IMCA has released updates to its eCMID system

The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) has released updates to its eCMID system which is designed to provide the marine and offshore industry with standardised formats for vessel inspection.

These include revisions of inspection templates to address changes to IMCA Codes of Practice and Recommended Practice, as well as IMO regulations and the latest user feedback.

The updated templates feature new advice on closing meetings (also included in the revised IMCA M 167 – Guidance on the IMCA eCMID System), deal more closely with pilot ladder inspections, and include revisions to the DP supplement which rectify inconsistencies and issues fed back by industry experts.

The new versions also include updated guidance notes and references, and additional questions for inspectors to cover.

The reform of the closing meeting process will ensure that this very important part of the inspection process is carried out consistently.

It will also serve to improve the communication between the inspectors and the vessel representatives by discussing any findings whilst also enhancing the closing meeting record keeping.

Mark Ford, Marine & Quality Manager said:

“Over 1,600 vessels worldwide are currently covered by a live inspection report, providing a safety management system health check for both operators and clients. The templates are reviewed regularly to reflect technological progress and regulatory developments and include feedback from vessel operators, accredited vessel inspectors, and other stakeholders.

The review process enables us to strengthen areas of weakness in the inspection process, such as in the case of pilot ladder incidents, and ensure that certification and proper procedures are in place and followed.”

“This ensures vessels operate to good standards, with good safety records to minimise any harm to personnel or the environment. IMCA’s eCMID Committee strive to ensure vessels are operated and maintained at a high level through industry review and feedback.”

Investing in eCMID

In 2018, IMCA introduced upload fees for inspection reports to fund the ongoing maintenance, support and development of eCMID.

This has enabled the development of a cross-platform inspection app, a comprehensive analytics hub which provides data on inspection report findings, and various improvements to the user experience.

Following user feedback, IMCA has launched several updates recently including:

Improvements to downloadable inspection reports, including a new PDF generator that enables higher quality images with drastically reduced file sizes, and updates to how findings are summarised.
Updates to the inspection app including the closing meeting interface, easier downloading of finalised reports, and an improved auditor selection list among other improvements.
New payment options to better support users wherever they are based and improvements to the payment interface.

More improvements are scheduled over the coming months, including the capability to upload and share supporting documents, user access to their inspection history, and updates to further enhance system security and user authentication.

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