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36MNNovember 2011IMCA, the International Marine Contractors Association, is the interna-tional association representing off- shore, marine and underwater engi- neering companies around the globe. Contractors, as the association?s name implies, are IMCA?s main association interest, along with their clients and global marine construction supply chain. IMCA now has well over 800 members in more than 60 countries. Vessel owners and operators from small workboats to the biggest construction vessels all over the world are amongst IMCA?s members, and benefit from a wide range of serv- ices from events to guidance documents: safety flashes and safety promotional material to statistics that can be used for benchmarking purposes; use (by members and non- members alike) of the Common Marine Inspection Document (CMID) in its electronic format (eCMID) - a mini-CMID, ?CMID for small workboats?, which will be available later in the year - to logbooks, and a competence framework from which members can develop their own scheme. DEFININGWORKBOATS In this connection, it is important to explain that work- boats in some parts of the world are any sized vessel from which work is carried out, whereas other parts of the world use the word to mean smaller vessels only. Having said that, IMCA has material to cover both definitions and the broad subjects of equipment, procedures and per- sonnel training and competence.IMCA FOCUSIMCA has two core divisions ? the first dedicated to health, safety and the environment; and the second to competence and training; and four technical divisionscovering marine/specialist vessel operations; offshore diving; hydro- graphic survey; and remote sys- tems and ROVs, as well as geo- graphic sections for the Asia-Pacific, Central & North America, Europe & Africa, Middle East & India, and South America regions ANNUAL EVENTS Regular events include the IMCA Annual Seminar, this year held this month in New Orleans, with the topical theme ?The Future of Marine and Subsea Operations?. Not surprisingly, ?lessons learned? features high on the list of topics being presented, but there is much more than looking back coming under the seminar spotlight.Keynote speakers from industry and government were fea- tured, as well as plenary and parallel sessions and work- shops, where discussions on where marine contracting is going, and where tools are needed in order for contractors to deliver added value for clients. The Annual Seminar, which is held in a different country each year, is aimed at offshore and onshore management and operational per- sonnel together with equipment suppliers, consultants, oilcompany representatives and regulators. IMCA?s Annual Safety Seminar, another regular event and a ?Members only? venue, will be held in Rio de Janeiro next March. GUIDANCE: THEHEARTOF IMCAGuidance documents covering all forms of marine con- struction, vessel procedures, DP (dynamic positioning), safety and personnel training/competence play an impor-tant role in IMCA?s work programme, and are developed by IMCA?s committees and workgroups with final approval for publication being through IMCA?s Overall Management Committee. The committees are elected and chosen from the mem- bership to be representative of our industry, so our guide- By Hugh Williams, Chief Executive, International Marine Contractors Association ASSOCIATIONS An Organization with an International Workboat Role Meet IMCA: Health & Safety, Technical Expertise for the Workboat Industry IMCA MN#11 (32-49):MN 2011 Layouts 10/27/2011 9:43 AM Page 36
