The IIMS publishes a regular monthly electronic News Bulletin that carries up to date information about Head Office activities and initiatives as well as news, details about forthcoming and recent events and current affairs from around the international IIMS family.

All monthly News Bulletins can be viewed in either pdf or eReader formats.


News Bulletin April 2023

View the April news bulletin in full: IIMS News Bulletin April 2023 (pdf format) or click to read it in eReader format.

I would like to start my column this month by congratulating Gordon Foot. I have been following his progress towards an MBA (Maritime Operations) over the past 18 months and after he reached out to me, assisting him by answering the occasional questionnaire as part of his research for this project. He has now been awarded his MBA based on his thesis “Maritime leadership in a changing world: The role of the future professional mariner”.

I would also like to extend my congratulations to Virginia McVea following her appointment as Chief Executive Officer of the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA). I do have a message for Virginia. The MCA has a vital role to play in framing the role of the future professional mariner at a time when the sands are shifting around us on a frequent basis. Good luck to you. It is important to remember that MCA regulations are mimicked around the world by other Flag States, and it is vital the organization remains a trailblazer for the maritime sector, gets ahead of the curve and sets the correct regulation direction of travel.

News Bulletin March 2023

View the March news bulletin in full: IIMS News Bulletin March 2023 (pdf format) or click to read it in eReader format.

Well, 2023 has certainly got off to a busy start at IIMS and the team is beavering away on a number of exciting projects. We are pleased to be finally hitting the road again and have plans to deliver some meaningful training events and a Conference too – most offering both the possibility of a face-to-face experience, but with the option to join online via Zoom. I do hope that across the year we will meet some members in real-time. It has been far too long! Click to view the calendar of events.

Lithium-ion batteries remain one of the hottest topics of discussion in the marine world right now, and justly so given there has been a spate of accidents last year linked to this rapidly emerging technology. So, it is interesting to learn that Havila Kystruten, the specialist Norwegian cruise ship operator, has recently decided that only cars and motor vehicles that use fossil fuel can be transported on board the company’s ships in selected ports along the Norwegian coastal route.

News Bulletin February 2023

View the February news bulletin in full: IIMS News Bulletin February 2023 (pdf format) or click to read it in eReader format.

Let me start my introduction to this month’s news bulletin on a dark and cautionary note: cyber-crime and online scams. There surely cannot be a person who has not been the subject of a potential online scam, which often manifests itself through a suspicious email appearing in their inbox. I know I get plenty and sadly have learnt to trust no one online these days. Unless I can be sure I know the recipient I do not open emails and download any attachments. I’d urge you to think likewise. And even then, the sender of the email is unaware sometimes they have emailed you as their account has been hacked by fraudsters without their knowledge. All of this can be distressing and costly too, but it is at the lower end of the cyber-crime pyramid.

Given this is now the reality of the world we live in, I wanted to highlight this topic to keep it fresh in your mind, especially in light of two high-profile reported cyber crimes in the past month affecting the shipping sector.

News Bulletin January 2023

View the January news bulletin in full: IIMS News Bulletin January 2023 (pdf format) or click to read it in eReader format.

Welcome to 2023 and may I on behalf of IIMS wish you all the best for a fulfilling and successful year ahead despite the global challenges that surround us. We start 2023 with a bumper January news bulletin featuring some important news and guidance for marine surveyors.

The last IIMS UK Conference took place way back in 2019 for all the reasons you know. We have assessed the possibilities of holding the 2023 AGM and Conference as a hybrid event, meaning you are welcome and encouraged to come and be with us in person, or you can join online. For the 2023 AGM and Conference, we have chosen Southampton as our venue. And we plan a Dinner on the evening of 6th June too. There is more information in this news bulletin about the event.

Almost unbelievably for me, I am about to start my tenth year as CEO of the Institute.

News Bulletin December 2022

View the December news bulletin in full: IIMS News Bulletin December 2022 (pdf format) or click to read it in eReader format.

As we start to wrap up 2022, I have noticed a distinct step change this year when it comes to the subject and progress of decarbonization. For some years it seems the maritime industry was dragging its heels and coming reluctantly to the decarbonization table. That has noticeably changed and with fervour. New technologies are mushrooming and emerging fast, along with alternative fuels too. We are now moving from the raw science and research stage into the implementation phase.

Each year the IIMS Certifying Authority is subjected to a mandatory audit by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) external monitoring team. It is always a challenge and not a day we look forward to with much relish. As well as a review of our processes and procedures, the MCA conducts a technical review of perhaps 10 vessel files. For the second successive year, I am pleased to say that the audit was clean and tidy with just a handful of minor findings to attend to.

News Bulletin November 2022

View the November news bulletin in full: IIMS News Bulletin November 2022 (pdf format) or click to read it in eReader format.

I would like to steer you towards two very worthwhile safety digests that have been released. Read elsewhere in the bulletin for details about how to access them. The first publication comes from the MAIB – their second digest of the year, which highlights a variety of incidents and safety issues. And just a few days later, the US National Transportation Safety Board published its equivalent version, which gives important information about 31 serious accidents and highlights key lessons learned. I recommend both publications to you.

Maritime regulatory framework seems to be constantly in the news as it evolves. After a protracted and difficult birth, the UK Maritime & Coastguard Agency has finally released the new proposed Workboat 3 code for consultation. The aim is to bring several existing codes into one Statutory Instrument and legal document, likely to be ratified by mid-2023 via the UK parliament. There is further information in this bulletin with links to enable you to read the consultation document and details about how you can have your say.

News Bulletin October 2022

View the October news bulletin in full: IIMS News Bulletin October 2022 (pdf format) or click to read it in eReader format.

There is a new feature in this month’s news bulletin. For the first time, we have added QR codes, which can be easily scanned with your device to give you instant access to online material.

Mid last month, once I had reviewed the number of incidents, accidents, and mishaps that came into my inbox during August, I was shocked. Those of you who read my news bulletin introductions regularly will recall I highlighted a significant number of superyacht fires a couple of months ago. That all now seems rather tame by comparison to August’s list of fires, sinkings, groundings and tragedies. This prompted me to write a short blog entitled “Carnage at sea in August. What’s happened and why?”

Tom Elder MIIMS was Chairman of the IIMS Yacht & Small Craft Working Group Scotland. News reached me recently informing me of his death. I am grateful to his wife, Moira, and his friend Cameron Johnstone, for helping me to compile his obituary which you can read in this bulletin.

News Bulletin September 2022

View the September news bulletin in full: IIMS September 2022 News Bulletin (pdf format) or click to read it in eReader format.

It seems that the number of UK boaters taking to the water has also reached record levels too – that’s the finding in a recent British Marine survey, details of which are published in this bulletin. Somewhere along the way there must consequently be a silver lining for yacht and small craft marine surveyors, one would hope.

My personal thanks to all those who participated in the recent IIMS membership survey, the first in four years. So much has changed in our world over that time and it was important to get feedback. The results are displayed in the news bulletin.

The September 2022 Report Magazine is published today. As always, I recommend the publication to you. There are two topics that come under closer scrutiny in this issue. The first is antifouling and biofouling. There is a lot of activity going on in this sector currently and there are several articles devoted to this topic. The thorny issue of container stack collapses will not go away. Again, there are a couple of features related to this item.

News Bulletin August 2022

View the August news bulletin in full: IIMS News Bulletin August 2022 (pdf format) or click to read it in eReader format.

I had the pleasure of going on survey with Chairman of Standards, Paul Homer, last month. We were joined by some of the more recent recruits to the IIMS head office team – Vicki Loizides, Rachel Moores and Rosie Webb – at a yard on the River Hamble in Hampshire. Over the years, we have found it has been beneficial to take new members of the team, especially those with limited marine knowledge, on a dummy survey to give them a flavour of the life of a marine surveyor and the challenges they face in their day-to-day work. Whenever I find myself in such circumstances, my respect is always heightened for the surveying profession and those who are engaged in it.

I am often invited to get involved with a myriad of events and activities associated with the marine world. Some I politely decline whilst others I engage with. So, I am pleased to inform you that on 30 September, I am cochairing and hosting the first session of a closed event entitled “Advancing Ship Technology Autonomy – moving the discourse from ‘disruption’ to ‘enablement’ and the upgrade of human capabilities in the digital era.” Watch for more details.

News Bulletin July 2022

View the July news bulletin in full: IIMS News Bulletin July 2022 (pdf format) or click to read it in eReader format.

Have you ever wondered why incidents seem to come in clusters and often by type? I have. It is a strange phenomenon and one that I have no idea how to explain. Recently there were several enclosed space accidents hitting the news in quick succession with deaths to report. Then there was a spate of incidents within days of each other involving containers flying from ships into the seas. In some cases, it was just a handful, but in others, much larger numbers were reported. And now, there has been a cluster of devastating fires, both at sea and on shore that have hit the headlines in recent weeks resulting in multiple deaths. Those who know me well know I find maritime-related tragedies on an industrial scale both shocking and hard to understand at times. As ever, my sympathies lie with the families of those who have lost loved ones.

On a lighter note, I am delighted to welcome South Korean based Peter Broad FIIMS as your new President. He formally took up his post during the AGM on 7th June following the changing of the guard as Geoff Waddington came to the end of his two-year term. You can read more about the AGM and see some photos elsewhere in the bulletin.

News Bulletin June 2022

View the June news bulletin in full: IIMS News Bulletin June 2022 (pdf format) or click to read it in eReader format.

It is that time of the year when my mind concentrates fully on the Annual General Meeting, being held on Tuesday 7th June. At this event we will be formally saying goodbye to current President, Geoff Waddington, and welcoming Peter Broad for his two-year term. The most challenging backdrop imaginable called Covid has not overshadowed Geoff’s presidency, nor has he let it. He has done a great job and has even dubbed himself the ‘President of Zoom’ due to his inability to appear at face-to-face events. My Chief Executive Officer’s report is available and can be read on the AGM page on the website and reports from Directors and others will appear there in the coming days.

The Report Magazine has officially turned 100 today with the publication of the hundredth edition, June 2022. This is a significant milestone in the history of the title and one I am proud to be associated with. I am delighted at how the publication has developed since I have been editor. I am grateful to all those who have contributed willingly over the years which has helped to make the magazine what it is today. Follow the link and choose to read the Report Magazine in either pdf or eReader format.

News Bulletin May 2022

View the May news bulletin in full: IIMS News Bulletin May 2022 (pdf format) or click to read it in eReader format.

Two of our own have hit the news headlines over the past month. I call Albert Weatherill ‘one of our own’, for he is one of the longest-standing IIMS members. These days he is Managing Director of Van Ameyde McAuslands. A couple of weeks ago Albert wrote an article that was instantly picked up by the shipping and boating press. He rightly argues that seized maritime assets could pose a “significant risk” to ports, harbours and marinas if there is no requirement to ensure mega yachts detained under sanction rules are not properly maintained, made safe, or deactivated and exposes the safety concerns. One wonders why no-one had thought to question what would happen when over 100 mega yachts are effectively impounded, seemingly in the blink of an eye.

The Institute’s 2022 Annual General Meeting is fast approaching. The online meeting will be broadcast live from Murrills House, Portchester at 14.00 on Tuesday 7th June. The meeting will be recorded and made available on the IIMS YouTube channel for viewing at a later date for those who are interested but cannot make the date.

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