At the Conference dinner, held at Chilworth Manor, Southampton on Tuesday 6th June, IIMS chose this occasion to publicly recognise two people who have made a big contribution to Institute life, but in very different ways by honoring them with blue water awards. Here is a transcript from Mike Schwarz’s dinner speech announcing the presentations, which were presented by Peter Broad, IIMS President.
He said, “It is now my pleasure to announce two prestigious Blue Water Awards and in doing so, I am recognizing two people who have been fundamental in underpinning the work of the Institute over many years. Both are long-standing friends and colleagues from entirely different industry sectors and backgrounds. Continue reading “IIMS presents two Blue Water Awards to longstanding friends”
It fascinates me when two industry sectors combine, and it is great to know that an older OSV can be put to good use as a new spaceport. Recently I read an article about a former offshore supply vessel that is reportedly destined to become the world’s first marine spaceport for human spaceflight. Classification society ABS has reported it is supporting the planned reactivation and modifications to the 25-year-old vessel, which is expected to be operational later this year as part of test flights in advance of an anticipated 2024 commercial launch. 
Well, here’s a touching and enchanting story but with a sad end. News has reached my desk that Monique, the sailing hen, which famously accompanied French solo skipper Guirec Soudée on a five-year around the world voyage, has died. Breton sailor Soudée adopted Monique while on a stopover in the Canary Islands aboard his 38ft steel yacht, Yvinec, on his first solo circumnavigation in 2015. 
Now here’s a strange tale indeed. Smuggling the ‘white stuff’ usually has a very different connotation, but in this instance, it refers to nothing more harmful than sugar! Apparently, on Friday 17th February, the Philippines Agricultural Department charged 15 crew members of a cargo ship for smuggling sugar. The sugar cargo with a value of P400 million led authorities to charge the captain of MV Sunward and the rest of the crew with smuggling.
Have you ever wondered why incidents and accidents 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 and, sadly, 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 reported. And now, it seems, 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 
The IIMS is hosting a face-to-face certifying authority training day on 19 May 2022 at the RNLI’s headquarters in Poole for its own (and other CA) coding examiners with an opportunity to join the afternoon session on life-saving equipment in an online capacity for those delegates who are further afield. Members and non-members are welcome to attend. The event is also likely to appeal to other surveyors who are not involved in MCA coding. 