OCIMF (Oil Companies International Marine Forum)

Earlier this week OCIMF was invited to present and participate in a panel at the LNG Shipping & Terminals Conference 2024 held in London. The event was attended by over a 100 delegates from the LNG sector. Tony Jones, OCIMF Quality Assessor, gave a high level overview of the SIRE 2.0 Programme from an inspectors’ prospective and also joined a dynamic panel discussion alongside Lloyd Swindell, Deputy General Manager “K” Line LNG Shipping (UK) Ltd., and Robin Collett, General Sales Manager, Samson Ropes. Thank you to Riviera Maritime Media for hosting the event and giving everyone the opportunity to connect, share knowledge and collaborate on the issues shaping the LNG sector.

OCIMF was invited to present and participate in a panel at the recent Intertanko Seafarer Seminar held in Mumbai in October. The event, attended by nearly 400 seafarers, included a keynote address by Shri Shyman Jagannathan, Director General of Shipping, updates from Intertanko and an insightful presentation by Dr Deepti Mankad on seafarer wellness and wellbeing. Aaron Cooper, OCIMF Programmes Director, emphasised OCIMF's role in promoting safety practices and standards. He also reflected on his personal safety journey, the positive impact of the SIRE programme to industry and the reasons for transitioning to SIRE 2.0. Fahmi Tarmizi, OCIMF’s Programmes Technical Manager, gave an overview of SIRE 2.0, covering the inspection process, question structure, and the essential role of inspectors in maintaining safety standards. Aaron and Fahmi also joined a dynamic panel discussion alongside Sokratis Tzanetos, Intertanko Vetting Manager, and Abner Carvalho, Managing Director, Anglo-Eastern Ship Management, where they exchanged insights on the evolving landscape of marine safety and vetting. Thank you, Intertanko, for hosting the event and giving everyone the opportunity to connect, share knowledge, and collaborate on advancing safety and wellness across the maritime industry. #OCIMF #Intertanko #SeafarerSafety #SIRE2

OCIMF’s Environment Adviser, Martin Young, represented OCIMF at the EU Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) Maritime Regulation/Emission Trading System (ETS) sub-group meeting. This group is currently focused on turning the existing Q&A into guidance notes before the Fuel EU Maritime (FEUM) regulations take effect in January 2025. The meeting discussed the consultation on offshore vessels and zero-rated fuels. OCIMF’s Offshore Committee raised concerns that the current focus on offshore oil and gas within the MRV Maritime Regulation, appeared to exclude renewable energies. The European Commission acknowledged this feedback and plans to review these definitions. Furthermore, the EU seeks to revise the guidance notes with more precise definitions for “offshore” and “ports.” Additionally, they are exploring the treatment of captured Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) being used as fuel and LNG heels. #EUETS #FuelEUMaritime #EnvironmentalPolicy #OCIMF

The Publications and Advocacy Offshore Committee met recently in London for its 9th meeting to discuss and oversee work across the two offshore expert groups and to participate in joint sessions with the P&A TBT and Programmes Committee. The committee reviewed and updated the offshore multiyear plan and agreed to support a review of the Offshore Vessel Management Self-Assessment (OVMSA). It also noted the progress made towards the implementation of Offshore Vessel Inspection Questionnaire 4 (OVIQ 4). Presentations given by the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (IOGP) and the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) on collaborative projects with OCIMF highlighted to the committee the importance of working together to tackle challenges and create solutions that benefit the offshore community. The committee thanked the outgoing secretary Saurabh Sachdeva and Offshore Adviser Graham Coles and welcomed the new P&A Director, Darron Biddle. #OCIMF #OffshoreCommittee #SafetyFirst #Collaboration

The Publication and Advocacy Tankers, Barges, and Terminal Interfaces (P&A TBT) Committee gathered in London in September. Updates were given on the inland barging strategy where significant progress has been made in North America, South and Central America, and Europe. The committee acknowledged the ongoing work to revise the Ship to Ship Transfer Guide and approved plans for revisions and new publications starting in 2025. There were discussions on the work to support the IMO Greenhouse Gas Strategy and further updates were given by OCIMF’s functional committees (Environment, Human Factors, and Security). The need to review the Management and Self-Assessment (MSA) Protocols with the aim of achieving a common MSA platform and alignment with SIRE 2.0 was also discussed. The outgoing secretary Saurabh Sachdeva, P&A Director, expressed his gratitude to the committee as he passed the torch to the new P&A Director, Darron Biddle. The committee thanked Saurabh for his 3.5 years of dedicated service and welcomed Darron. After the next committee meeting, Vice-Chair Raj Shetty will succeed Chair Aled Roberts. #OCIMF #InlandBarging #MaritimeSafety #IndustryCollaboration

Insightful discussions marked OCIMF’s bi-annual Programmes Committee meeting, held in person in London at the end of September. A SIRE 2.0 post-launch update was given and each Programmes Expert Group provided updates on their ongoing work items, priorities and the status of projects. This was a valuable opportunity to discuss initiatives on submitter governance, management self-assessment strategies, and optimising knowledge transfer processes within the OCIMF committee structure. Conversations on training and accreditation focused on inspector footprint and coverage, 2025 training plan strategies, and enhancements to training and accreditation guidelines. INTERTANKO also provided valuable feedback on SIRE 2.0. OCIMF's Senior IT Manager and OCIMF’s IT partner, Nine Software, recapped 2024 activities for the committee and shared a roadmap for future Programmes IT development and support initiatives. #OCIMF #SIRE2 #ProgrammesCommittee #Collaboration #MaritimeIndustry

World Mental Health Day is a crucial reminder of the significance of mental wellbeing in all sectors, including the maritime industry. OCIMF is dedicated to increasing awareness, and providing support for seafarers' mental health onboard ships, barges, and in the offshore and terminal industries. Through its ongoing work programme, OCIMF aims to improve safety and environmental protection in the maritime industry by considering human factors in its guidance and recommendations. It is committed to ensuring seafarers' mental and emotional wellbeing is prioritised alongside physical safety and fully supports inclusive environments where individuals feel supported. #WorldMentalHealthDay #OCIMF #HumanFactors #TankerIndustry https://bit.ly/3btT32S

Today, OCIMF joins the global maritime community in celebrating World Maritime Day. This year's theme, "Navigating the Future: Safety First!" aligns with OCIMF’s commitment to enhancing safety standards across the industry. At the heart of this commitment is SIRE 2.0, which is just one of the many ways OCIMF advances safety standards. The programme represents a significant step forward in promoting safety and environmentally responsible operations in the tanker industry. Together, the industry can ensure a safer, more resilient, and sustainable future for all who work at sea. #WorldMaritimeDay #SafetyFirst #OCIMF

OCIMF is thrilled to share a special message from Karen Davis, Managing Director at OCIMF, and Aaron Cooper, Programmes Director at OCIMF. In the video, they express their gratitude to the global marine industry for its unwavering support and dedication in helping OCIMF achieve a major milestone: the successful launch of SIRE 2.0! SIRE 2.0 has transformed the tanker inspection process, and its success is due to the collaboration and commitment of all involved. Watch the video to hear their words of appreciation and join in celebrating this momentous achievement. #SIRE2 #MaritimeSafety #OCIMF #MarineIndustry

Despite ongoing efforts, enclosed space entry remains a critical safety issue within the shipping industry, with incidents and fatalities still occurring. This year OCIMF hosted two Enclosed Space Entry – Joint Industry Workshop meetings, made up of leading organisations, governmental departments, and specialists to collectively address this challenge. The group is currently gathering data on accidents within enclosed spaces to inform the development of strategies to improve safety standards and protect lives at sea. This collaborative effort reflects a shared commitment to finding practical solutions for the wellbeing of seafarers and third-party contractors. In the video below, Saurabh Sachdeva, Publications & Advocacy Director, OCIMF, provides feedback on the Joint Industry Workshops and reiterates that everyone is responsible for safety. #EnclosedSpaceEntry #OCIMF #IndustryCollaboration