IHMA Congress 2020 - Going Virtual!

With the theme, "The Next Wave – Navigating Towards the Digital Future, the 12th biennial Congress will be delivered virtually from 5 - 10 October, 2020.

The Congress remains the key forum for IHMA members and the global ports sector to collaborate, network, share information, and provide updates on the latest industry technology and solutions.

As a result of the extraordinary situation resulting from the global Covid-19 outbreak and, in particular, the various public health measures and travel restrictions implemented by many jurisdictions around the world to fight propagation of the virus, IMPA has decided to postpone its biennial Congress in Cancun to 23 to 29 Mayr 2021.

Representatives of sea pilots from 24 nations organized in the European Maritime Pilots Association held their general meeting in Antwerp.

In this issue:
- Feauture Article - Performance Standards for Marine Simulation
- Presidents Report
- The Changes in Piloting over 18 years
- Facts & Furphies about Portable Pilot Units

The three main french pilotage stations in the Channel - North Sea have changed their recruitment conditions for taking a pilotage examination.

Associated British Ports (ABP) the UK’s largest and best-connected port operator, has commissioned a fleet of nine new state-of-the art pilot boats from Goodchild Marine Services, representing an investment of around £9 million to further enhance port operations across its network.

China has already submitted proposals to the IMO regarding changes to SOLAS, Chapter 23, and IMO A.1045(27) in early 2021.

Finally!!! The last section of the ship was removed from the site and taken to port for final salvage. While there is still a lot of clean up remaining this is a big mile stone in the salvage operation of the Golden Ray which capsized over 2 years ago on 9/8/2019 in the sound of St Simons Island, Georgia. Included is the movement of the section along with footage taken from a boat trip at the site and at the port. Some of my best video in the 2 years I've been filming. So I hope you enjoy...

According to the International Maritime Pilots Association (IMPA), the ship “Grand Radiant” suffered an incident where the accommodation ladder entire outboard side railing fell away due to a pin becoming loose.