"Women may make up less than 2% of seafarers globally, here at OCIMF they represent more than 30% of our staff."
Director's Log
On 18 May we celebrated International Day for Women in Maritime, themed 'Safe Horizons: Women Shaping the Future of Maritime Safety'.
Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to engage with inspiring women and men who excel in their own careers while advocating for others, particularly promoting diversityand equality across the industry. The people who have been most motivating to me are those who do this naturally and graciously, seeing the value that unique perspectives and skills bring to a team, supporting each shipmate or office co-worker with equivalent kindness and respect.
From an early age, my parents taught that there were no limits for women and that I could achieve anything. They emphasised that if I worked hard and performed well, opportunities would be available. Their encouragement resonated with me during challenging times in my career and continues to remind me to be brave when meeting a new challenge.
I am witnessing the maritime industry’s evolving landscape, and I am proud of the increasing involvement and impact women are having in this traditionally male-dominated field. Together we must speak up about and solve challenges, break barriers, encourage women in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM), and steer towards an accessible, safe and sustainable industry.
Although women may make up less than 2% of seafarers globally, here at OCIMF they represent more than 30% of our staff. I remain an advocate for all who wish to join the maritime industry and I salute IMO Secretary General Arsenio Dominguez for his leadership in asking us to commit to “championing diversity and fostering a workplace culture that breaks down all barriers to achieving gender equality.”
Karen Davis, Director OCIMF
OCIMF Day in Rio sets out key priorities
Over 200 guests attended OCIMF Day in Rio, Brazil, on 22 May. Following April's successful event in Kuala Lumpur, this day brought together senior representatives of industry and the Brazilian Navy to hear how OCIMF is supporting the ever-changing maritime industry.
OCIMF Chairman Nick Potter opened the day, while Managing Director Karen Davis and the Secretariat showcased the important work of the forum across publications, advocacy and programmes. The day also saw a panel discussion on decarbonisation and guest speaker presentations on implementation of operational measures on board ships in support of the IMO GHG reduction strategy, modelling of alternative fuels, and an overview of the risks and security situation for members operating in inland barging in the South and Central America region.
For more information, contact Saurabh Sachdeva, OCIMF Publications and Advocacy Director, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Barging conversations in South America
OCIMF and regional member representatives visited the Peruvian coastguard (top) and the Brazilian Petroleum and Gas Institute (bottom)
While in South America for the Rio OCIMF Day, OCIMF and its regional members took the opportunity to visit industry bodies.
On 13 May, OCIMF and regional member representatives were invited to visit the Callao naval base in Peru. Commander Navarro of the Peruvian coastguard explained their role and their use of the Information Fusion Centre Peru (IFC) to share security issues in the Latin American region. IFC provides clear insights on incidents and gives recommendations to improve safety and security. The OCIMF group was also welcomed by the naval base head, Vice Admiral Gonsales. This day concluded with a visit to the naval vessel B.A.P. Rio Canete.
On 21 May, OCIMF and its regional members were invited to the offices of the Brazilian Petroleum and Gas Institute (IBP) in Rio. IBP was keen to discuss issues in downstream operations in Brazil, such as ship to barge transfers, closed loading operations and best practices. OCIMF is pleased to have met with both organisations and expects there will be opportunities to work together in the region in future.
For more information contact Ton Mol, OCIMF Barge Adviser, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Maritime industry calls for allyship to promote gender diversity
The Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association UK (WISTA UK), Trinity House and OCIMF hosted a well-attended panel discussion on 14 May at Trinity House for International Day for Women in Maritime. The evening focused on the strategies needed to promote gender diversity in the maritime sector.
Keynote speaker Natalie Gill, Trinity House's director of People and Culture, highlighted the challenges and opportunities for women in the maritime industry and recounted some of her experiences, good and bad. An exciting panel discussion followed, which focused on allyship (the actions, behaviours and practices to support, amplify and advocate for others) and its use as a critical strategy to address and overcome these challenges. It highlighted partnering with industry leaders and mentors, fostering networking opportunities and supporting individuals to build trust and stand up for themselves. The event concluded with a call to action to increase visibility, prioritise allyship, foster a culture of inclusion and actively work towards gender diversity within the maritime sector.
OCIMF and Safer Together sign Memorandum of Understanding
The MoU encourages greater engagement and a closer working relationship between the organisations in their work on health, safety, security, and environment/sustainability (HSSE) for the global upstream marine industry.
Initial areas of collaboration include the development of best practices in safe deck operations, lifeboat safety and strategic alignment across HSSE and risk management activities. Progress and future activities will be considered and reported to OCIMF’s Publications and Advocacy Offshore Committee expert groups and Safer Together’s Marine Working Group. The MoU sets a process in place to create effective technical solutions through a collaborative approach that leverages the expertise from both organisations to improve upstream and offshore HSSE.
For more information, please contact Graham Coles, Offshore Adviser This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Saurabh Sachdeva, Publications and Advocacy Director, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
OCIMF Barge Adviser Ton Mol (left), members of OCIMF's Shore Power Working Group and Port of Rotterdam representatives visited the new build ship, Fure Vanguard, which has recently completed her maiden voyage in Rotterdam. This chemical tanker is equipped with the latest technologies such as a scrubber and a catalyst. It is dual fuel powered (LNG and gasoil) and equipped to connect to a shore power station, which means it can carry out operations like discharging cargo, tank cleaning and cargo heating using electricity, and meets the new IMO requirements
OCIMF invited to Tanker Operators' Safety Conference in Shenzhen, China
OCIMF was invited to the annual Tanker Operators' Safety Conference held in Shenzhen, China, on 9 May. The conference was hosted by Associated Maritime Company (Hong Kong) Limited.
The attendees included senior management representatives from vessel owners and managers, Classification societies, P&I clubs, SIRE submitting members, Hong Kong Marine department and Dalian Maritime University. Captain Rohit Bajaj, OCIMF Programmes Quality Assessor, conducted a three-hour interactive session on various SIRE 2.0 topics with a focus on vessel operators’ readiness for the new inspection regime. The presentations highlighted the expected changes to help operators align with industry best practices and achieve continuous and sustainable safety performances in line with OCIMF’s vision and mission.
Feedback received from this session once again demonstrated the growing appetite and appreciation for such sessions as industry gears up to embrace the transition to SIRE 2.0.
For more information contact Rohit Bajaj, OCIMF Programmes Quality Assessor, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
OCIMF Annual Report out now
The OCIMF Annual Report covers the organisation’s work over the past year. It includes reports from all committees and expert groups plus summaries of progress in key areas of focus.
Download the Annual Report here
New Head of Finance joins OCIMF
OCIMF is very pleased to announce that Poonam Khatak joined as Head of Finance in May. 
Poonam has a wealth of experience in financial planning and analysis, management reporting and senior stakeholder management, spanning over 20 years of leading end to end finance processes and business partnering with C-suite and senior leadership teams. We welcome Poonam and wish her every success in her role at OCIMF.
Green Award Board of Experts meeting
The Board of Experts 55th meeting in Rotterdam on 8 May involved industry leaders representing shipping, ports, environmental, technical, classification, insurance and coast guard sectors to discuss environmental initiatives and certification as part of the Green Award Foundation programme.
OCIMF's P&A Director, Saurabh Sachdeva and Barge Adviser, Ton Mol, attended the meeting. Discussions included a review of the zero-emission platinum label requirement for inland shipping, environmentally friendly cargo sampling measures, requirements for ethane and ethylene carriers, the importance of environmental aspects in voyage planning, and a progress report on work being undertaken on shore power for tankers led by OCIMF and its partners. Benchmarking report and data were also reviewed on the latest industry trends aimed at enhancing safety and environmental stewardship in shipping operations through certification and incentivisation of environmental initiatives.
For further information contact Saurabh Sachdeva, OCIMF Publications and Advocacy Director, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Ton Mol, Barge Adviser, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
International Association of Oil & Gas Producers Safety Committee meeting
OCIMF’s P&A Director, Saurabh Sachdeva attended the International Association of Oil & Gas Producers (IOGP) Safety Committee meeting, with a focus on safety issues covering offshore FPSO’s, diving safety and Life Saving Rules.
The meeting, which took place at Equinor head offices in Stavanger, Norway, on 29-30 April, provided a comprehensive overview of the 2023 safety data analysis with industry trends and opportunities for improvement. OCIMF gave a presentation sharing areas of high priority from the Offshore Committee and including areas such as DP assurance and offshore lifesaving equipment management and maintenance, on which OCIMF and IOGP are collaborating.
For more information, please contact Graham Coles, Offshore Adviser This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Saurabh Sachdeva, Publications and Advocacy Director, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
OCIMF attends IVR Congress in Frankfurt
The IVR Congress 2024 involved over 225 participants from 11 European countries, creating an inspiring event for knowledge exchange.
IVR represents the mutual interests of inland shipping and insurance and keeps the register of inland vessels in Europe. The Congress, held in Frankfurt, Germany, on 15-17 May, shared key risks and safety topics and included safety led conversations and presentations from Platform Zero Incidents, EU Commission, and the insurance sector. OCIMF was represented by Saurabh Sachdeva, Publications and Advocacy Director.
For further information contact Saurabh Sachdeva, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Ton Mol, Barge Adviser, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
OCIMF attends the 14th International Harbour Masters Congress
OCIMF thanks the International Harbour Masters Association (IHMA) for the invitation to the Congress, hosted in Tanger Med Port, Tangiers, Morocco from 21–24 May. The event brings together Harbour Masters from around the globe, along with relevant stakeholders, who engage in discussions, learning, information sharing, networking and collaboration.
The key theme this year was evolving and adapting to change in today’s ports. Nautical Adviser Kevin Coelho represented OCIMF at the event and spoke about the collaborative efforts between OCIMF, IHMA and the International Association of Ports and Harbours (IAPH), while sharing insights and best practices around the ship/shore interface. He touched upon OCIMF’s Marine Terminal Information System (MTIS), the Ship to Ship Transfer Guide revision and relevant recent and upcoming publications. Meaningful discussions took place around the current and emerging maritime risks with the energy transition and the new opportunities that come with this for ports and terminals.
For more information, contact Kevin Coelho, OCIMF Nautical Adviser, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Working Group on Smart Shipping
OCIMF's EU Working Group on Smart Shipping met on 2 May at the BP Shipping office in London. The group discussed all items regarding the use and implementation of Track Guidance Assistant devices for Inland Navigation (TGAIN) and agreed the content of an upcoming information paper on the safe implementation and use of these devices on board. On 28-29 May the working group will organise a workshop with suppliers of TGAINs and operators. The working group aims to finalise the information paper in 2024.
For further information contact Ton Mol, Barge Adviser, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
IMO News
IMO celebrates International Day for Women in Maritime 2024
Marking an important step towards promoting diversity and inclusivity within the maritime community, the IMO celebrated the 2024 International Day for Women in Maritime under the theme of ‘Safe Horizons: Women Shaping the Future of Maritime Safety’ with a symposium on 17 May. 
IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez opened the event by defining his vision of a diverse and inclusive maritime workplace. The afternoon saw a discussion with panellists known for breaking barriers in the maritime industry.Reflections on the outcome of the greenhouse gas intersessional working group (ISWG-GHG 16) and Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 81).
The event concluded with a newly introduced IMO Gender Equality Award presented to Ms. Despina Panayiotou Theodosiou, former President of the Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA International) for the pivotal leading role she played in advancing gender equality and empowerment of women during her tenure at WISTA.
Letters of Commendation were also presented to highlight the initiatives of individual nominees to promote the empowerment of women in the maritime industry in their respective regions.
MSC 108 summary
The 108th session of the IMO Maritime Safety Committee (MSC 108) was held at the IMO from 15 to 24 May 2024. The following brief provides an overview of topics that were discussed and of relevance to OCIMF.
Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS)
- Participation of OCIMF in the working group tasked with further development of draft MASS Code:
- Introduction of the concept of ‘Remote Operation Management’ safety regime to complete the ISM Code.
- Discussions on role of the Master, their onboard presence and exercise of authority.
- Finalisation of non-mandatory Code to be supported by an Intersessional Correspondence Group reporting to MSC 110, and a MASS working group scheduled for September 2024.
- Planned completion of non-mandatory code by MSC 110 (in 2025), followed by an ‘experience-building phase’ and a later than anticipated entry into force of January 2032.
Safety of alternative fuels and new technologies
- OCIMF participated in a working group that assessed a list of alternative fuels and new technologies which was developed intersessionally by correspondence and noted the following:
- Detailed consideration for ‘newer’ technologies such as onboard carbon capture, nuclear power and wind assisted power/propulsion.
- Need for seafarers to have ship-and technology-specific training to deal with normal operations and during emergencies.
- Whether the IGF Code applies to all ships using gas as fuel – irrespective of fuel flashpoint – to be addressed during next meeting of Carriage of Cargoes and Containers (CCC 10) during September 2024.
- Intersessional correspondence group to develop recommendations to address gaps in current IMO instruments which prevent the uptake of new fuels and technologies.
Adoption of amendments to Statutory Conventions and Codes
- The International Code of Safety for Ships using Gases or other Low-flashpoint Fuels (IGF Code): Adoption of a number of new provisions and amendments based on experience gained.
- Life-saving Appliances (LSA) Code: New requirements for single hook and fall systems on survival craft, and lowering speeds during their launch.
- STCW Convention and Code: Amendments to STCW Code include provisions to prevent and address bullying, sexual assault and sexual harassment.
- SOLAS Convention: New requirements for emergency towing arrangements on ships other than tankers.
Maritime security
- OCIMF co-sponsored paper on Red Sea:
- Committee decided to defer proposed working group on best practices to a future MSC meeting pending submission of detailed proposals.
- Adoption of an MSC resolution condemning the Red Sea attacks.
- Adoption of revision to the 2017 IMO Guidelines on Maritime Cyber Risk Management.
General matters
- Adoption of revised Interim Recommendations for the Carriage of Liquefied Hydrogen in Bulk.
- Approval of interim guidelines for safe use of LPG cargo as fuel on board gas ships.
- Training provision for seafarers on ships using alternative fuels to be dealt with under a separate dedicated agenda item by the IMO Subcommittee on Human Element, Training and Watchkeeping (HTW).
For further enquires please contact Abhijit Aul, OCIMF Risk and Regulatory Affairs Adviser, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..