dandcjointmarine

Received from Paul Wright of the Nautical Institute.

Life ahead of Lifestyle

Climate Change - A Challenge for World Shipping

Every year the International Maritime Organisation celebrates World Maritime Day with a focus on an important aspect impacting on international shipping . The Copenhagen Conference on Climate Change taking place in December has provided the theme for 2009.

For the second year running the Marine Institute supported the professional maritime bodies, the Nautical Institute, the Institute of Marine Engineering Science and Technology* and the Royal Institution in their celebration of the day. The celebration was attended by the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of Plymouth and an invited audience of about 120 persons.

The complete Report is available by clicking on the link here.

World Maritime Day 29 Sept 2009

The Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of Plymouth and members of the maritime sector celebrated World Maritime Day yesterday evening, organised in the University of Plymouth by the Nautical Institute, the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology and the Royal Institution of Naval Architects. Contributions on the theme of ‘Climate Control – a Challenge for Shipping’ were supported by the University's Marine Institute and the City of Plymouth.

Attendees congregated in the Roland Levinsky Building at 1900 for a welcome by Captain Tim Charlesworth FNI, Chairman of the local branch of the NI. He highlighted the contribution of Plymouth City Council to shipping and marine sector business; in particular he described the evolution of the structure on the Eddystone as the guiding light for ships entering safely the port of Plymouth. Paul Wright, a member of the local branch of the Nautical Institute, related the International Maritime Organisation's message about Climate Change for World Maritime Day 2009, stating that the marine sector must ‘put life ahead of lifestyle’. He reiterated the thought that ship’s owners and staffs faced difficult operational choices about ship size and speed and encouraged all to study the information on www.shippingandco2.org.

Michael Everard - President IMarEST

Michael Everard, President of the IMarEST, related his story of ‘Stormy Seas of Climate Change,’ restated the Institute’s commitment to reduce fossil fuel consumption and commended the IMarEST position statement on climate change to be published on 13 October 09. He endorsed an approach that questioned the purpose of marine activities at the highest level before deciding on change, giving the example of the total carbon cost of New Zealand lamb compared with that of British lamb on your table. Systems thinking, after Checkland, might be useful in thinking about shipping implications. When asked about how the maritime sector compared with the aeronautical and land sectors, he replied that it accounted for about 3% of national CO₂production but must not be discounted as too small to count.

Funnel Emissions

The technical presentation of the evening concerned ‘Technologies to address Air Pollution from Ships’ given by Dr Bob Allen, Chairman of the local joint branch of RINA and IMarEST. He described the contribution of shipping to national sulphur, nitrogen and carbon oxides emissions as 9%, 18-30% and 3-4% of climate change emissions respectively; these are reported in the media mainly as impacts on health and water pollution. He considered that SO_X emissions might be reduced by using lower sulphur content fuels and introducing Sulphur Emission Control Areas. Engine exhaust gases might also be scrubbed with water but, when discharged to sea,this increases the sea's acidity thereby reducing its capacity to absorb CO₂ and adversely affecting marine organisms; a lose-lose scenario. NO_X emissions from engines might be reduced by lowering the combustion temperature and the amount of excess air ingested. Exhaust gases might also be treated with urea. CO₂ emissions from ships’engines might be reduced significantly by reducing ship speed. Performance results for a combined CSNO_X scrubber during trials were reported as very impressive at 74%, 92% and 82%. Energy efficiency design indexing, similar to that used in domestic appliances, was suggested as a means of regulating the licensing of shipsin local control areas. Bob considered that, by employing current technologies in an appropriate, combined manner, reductions in CO₂, SO_X and NO_X greater than 50%, 75% and 80% respectively could be achieved, but he reiterated that IMO should continue to lead in reducing climate change emissions from ships.

The President-elect of the IMarEST, Rear Admiral Nigel Guild, celebrated 120 years of the Institute with a brief, entertaining account of its evolution, and Captain Richard Coates, Chairman of the NI, made two presentations to members. Before rounding-off the evening with a buffet supper, attendees were treated to a closing address by the Director of the University’s Marine Institute, a marine scientist, who briefly represented the biologist view of the impact of ship emissions on marine ecology.

The Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology

Guidance notes for mentors and for companies establishing a mentoring programme

Introduction

This guide is designed to offer assistance to those members of the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST) who are considering becoming a mentor, or those members of the Institute seeking a mentor. A mentor can either assist an IMarEST Graduate member (GIMarEST) gain Corporate member status (Initial Professional Development - IPD) or assist another Corporate member progress in their career (Continuing Professional Development - CPD). This guide is intended to provide helpful guidance for mentoring for IPD but the techniques are equally applicable for CPD. This guide additionally offers advice to organisations and companies that wish to establish a mentoring programme as part of a formal, structured graduate or technician training programme.

It is emphasized that mentoring is a unique, personal relationship between the mentor and the mentee and as such this guide is offered as a basis for discussion. However, it is based on the considerable experience of the institute and those other authorise listed at the reference.

What is a Mentor?

A mentor is usually described as a “wise or trusted advisor or guide” who, in a business/organisational environment, is there to provide guidance or advice of a professional nature as part of the development of a graduate, work colleague or peer (the mentee). The process of mentoring is a voluntary partnership which can employ coaching or counselling techniques to encourage this development and progression. A mentor is usually more experienced and often more senior, with the skills and expertise necessary to provide support to the mentee. The fundamental role of the mentor is to guide the mentee along their chosen career path.

Mentoring has a wide range of benefits for both the mentor as well as the mentee and can have a positive impact on the business as a whole. It can help new employees acclimatise to the working environment faster and with greater ease and can facilitate communication between the different levels of hierarchy within the company. Every employee needs advice and reassurance at some point during their career and having a mentor offers a unique and personal approach to this.

The mentee receives ‘tailor-made’ advice that permits him or her to gain balanced and unbiased advice for their medium and long-term career progression. The mentor becomes aware of new ideas and perspectives from his mentee, improves his/her own personal reputation within the company and can groom his/her own successor (the mentee) to progress further within the organisation.

Click here to read IMarEST Mentoring Guidance.

Continuing Professional Development

Members should not be surprised to find that the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology and the Royal Institution of Naval Architects suggest that all members should undertake continuing professional development. The Engineering Council requires that registrants, on application, produce evidence of a continuing professional development plan, and the Science Council requires registrants to re-validate their competence every five years after registration. The Devon and Cornwall Joint Branch expect that all members should have a continuing professional development action plan as part of their portfolio of personal improvement objectives.

Continuing professional development is not just a standard applied by professional institutions and regulatory bodies, every chartered or incorporated professional commits to their own life-long learning and self-improvement process as part of a total quality ethos. Whether members are self-employed or employed, a vital part of business improvement is the identification, acquisition and review of new or perished skills that the business requires for success.

This ethos provides a win-win climate for the process and culture changes necessary for business improvement. Devon and Cornwall Joint Branch members will benefit from rewarding professional careers and the region’s maritime sector businesses will benefit from quality improvement.

Click here to read the IMarEST’s ‘CPD guide for members.’