IMCA: working to keep everyone happy The International Marine Contractors Association, is, by any standards, a remarkable organisation. Representing an extensive array of offshore, marine and underwater engineering companies, it now numbers 180 members in 30 countries and, in 1999, received a major vote of confidence by being awarded Observer Status at the International Maritime Organisation.      Today, its members operate in all major offshore oil sectors of the world - DP construction support vessel operations, diving and ROV services, offshore survey and position-fixing services. And a large number, known as Corresponding Members, are major oil companies, so that close relationships between clients and service companies are assured.      IMCA's annual conference, run in a different city around the world each year, is recognised as a key event for industry members - and increasingly for divers, whose profession was granted a whole day for the first time at this year's Stavanger meeting.      Ensonced in IMCA's offices - the four-storey Carlyle House in London's Vauxhall Bridge Road - Tony Read oversees an organisation which, apart from its European coverage, takes in two regions: Middle East and India, chaired by Troy Holford of Fraser Diving in Dubai; and IMCA Asia Pacific, chaired by Andy Bolton of Coflexip Stena Offshore in Perth, Australia.      Read took over from the retiring Tom Hollobone in 1997, and is supported in his mammoth task by Technical Director Jane Bugler.      The staff expands this September with the addition of Technical Co-ordinator Philip Wiggs, a Master Mariner, while the Diving Division has a part-time Technical Adviser, Crawford Logan.      Well up in modern publicity techniques, IMCA also has an impressive website, managed by Adam Hugo.      "Our core aim, one could say, is to create a level playing field on which participants can operate and compete on a fair and safe basis," said Tony Read as we settled down to talk at Carlyle house, his disposition as sunny as the fine late-August day on which we met. "And it should be said that this healthy business environment has been stimulated largely by the demands of the client oil companies themselves." Schemes In its pursuit of equality, IMCA has developed codes of practice, competence assurance and assessment schemes, standardised contracts and internationally accepted qualifications.      "This has been achieved through the enthusiastic participation of our members," Read was keen to point out. "And that, of course, makes the results more workable and realistic."      A particularly impressive example of IMCA's global harmonisation achievements lies in the area of training, certification and personnel competence.      "Our Competence Assurance and Assessment Schemes* were launched in January 1999 to allow underwater contractors to demonstrate professional levels of competence across a wide range of operations, and we have found that our standards of training and qualification have met these needs successfully," said Read.      "For instance the Competence Assessment of Experienced Surface Supplied Divers [IMCA Information Note D 06/00] allows the assessment of divers who may have broad diving experience but who lack formal qualifications. The divers undergo an extensive practical assessment and refresher course."      Currently two organisations, The National Hyperbaric Centre and Interdive, are approved by IMCA to carry out the courses. Assessments have been run in Azerbaijan, Indonesia and Korea. Procedures Schemes for the ROV, construction and survey sectors are being developed, including revised safety procedures for electrical power supplies (IMCA R 005) because of the increasing popularity of large, powerful ROVs. Guidelines for multi-beam sonar survey, including competence standards and a standard format for data gathering, are also being prepared.      Sometimes, a quick response to an unseen problem is required. Most recently, IMCA found itself picking up the pieces when the HSE withdrew from its recognition scheme for overseas diving doctors.      "Fortunately the problem was quickly resolved in Singapore with something called The Singapore Initiative," said Read. "A group of local diving companies got together and agreed to recognise three medics as diving doctors.      "We've now offered to coordinate similar initiatives wherever needed, and the question of a harmonised definition of diving medical qualifications is being addressed this October at our Asia-Pacific meeting at Shekou in China." Interests      Much time is spent in the normal promotion of members' interests, in the manner of any trade association.      "We try to assist in resolving disagreements within the industry, and to be a voice on behalf of members when in discussion with bodies outside the industry," said Read. "Of course this includes the important role of representing the industry in consultation with governments around the world in preparing legislation.      "We can safely say that we have combined successfully with many governmental agencies, bringing a realistic, practical attitude to the negotiating table."      Latest example is Australia, where IMCA has taken over offshore work from the Australian Diving Contractors' Association and has guided the Australian government on new regulations.      "Diving and ROV operations are the subject of developing legislatures in a number of countries, and we have recently produced codes of practice in both these areas to guide the regulators," added Read. "All signs are that they are being accepted as valuable common standards."      The stronger IMCA's membership, said Read, the easier it is to reach the organisation's objectives, in particular the standardisation of operating practices to which it has applied so much effort.      "If you join us, you are first sent details of the criteria that are required to be met by a member, followed by an IMCA review of your operational manuals," he explained. "We send out an auditor, too, who may assess whether you can operate in accordance with IMCA's Code of Practice." Principal Clearly established as the principal international trade association for offshore underwater contractors, IMCA's position within the offshore oil industry appears rock-solid as it goes about its business of ensuring that "level playing field" for all of its members.      Meanwhile, if you have yet to get on to the pitch, Tony Read awaits your call. Details - IMCA, Carlyle House, 235 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London SW1V 1EJ, Tel: +44 (0)20 7931 8171, Fax: +44 (0)20 7931 8935, Email: imca@imca-int.com Web: www.imca-int.com *Competence Assurance and Assessment Scheme, Guidance Document and Competence Tables; IMCA C 001, published January 1999, covers the scheme's overall structure. The document specifies the competences, or 'Safety Critical Positions', required in all the job functions. So far there are four in the ROV section, 11 in Diving and 10 in Offshore Survey. In total there are 44 positions across four divisions.      In addition IMCA has, over the past two years, made available several of its key guidance documents on CD-Rom.

© 2001 Underwater World Publications Ltd.