CEO blog

One of the things I enjoy most is getting out and meeting marine surveyors face to face and not just those who are members of the Institute. Because I work in a bubble at the IIMS head office for periods of time, it only by face to face meetings that I can learn more about the role of a surveyor and better understand the challenges surveyors are facing in their day to day roles. I also delight in being able to pass on news about the progress of the Institute too.

This was never truer than the recent two day Western Mediterranean Small Craft Working Group, held in Palma – click for a full report. To spend a couple of days with over 20 surveyors was a privilege. It gave us the opportunity to introduce a new group to the work of a coding Continue reading “Palma training was good and all is well with IIMS Canada”

The whole point of a blog I was taught was that it should be updated regularly. My apologies. The reason it has not been is testament to the sheer amount of activity that is going on in this, our 25th anniversary and Silver Jubilee year.

On that subject, much of my time in the first quarter of 2016 has been devoted to our celebrations and ensuring the special IIMS London Conference on 31 August and 1 September will be a success and memorable occasion. The result is, I believe, a very different and exciting two day event, which incorporates the Annual General Meeting and all at a very reasonable cost too. The morning of day one (31 August) offers delegates a small exhibition to enjoy and five high quality, technical workshops. At lunchtime we move seamlessly into the Silver Jubilee Awards for Excellence to be presented by Sir Alan Massey, CEO of the Maritime & Coastguard Agency. More nominations are required please to keep the judging panel busy – and who would not want to be in the running for such a special award and recognition? You can make nominations here until 30 June and I encourage you to do so.

Continue reading “25th Anniversary conference plans are complete”

Officially it is now Spring in the UK, although with night time temperatures still sub zero and snow around, we could be forgiven for arguing this point!

Life at IIMS is rarely dull. There have been some significant changes to report on since my last blog. Due to the increased work flow from the CMID Accreditation Scheme we are running for IMCA, we have run out of office space! This is actually a pleasant problem to have. So, after some negotiation, I am grateful to our tenants, Supported Living Ltd, who have agreed to release half of their space for our use. Hilary and Sam will move into that area to establish a Marine Surveying Academy nerve centre. Some slight modifications are required to the space and the builders are heading in this week to do their bit. We take up occupancy on 1 April.

Continue reading “It’s officially Spring in the UK”

As the Institute starts its twenty-fifth year of operation and prepares to celebrate its Silver Jubilee in 2016, I can report that things are busy at IIMS head office as we have hit the floor running.

Currently we are in the midst of migrating to a new server (finally replacing our 8 year old ‘ancient beast’). These things are never easy. We hit an unforeseen glitch last week, but the way is now clear and we expect to be fully operational on our new server environment imminently. At the same time, we have finally managed to find a solution to our appallingly slow internet connection that has dogged us for years. Simultaneously with the server migration, we are upgrading to a 30Mb broadband line. This is a very positive start to the year and will make us even more efficient!

Continue reading “An encouraging start to 2016”

So it has been an emotional and mentally draining week, but one which will linger long in my mind and one that I will look back at with great pleasure and pride. I am referring of course to the IIMS London Conference 2015 that took place on Monday and Tuesday of this week.

To put on an event of this scale takes many months of meticulous planning and preparation. I am grateful to those around me who supported and helped me thus ensuring we were able to deliver a great outcome for the sponsors (DGS Marine Group, Constellation Marine Services and Britannia Maritime Security) and the delegates who attended. Add in the fact that we are catering for a truly international audience; and the need to appeal equally to small craft as well as commercial ship surveyors. I believe we got it about right!

Continue reading “A tiring end to an emotional and successful week”

It has been a while since I posted on my blog due to pressure in other areas. And although summer in the UK is not quite over and done with, what a summer it has been (and no I am not referring to the indifferent British weather than has made it one to forget).

Of course my colleagues and I are now heavily involved and focused on the build up to the IIMS London Conference 2015, dinner and AGM, our showpiece annual event. Numbers for both Conference and dinner are looking excellent and I am looking forward to what will be a full on two days – the culmination of many months planning. There is an excellent mix of speakers who will, I am confident, inspire and engage the delegates. Anyone who has ever put together such an event will know the sheer amount of work that goes in to the organising side of it. So I thank my colleagues at head office who have done a great job. Look forward to seeing those of you who are coming.

Continue reading “What a summer it has been”