IMCA Plans ROV Seminar in Stavanger
Richard Benzie (Photo: IMCA)
Significant opportunities and challenges face the subsea industry: increasingly strident requirements to satisfy environmental legislation is one; the challenges of ROV utilization in the growing renewables sector is another. The need to recruit and retain properly trained, competent people remains vital.
These challenges and opportunities have led the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) to organize an ROV Seminar, with the theme ‘The future for remote systems and ROVs in the offshore construction industry’. Chaired by Graham Duncan of TechnipFMC, the IMCA ROV Committee Chairman, it will be held Tuesday 30 - Wednesday 31 May at Oceaneering International’s facility in Stavanger, Norway. The free-to-attend seminar is open to IMCA members and invited guests.
The opening session will feature a keynote presentation from Statoil on their vision of the future of the ROV industry; and later in the seminar Dr Ing Thomas Vögele, Head of International Business Development at DFKI, the German Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence will be bringing the near future to the debate. Technical presentations will be given over the course of the two days by Oceaneering, Subsea 7, and TechnipFMC. Other topics to come under the seminar spotlight will include shore-based ROV piloting; umbilicals management, including testing and resilience; and the training and competency of technicians.
“Our seminar is designed to assist members in dealing with the pressing issues, and to provide a program of technical and operational topics affecting the industry today and in the future – a future which will see technology have a huge impact on changing ROV procedures and safety,” explained IMCA’s Technical Director, Richard Benzie. “The seminar, which combines technical presentations, panel discussions, and workshops, is aimed at senior technical and operations personnel from all stakeholder groups in the industry including contractors, equipment suppliers and training providers, as well as clients, regulators and government bodies.
“The best ideas and initiatives from the seminar will be circulated to attendees, and will be used to influence, shape and develop existing and future IMCA guidance for the subsea vehicle operating environment,” he added. “Indeed the final session will provide an opportunity for delegates to commit to assisting with the various work streams identified by the seminar.”
The program for the seminar, which is hosted by Oceaneering, and with a networking and drinks reception sponsored by Lubitec, is online at www.imca-int.com/events. One click from the event page enables delegates to register by emailing the IMCA Events Team.
February 2024
