News Bulletins

View the news bulletin in full to continue reading: IIMS-News-Bulletin-May-2021 (pdf format) or click to read it in eReader format.

I must start my column this month with sad news. April proved to be the toughest of months and became a bit of an emotional rollercoaster. News reached IIMS Head Office of the death of two long-standing Institute Honorary Fellows. Peter Morgan and John Excell passed away within a week of each other early in April. Both men have left their mark on the Institute. This unwelcome news rocked my colleagues and me, as well as some members too. I have devoted space in this news bulletin to the obituaries of both men and to showcase their professional achievements. As a surveyor remarked to me recently, “The graveyards are full of people the world could not do without”. On further examination, it is true. With the passing of these two individuals goes a wealth of knowledge and experience.

On a far lighter note, our head office building, Murrills House, has been under siege from builders, decorators and window installers for the past few weeks as renovations have got into full swing. Work to replace the windows is well advanced. The new hand-built frames and sash windows have been installed, but not without some drama. The final two windows to be replaced are situated at the front of the building. It became clear as work started that the two old wooden lintels were in a desperate state of repair, rotten enough to potentially bring the front of the building down. I saw the wet rot in the one-hundred-year-old plus wooden lintels, and they were an appalling mess. The window openings had to be propped whilst new steel lintels were inserted. The image shows installation nearing completion!

View the news bulletin in full to continue reading: IIMS-News-Bulletin-April-2021 (pdf format) or click to read it in eReader format.

Working from home, a welcome novelty just a year ago, seems to have strangely lost its shine and appeal for many! I am pleased to announce that the IIMS offices (complete with magnificent new wooden windows due to be installed imminently) will start to fill up again from early April.

Bookings have now opened for both the June and November new Professional Qualification in Marine Corrosion. I am delighted at the early interest and thank all those who have taken the leap of faith! It is pleasing to see a good number firming up on their initial expressions interest to study for this new qualification. For more details and to view the schedule of live lectures, click here.

I want to give you notice of the Institute’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), which will be held online via Zoom on Wednesday 9th June from 14.00 (UK time). This year’s AGM marks the Institute’s 30th birthday, a date not to be missed. Of course, we cannot gather to celebrate this auspicious occasion in real time, but we have some online birthday celebrations that will take place during the late morning prior to the AGM. In the May News Bulletin, I will provide more details about what’s happening in next month’s bulletin.

View the news bulletin in full to continue reading: IIMS-News-Bulletin-March-2021 (pdf format) or click to read it in eReader format.

Let me begin by welcoming the newest member of our team. Vicki Loizides starts as Education Co-ordinator with effect from 1 March to replace Lorna Robinson, who has left to take up a new challenge.

My colleagues and I have been amazed by the number and quality of new membership applications that have reached us during January and February – far beyond what we would expect to see or regard as normal. It seems we will be keeping the Professional Assessment Committee busy in the coming weeks! Our first Certifying Authority seminar of 2021 attracted a large online audience. Many who attended were examiners who code with authorities other than the IIMS. I am grateful to our CA Chairman, Fraser Noble and also Rob Taylor, Code Vessel Lead, who spoke on behalf of the UK maritime regulator, the Maritime & Coastguard Agency.

Since announcing the launch of our new Professional Qualification in Marine Corrosion just last month, I have been delighted with the number of expressions of interest we have received so far. If you missed the announcement, please do have a look at what this standalone qualification has to offer you. It aims to give surveyors an in depth understanding of corrosion. Click for full details about the ten qualification modules and how to express your interest.

View the news bulletin in full to continue reading: News Bulletin February 2021 (pdf format) or click to read it in eReader format.

In the past month the UK has faced challenges post Brexit. Ross Wombwell spoke in January about the complexities of the RCD post Brexit. If you missed it, a copy of Ross’ video is available to purchase But IIMS and some of our coding examiners face a bigger challenge. News reached us that the Croatian government is allegedly excluding British flagged vessels under 24 metres from operating commercial charters in their waters post Brexit. Such action will lead to a loss of business for many surveyors and is a concern. IIMS has brought this matter to the UK government.

The recent two-day online US Conference was a great success. Thanks to James Renn for arranging a quality line up of. Check out the videos on YouTube.

IIMS has announced a new Professional Qualification in Marine Corrosion. You can read full details in the bulletin, but in short it is a 10 module programme, delivered over 10 half day by an expert in the field of corrosion. Corrosion remains the bedrock of what a surveyor must understand and this professional qualification has been tailored to meet that need.

And don’t forget to check out our latest handy guide, the twenty sixth we have published.