeat one to reflect all this activity. The IIMS offices are reopening to staff from 1 June on a voluntary basis. Half the team plan to work from the office with the other half continuing to function from home for the time being.

View the bulletin to continue reading: News-Bulletin-June-2020 (pdf format) or click to read it in eReader format.

These are tough times for marine surveyors – more challenging than most of us will ever have experienced in our lives. I do remain confident though that as we emerge from lockdown, marine surveyors will once again be in high demand. I’d like to thank those IIMS members who have joined us for the first of our online seminars in the past few weeks. They have been very well attended, beyond expectations. It is heart-warming to see many surveyors taking the ‘enforced career break’ to learn some new and refresh old skills.

Also, I’d like to extend my thanks to my colleagues at IIMS for their efforts this past month and for their unstinting support. Our combined teamworking has been the only reason we have managed to keep offering a full service to our members.

I recently updated the IIMS COVID-19 Safety Working Guide, which is published in full in this news bulletin. As countries around the world start to unlock their citizens, I remain very concerned at what this means given that the virus is still present in our communities. It requires us to keep social distancing and taking sensible precautions until a vaccine or suitable treatment exists.

View the bulletin to continue reading: News-Bulletin-May-2020 (pdf format) or click to read it in eReader format.