IIMS membership are you making the most of your membership?

Ship on sea
Ship on sea

It became clear from the IIMS membership survey carried out earlier this year that many members were unsure of the full range of benefits of membership and in some cases indicated they had no idea at all what was on offer. Apart from the kudos of being a member of the leading worldwide professional body for marine surveyors, here are some of the many benefits members are entitled to take advantage of and access.

• RECOGNITION
As a Full, Technician or Associate Member a member is entitled to use the appropriate designatory letters after their name to show their professional commitment and membership of the Institute.

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Inaugural Marine Surveying International Fest 2018 voted a hit

Marine Surveying International fest 2018 logo
Marine Surveying International fest 2018 logo

On Tuesday 6th November at 11.00 UK time, IIMS opened the first 24-hour non-stop marathon Marine Surveying International Fest 2018, hosted live from the Institute’s offices in Portchester, Hampshire. The aim of the event was to recognise and celebrate as many different branches of the surveying profession as possible through a series of twenty four presentations with a new subject being introduced on the hour every hour. Presentations were delivered by experts in their field from various worldwide locations including Australia, New Zealand, America, Singapore, South Korea, UAE, India, Europe and the UK.

The heart-warming verbatim comments received immediately after the Fest from some of the delegates speak for themselves:
– “Despite the fact I have been a marine surveyor for 34 years the 24 hour Fest provided me with a massive (probably much needed) refresher course as well as new learning. Absolutely excellent in all respects. Congratulations and thanks to all.”
Continue reading “Inaugural Marine Surveying International Fest 2018 voted a hit”

Training events, training, events and more IIMS training, not forgetting the Fest!

Dr Malini Shankar addressing the IIMS Mumbai Symposium
Dr Malini Shankar addressing the IIMS Mumbai Symposium

They say we are never too old to learn and that is most certainly the case in the marine surveying profession. Yes, we are in the middle of the training season once again.

Recently we held a Certifying Authority training day for our coding surveyors. The contribution from the MAIB was particularly well received and thought provoking too. Paul Bryson’s case study presentation served as a sobering reminder that things can and do go needlessly wrong at sea.

Coming up is our next instalment of the Inland Waterways Working Group in Cheshire. UK narrowboats are right at the opposite end of the boating scale and require different surveying skills of their own.

Continue reading “Training events, training, events and more IIMS training, not forgetting the Fest!”

IIMS publishes what a marine surveyor needs to know about synthetic (composite) yacht rigging handy guide

IIMS Synthetic composite yacht rigging guide
IIMS Synthetic composite yacht rigging guide

The eighteenth IIMS handy guide has just been released for publication and is available in both paperback and eBook formats. ‘What a marine surveyor needs to know about synthetic (composite) yacht rigging’ runs to 112 pages and has been authored by Nick Parkyn.

Synthetic rigging (manmade fibers) was first introduced in the late 1980s with wider adoption and usage from around 2002. Synthetic rigging (also referred to as composite rigging) is regarded in the industry as disruptive technology that in time will replace stainless steel wire rigging totally.

Since marine surveyors will increasingly encounter this type of rigging, they need to understand this new technology to enable them to carry out surveys on craft and vessels which use it. In this fast growing and rapid-paced industry sector, Nicholas (Nick) Parkyn delves into standing and non-standing rigging as well as taking a brief look at next-generation fibers and the monitoring and load sensing of rigging. The handy guide is illustrated with many pictures and images to help the reader understand what they are looking at in more detail.

Continue reading “IIMS publishes what a marine surveyor needs to know about synthetic (composite) yacht rigging handy guide”

Capt Zarir Irani takes over as President of IIMS

IIMS would like to express their thanks to Adam, who travelled to the event in London especially from Australia, for his sterling work over the past two years.
IIMS would like to express their thanks to Adam, who travelled to the event in London especially from Australia, for his sterling work over the past two years.

Capt Zarir Irani (pictured right) took over the role of IIMS President from Adam Brancher (pictured left) in a simple ceremony at the Annual General Meeting on 26th June held at Heathrow Airport, London, UK.

IIMS would like to express their thanks to Adam, who travelled to the event in London especially from Australia, for his sterling work over the past two years. He was presented with a miniature President’s medal as a memento and a tippling stick in recognition of his service.

In his final address as President, Adam reflected on how proud he was to have held the position for the past two years and as he looked Continue reading “Capt Zarir Irani takes over as President of IIMS”

Rules and regulations – love them or hate them

A Shogun boat
A Shogun boat

Rules and regulations seem to be very much the flavour of this month. The three recent ones I’d like to draw your attention to particularly and mention in a bit more detail are the looming EU General Data Protection Regulation, International Maritime Organization’s strategy on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from ships and the new Yacht Code under development by the Red Ensign Group. And whilst not all three launch this month, it is the fact that such diverse bits of regulation should be in the news together, reminding me of the wide range of skills a marine surveyor needs to master (or at least have a grip on) as business knowledge combines with technical knowledge and maritime regulation to potentially create the perfect storm. Many a marine surveying business has failed, not due to a lack of technical skills, but an inability to embrace core business management skills and the associated red tape.

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Hugo Du Plessis HonMIIMS obituary

Image of Hugo De Pleiss
Image of Hugo De Pleiss

The sad death of Hugo Du Plessis has been announced at the age of 94. Expert yacht surveyor and author of a guide to fibreglass boat construction and maintenance, Hugo had been an Honorary member of IIMS for some years.

Highly regarded in the cruising world, Hugo was an experienced sailor. Born in 1923, he and his sister were home educated before he went on to boarding school and then to Southampton University where he studied electronics.

Hugo was just 16 when the Second World War broke out and he served with his father, Gerald, in the Boldre Platoon Home Guard.

Growing up in the English New Forest, Hampshire, in close proximity to the Beaulieu and Lymington rivers, his love of boats was born. Many happy hours were spent negotiating the low tide mudflats in various craft from a Sharpie to a canoe before he eventually purchased his first yacht, Crimson Rambler.

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Surveying Sails by Ian Nicolson handy guide released for publication

IIMS Surveying Sails guide
IIMS Surveying Sails guide

What a Marine Surveyor Needs to Know About Surveying Sails by Ian Nicolson has been published.

Author, Ian Nicolson, was a doughty pioneer in the field of ocean cruising in his early years. He emigrated by sail in 1952 to Vancouver, Canada. He returned to Britain by hitchhiking across Canada and building himself a small wooden yacht cruiser near Halifax, which he sailed home singlehanded across the Atlantic in 1954. He continues to sail regularly.

Having written more than 20 books and many articles on design, construction, operation and handling of small marine craft, Ian is perfectly placed to apply his knowledge and experience to the subject of sail surveying. The aim of the Surveying Sails handy guide is to give a comprehensive overview of the skills and knowledge required by a marine surveyor to satisfactorily undertake this important task.

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UK Transport Secretary proposes Maritime 2050 vision

UK Transport Secretary proposes Maritime 2050 vision
UK Transport Secretary proposes Maritime 2050 vision

Speaking at the UK Chamber of Shipping’s Annual Dinner, Chris Grayling MP, UK Secretary of State for Transport, contributed to a “radical” vision that will support the nation’s maritime industry for the future.

The UK Government will cooperate with industry bodies and businesses, and will publish a call for evidence that will provide a framework for engagement. An expert panel will also be appointed, Mr Grayling said.

“We need a clear path for the future, we need a strong partnership between this industry and government – and we’re calling it Continue reading “UK Transport Secretary proposes Maritime 2050 vision”

The World LPG Association puts the focus on marine in a new report

The World LPG Association puts the focus on marine in a new report
The World LPG Association puts the focus on marine in a new report

The World LPG Association (WLPGA), with its continued commitment to cleaner environment, has issued a report “LPG for Marine Engines – The Marine Alternative Fuel”, dedicated to the use of LPG in the marine sector.

With upcoming stricter IMO emission rules, the global 0.5 sulphur cup, ECAS and SECAs emission limits and the requirements for higher quality fuel, it is inevitable that there will be a radical change in shipping fuel options from HFO to cleaner alternatives. Amongst the options, LPG is one of the promising solutions for the reduction of exhaust emissions from marine vessels. LPG as a clean and immediately available energy source, is characterised by low particle emissions, low NOx (nitrogen oxide) and nearly zero SOx (sulphur oxide) emissions, offering significant environmental advantages while meeting all energy and environmental challenges.

The WLPGA report aims to open the doors for LPG as the next marine alternative fuel. The report contains a wealth of information, data and compelling arguments in support of using LPG as the fuel of choice in marine vessels. It also promotes the understanding of Continue reading “The World LPG Association puts the focus on marine in a new report”

Meeting IIMS members is so rewarding

Delegates participating in the IIMS 5th biennial UAE branch conference
Delegates participating in the IIMS 5th biennial UAE branch conference

November. Now where did that go? Ah yes I remember – it vanished in something of a whirl. From one training event and seminar to another. Hugely rewarding for me personally though I have to say and I was delighted to meet so many members, both at the UK events and at the UAE Branch Conference over the course of the month. I have learnt a great deal, which for a highly non-technical person such as me is probably a dangerous thing! However, it occurred to me that if I did, then so did our members too. Certainly the positive feedback would suggest that to be the case.

We have just released dates for our tentative training programme for 2018 and the schedule is published elsewhere in this bulletin. In Continue reading “Meeting IIMS members is so rewarding”

We are never too old as a month of learning opportunities looms

The IIMS web site attracted a record number of unique visitors recently
The IIMS web site attracted a record number of unique visitors recently

The month of November is looming large and for IIMS that means a busy month of training, seminars and a Conference too. Yes the coming weeks will see IIMS personnel out and about meeting members from all over the UK and further afield too. I recommend the programme of events we have put together for your benefit over the coming weeks and hope to meet many members at them. And remember if you cannot be there in person, some of the events you can attend in an online capacity using the Zoom option. Full details about the upcoming events can be found elsewhere on the web site.

But in brief, we kick off with the Large Yacht & Small Craft Working Group Scotland two day training event by Glasgow Airport on Monday 6 and Tuesday 7 November. This is rapidly followed by the Large Yacht & Small Craft Working Group ‘Super’ training day near Portsmouth a week later on Monday 13 November. The week after sees the Certifying Authority two day training event taking place in Continue reading “We are never too old as a month of learning opportunities looms”

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