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agencies. We need increasingly to be a a not-for-pro? t organization is differ- bers have to know, feel, and appreci- global lobbying ‘umbrella’, communi- ent. Our income statement is not our ate that we are on their side, on their cating, engaging and in? uencing de- ultimate KPI; the views and opinions bench and batting hard for them to cision makers. It is not an overnight of our members are. IMCA is stronger use a sporting analogy. IMCA has to job, but long overdue. than it has ever been, and ironically we remain relevant, meaningful, ef? cient,

IMCA has gained a great reputa- are more important to our industry and ? t for purpose in these challeng- tion of solid technical achievement today than in better times. Our mem- ing times. I am going to ensure it does.

over many years. That’s signi? cant and must continue. But, we must push harder with oil companies in accept- ing our guidelines rather than endless preferential and so-called ‘gold-plated’

It’s time to upgrade.

engineering. I’m an engineer, and in- stinctively we are good at asking the “what?” and “when?” questions, but we

Samson’s SATURN-12 outlasts and don’t always ask the “why?” question outperforms other HMPE ropes by 15–20% when given prescriptive speci? cations

S Saturn-12 by clients. We now need to take a more h holds up to the rigors assertive and pragmatic engineering ap- fa faced by push boats on in inland rivers. Proprietary proach to help sweep away the excessive c coatings at the ?ber level gold plating. We need to resist endless re reduce external and internal new rules and documentation and get a abrasion for signi?cantly lo longer working life.

better at enforcing existing ones.

L L Li Lightweight, high-strength ba barge lines mean added

ESSAGE TO IL OMPANIES

A M O C sa safety, easy handling,

This is a perfect time for oil compa- an and more makeups

UPGRADE an and knockdowns before nies to engage with and listen to the re retirement. That’s real, supply chain and to please take action. m measurable value.

We will be asking regulators and oil

LI LIGHTWEIGHT HIGH companies to work with us, and our

ST STRENGTH members – we’re all in this together,

ADDED SAFETY &

EASY HANDLING this is a symbiotic relationship. We

REDUCED ABRASION need regulators and oil companies to

FOR LONGER use us with thought, rather than just

WORKING LIFE hit us with a big hammer.

The marine contracting industry has changed enormously in the past 30 years. The supply chain is big, important and responsible, as power-

UPGRADE UPGRADE ful partnerships and alliances attest. I urge oil companies to use us intelli- gently; and to use industrial standards we know well, and not theoretical ones. It is essential to keep a realistic risk balance, without threatening the

[email protected] business further.

PaducahRigging.com (270) 443-3863

Like so many of the companies we serve, we are conducting reviews of our structure and strategy, but unlike those companies our measure of success as www.marinelink.com MN 19

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