Dear Sir
Please let me introduce myself. My name is David Loosley, Chief Executive of the Institute of Marine
Engineering, Science & Technology (IMarEST) which I joined after serving for 5-years as the
Operations Director of the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO) and a 10-year career as a
Navigator in the Royal Navy.
The IMarEST is an international membership body and learned society for all marine professionals.
It is the first Institute to bring together marine engineers, marine scientists and marine technologists
into one international multi-disciplinary professional body. It is the largest marine organisation of its
kind with a worldwide membership of around 15,000 based in over 100 countries. Working with the
global marine community, the IMarEST promotes the scientific development of marine engineering,
science and technology, providing opportunities for the exchange of ideas and practices and
upholding the status, standards and expertise of marine professionals worldwide.
I wanted to write to you personally to update you on three very important developments at the
IMarEST in the world of hydrography (and cartography) over the past year, specifically relating to
professional development, learning and, by extension, safety of life at sea.
The first development is our partnership with the UKHO who wanted to demonstrate their
commitment in ensuring their technical specialists are of the highest calibre in the world, supporting
them to work towards Chartered Marine Technologist (CMarTech) and Chartered Marine Scientist
(CMarSci) status. Encouraging over 400 of their UK-based team to join the Institute has proved
highly successful; access to the IMarEST virtual library and associated technical information is of
interest to the majority of these new members, as is the ability to input into IMarEST Special Interest
Groups and IMarEST technical conferences and profit from them. And, running throughout, is
UKHO’s need to have their staff professionally recognised, and to see them benefiting from
continuing professional development (CPD) programmes.
The second development is that the IMarEST has obtained observer status at the International
Hydrographic Organisation (IHO). As an accredited Non Governmental International Organisation
(NGIO), IMarEST now has access to all IHO events, from hydrographic conferences to working
group meetings with observer status, giving IMarEST members an independent voice and allowing
them to contribute to the organisation’s global work and activities. The IMarEST also has
consultative status at the International Maritime Organization (IMO), observer status at the
International Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO, and special consultative status with the
Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC), which facilitates access to other
international intergovernmental meetings where our specialized marine expertise is of particular use,
for example, the United Nations meetings on Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction, the
Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) and the work of the International Seabed
Authority on marine mining.
Finally, and most recently, is our acquisition of Plymouth University’s Hydrographic Academy (HA).
The HA has developed a distance e-learning course that is perfectly suited to marine professionals
seeking advancement of skills and qualifications without having to devote themselves to studying full
time. I think this is particularly pertinent in today’s world of continually shrinking budgets and
reducing headcount.
Students are provided with a variety of video presentations and learning materials within a bespoke
e-learning environment, which also enables sophisticated testing and assessment to be undertaken.
Despite the fact that the Hydrographic Academy students are studying in 38 countries around the
globe they are far from alone, as a team of academics and technical staff are on hand to offer as
much support as required. All students have access to on-line student-tutor forums and interact
directly with tutors via email as well as through other forms of electronic communication.
The HA offers both undergraduate and post-graduate courses academically accredited by Plymouth
University and as such is subject to their full quality assurance process required of recognised
qualifications from academic partners. The course was developed by Plymouth University staff
using their long history of delivering residential hydrography courses. The practical module of the
course is delivered jointly in Plymouth, UK and Otago, New Zealand using those Universities
facilities and equipment.
I do hope the above is of some interest. If I can be of any support to you, or your organisation, in
assisting you in achieving your professional development and learning requirements, then please
don’t hesitate to contact me at
[email protected]. We stand ready to assist.
Yours faithfully,
David Loosley
Chief Executive