Report on two recent IIMS India Branch events

Capt. Mukesh Gautama presents a gift of appreciation to Tony Fernandez
Capt. Mukesh Gautama presents a gift of appreciation to Tony Fernandez

An IIMS Member Meet was held at Hotel VITS, Mumbai on 06th June 2019.

At the outset, the IIMS India Branch Committee thanked Tony Fernandez for readily accepting to deliver a session on mentoring and to act as mentor. He returned from abroad only the previous evening and in spite of jet lag and his health conditions, he came to the venue much earlier to deliver his speech. He also shared informative case study examples on General Average Claims during his speech.

The following attended the meeting:
Pervez Kaikobad – Regional Director, IIMS, India.
AWJ (Tony) Fernandez – Honorary Fellow Member and Mentor Speaker
Continue reading “Report on two recent IIMS India Branch events”

Exhibition and celebration times are upon us

The IIMS head office team as you have not seen them before at play on their team building event
The IIMS head office team as you have not seen them before at play on their team building event

The past few weeks have vanished in a haze. So what’s new I hear you say? But it’s all good as we are now mid way between the two biggest exhibitions in the world for the boating industry – METS and IBEX. I recently attended IBEX in Tampa alongside our USA Regional Director, James Renn. It is a big event and we met some fascinating people and potential future members of the Institute. I won’t be at METS this year, so will miss the chance to catch up with colleagues and industry friends this time round.

My reason for missing METS is simple. I will be part of the IIMS UAE Branch’s celebrations taking place on 20th November onboard the QE2, now permanently moored in Dubai. It promises to be a great event and a high turn out is expected to mark this event. Perhaps I will meet you there?

Continue reading “Exhibition and celebration times are upon us”

An open letter to the worldwide yacht and boat manufacturing industry written by IIMS

IIMS would like to see the worldwide yacht and boat industry coming together to act responsibly with the treatment of latent defects
IIMS would like to see the worldwide yacht and boat industry coming together to act responsibly with the treatment of latent defects

All worldwide manufacturing industries fundamentally face the same basic key challenges. They must be competitive within the markets they operate in, which requires them to produce the best possible products within strict financial constraints, ensuring they make a profit to enable them to continue to invest in research and development to create new products.

Some manufacturers through choice approach this challenge by producing the best possible high-quality product with a top end price. They have a well-defined strategy of selling less units using a marketing approach to create a unique market position and a cachet around the brand. Put in simple terms, at the top end are the elite where only a limited amount of a product is manufactured with a high price tag. At the other end of the scale are the mass-produced, low-cost products with a throw away price tag by comparison.

Continue reading “An open letter to the worldwide yacht and boat manufacturing industry written by IIMS”

The opportunities that long haul flights present for strategic thinking

Long haul flights present the perfect downtime for thinking and reflection in my opinion. Those endless hours whiling away the time in the air, wondering how many more absurd movies you can watch or books you can read, is a challenge! It’s true, I do a lot of strategic thinking when I travel. My colleagues tease me whenever I come back from a long trip as my head is stuffed with good ideas, well some are good, some less so.

How lucky for me then that I am about to head out to Australia the week after next – more thinking time – stopping in Singapore on the way back. I am particularly thrilled at the number of members and non-members who have signed up for the two day IIMS Australia seminar in Brisbane. We are quite a crowd. I am very much looking forward to meeting both those I know well and those who I have never Continue reading “The opportunities that long haul flights present for strategic thinking”

Murrills House set to become the Institute’s permanent home as IIMS opens crowdfunding opportunity

Murrills House is set to become the permanent home for IIMS
Murrills House is set to become the permanent home for IIMS

In a strange turn of events, Murrills House in Portchester, UK, is set to become the new Head Quarters of the IIMS. But wait a minute I hear you say. IIMS is already headquartered in Murrills House isn’t it? Yes you are right of course. IIMS has been renting these offices for the past decade since its move from Gosport. But with the end of the lease looming, IIMS entered into talks with the landlord earlier this year with a view to the Institute acquiring the freehold of the property and adjacent land. The outright purchase of suitable office accommodation rather than renting one was something that the membership voted in favour of at the 2018 AGM.

So now IIMS would like your help. We are reaching out to the members and supporters of the Institute to invite them to make a financial donation towards the essential maintenance we would like to undertake upon completion of the deal to secure Murrills House as the Continue reading “Murrills House set to become the Institute’s permanent home as IIMS opens crowdfunding opportunity”

IIMS plays a leading role in the development of a new Marine Surveyor ‘Trailblazer’ apprenticeship scheme now approved by government with funding

ew Marine Surveyor 'Trailblazer' apprenticeship scheme
Marine Surveyor ‘Trailblazer’ apprenticeship scheme

IIMS has played a leading role as part of a small but dedicated team that has worked hard over the past two years to develop the framework for an apprenticeship scheme (‘Trailblazer’) for the marine surveying profession in the UK.

The working group has been chaired by Alan Cartwright, Blabey Engineering Ltd, with Mike Schwarz, IIMS CEO, in attendance from the outset. More recently, Alan Larsen, SCMS, joined the working group to help shape its direction. Di Fitch from John Moores University in Liverpool in conjunction with Mark Aberdein has been ever present and has brought her considerable specialist knowledge in the area of Continue reading “IIMS plays a leading role in the development of a new Marine Surveyor ‘Trailblazer’ apprenticeship scheme now approved by government with funding”

IIMS recognises IMCA’s Technical Director with a Blue Water Award

Mark Ford (pictured left) is presented with his Blue Water Award by Mike Schwarz
Mark Ford (pictured left) is presented with his Blue Water Award by Mike Schwarz

Mark Ford, Technical Director of the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) was caught by surprise when he was recently awarded an IIMS (International Institute of Marine Surveying) Blue Water Award at the IIMS London 2019 Conference Dinner held at 10/11 Carlton House Terrace in central London.

Mike Schwarz, CEO of IIMS quotes from his speech on the night:

“…….Talking about having good people around us, I am also reminded that we have some brilliant partners who we work with and they with us. One of our key partners who we have Continue reading “IIMS recognises IMCA’s Technical Director with a Blue Water Award”

IIMS London Conference 2019 reviewed

Great venues – Herringham Hall and Regent’s University and 10-11 Carlton House Terrace – none better. Brilliant speaker content on a range of relevant surveying topics on all three days. Meeting old friends and colleagues, networking and reconnecting with old chums and adversaries! Excellent food and the odd beer or two. What’s not to like about an IIMS London Conference? Those who attended have been most kind and wholesome in their praise for the event, which took the best part of a year to plan and deliver.

It would be wrong to single out any one presenter over another and IIMS is truly grateful to the speakers who came to present for the benefit of others! But, for example, Neale Rodrigues (Britannia P&I Club) reminded everyone of the importance of going back to basics and doing the Continue reading “IIMS London Conference 2019 reviewed”

Reflections on a memorable 2019 IIMS London Conference

Mike Schwarz (right) welcomes Toastmaster, Richard Palmer, to 10/11 Carlton House Terrace

Great venues. Brilliant speaker content on a range of relevant surveying topics. Meeting old friends and colleagues. Excellent food and the odd beer or two. What’s not to like about an IIMS London Conference? OK so we had non stop rain and a train strike to contend with, but that did not put a dampener on proceedings! Judging by my email inbox, the event would seem to have been a great success not only for those who joined us in person, but also for our increasing number of online delegates who joined online from far afield via Zoom. If I have one regret it is simply that only 75 of our near 1,000 members were present and exposed to some wonderful and pertinent content.

These events are not easy to get right and they require detailed preparation. The IT is always a challenge – trust me I know! Making the right food choices is equally challenging. So my thanks to my colleagues who worked so hard behind the scenes to deliver this year’s Continue reading “Reflections on a memorable 2019 IIMS London Conference”

Join IIMS in Brisbane for an essential two day workshop on 1 and 2 August

Members and non members from Australia and New Zealand are invited to attend the IIMS two day workshop that has been arranged in Brisbane on Thursday 1 and Friday 2 August 2019. IIMS is grateful to Kedge PYT Ltd for their generous support.

And if you are unable to be there in person, or distance is an issue, you are welcome to join us as an online only delegate via the Zoom platform.

The venue is:
Novotel Brisbane Airport, 6-8 The Circuit, Brisbane Airport QLD 4008, Australia

The cost for both days to include refreshments, tea, coffee and buffet lunch is just AUS$ 275. Attendance at the event earns 5 CPD points. Continue reading “Join IIMS in Brisbane for an essential two day workshop on 1 and 2 August”

Small Craft Surveyors Forum Annual Seminar at Seawork announced

Members of IIMS are reminded that the annual Small Craft Surveyors Forum will take place at the Seawork Show at Southampton on Wednesday 12 June from 1330 to 1630 in Conference Room 2.

The event is free to attend and open to all marine surveyors no matter what their affiliation. This year’s schedule looks good and is sure to draw a strong attendance.

Although a free seminar please reserve your place online  so we have numbers for Health & Safety reasons, chairs and catering.

Programme of presentations

1330 Welcome by Seminar Chairman John Wills, IMarEST

Continue reading “Small Craft Surveyors Forum Annual Seminar at Seawork announced”

IIMS London Conference 2019 in June looming large, open to real time and online only delegates

Herringham Hall, Regent’s University welcomes delegates for the first day of the IIMS London Conference 2019 on 17 June

The speaker schedules and presenters are fixed and finalised for the forthcoming IIMS London Conference being held at Regent’s University on Monday 17 and Tuesday 18 June.

This year for the first time, you can join the Conference as a real time delegate in person, or hop on via Zoom as an online only delegate from the comfort of your office or home.

So what might you learn? The first day is aimed unashamedly at marine surveyors in the commercial sector, but day two will be of interest to all.

Day one (17 June) – Herringham Hall, Regent’s University
Continue reading “IIMS London Conference 2019 in June looming large, open to real time and online only delegates”

Instagram Posts from the IIMS @iimsmarine