The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) is responding to the growth of involvement by its members in the marine renewable energy sector.

IMCA’s Technical Adviser – Marine, Captain Andy Goldsmith said: “IMCA’s Marine Renewable Energy Committee has been busy responding to the needs of our members in this growing sector. The Committee interacts directly with field developers, suppliers and regulators within the offshore renewable energy sector. It ensures that IMCA represents marine contractors in this sector and that its members use existing IMCA Guidance.”

By the end of the year, the Committee will have produced three toolbox talk prompt guidelines for marine operations in the offshore energy sector. The first, for a Crew Transfer Vessel (CTV) deckhand during personnel transfers, has been published. The second on CTV/DP vessel operations is in preparation.

It is also developing an IMCA presentation covering the requirements for standardized boat landings and gangway landing areas. This will be used by Committee members to inform and influence offshore wind farm developers internationally.

Also scheduled for this year is a revised version of ‘Guidance on the transfer of personnel to and from offshore vessels and structures’ (IMCA M202). The Committee is also working with G+ to provide appropriate guidance on the use of immersion suits when transferring to and from vessels at sea.

As part of its work program, the Committee has issued a safety flash concerning a collision by a vessel with the working platform on a wind turbine.

Looking forward to 2019, the Committee aims to hold a technical seminar on marine renewable energy. This follows the highly successful IMCA Europe & Africa Regional meeting held in Aberdeen in June when the focus was on the offshore renewables sector with presentations by Marine Scotland, Aberdeen Offshore Wind Farm (EOWDC), Saipem, TechnipFMC and Global Maritime ranging from the Scottish Government’s Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind Energy to Hywind, the world’s first floating offshore wind farm.

Information on the association’s Marine Renewable Energy Committee is available here. This includes links to all relevant IMCA guidance. The first Toolbox Talk Prompt on ‘CTV Deckhand – Personnel Transfer’ can be found here.