Career Development & Vocational Training

IHMA is proud to provide the following resources for career development and vocational training to members and non-members alike:

• IHMA partnership with Lloyd's Maritime Academy providing discounts for existing IHMA members on selected LMA distance learning courses (inlcuding the Diploma for Harbour Masters) and non-members a complimentary 12-months associate membership with IHMA upon enrollment.
• European Harbour Masters' Commitee training videos 'The Chain' and 'The Missing Link'. The EHMC developed a series of videos which are excellent training resources and are availabe to the public free of charge on the IHMA website.
• Continuing Professional Development Tool: Members with access to the internal IHMA website have access to a personal CPD tool to track and plan their professional development.
• Job vacancies: IHMA members can post jobs vacancies at their port free of charge on the jobs page of the IHMA website.

Continue reading for more information on these benefits.

IHMA Partnership with Lloyd's Maritime Academy

The International Harbour Masters Association and Lloyd's Maritime Academy have joined forces to provide the world’s present and aspiring Harbour Masters and Port Captains the underpinning knowledge on legislation, risk management, navigational management, security, marine operations and management skills to enable them to meet the industry’s key challenges.

The partnership provides existing IHMA members with up to 15% discount on selected Lloyd's Maritime Academy distance learning courses while Lloyd's Maritime Academy students (non-members) will obtain a complimentary 12-months associate membership with IHMA when enrolling on selected courses.

How does it work?

• IHMA existing members:

Please email marketingdl@informa.com with your IHMA membership number to obtain the Discount Code and link for the selected course.

• IHMA non-members:

Please email veronica.araujo@informa.com or the IHMA Secretariat at secretary.ihma@harbourmaster.org with your course payment confirmation receipt and request to join the IHMA.

European Harbour Masters' Committe Training Videos

The European Harbour Masters' Committee developed a series of videos that are excellent training resources. All have found their way to fleet managers, terminal operators, maritime institutes, ship owners, accident investigators, STCW training centres, P&I Clubs, port authorities and port companies.

The Chain

“The Chain - Awareness and best practices in the nautical chain” was reviewed by Port Strategy magazine which said:  “Today’s rapid turnaround of ships in ports has impacted on every one’s ability to swap experiences.  In the past there were many people with a nautical background, now there are fewer and fewer, on board as well as ashore. Vessels crews are no longer always familiar with the port or terminal due to a huge turn-over of crew, diminishing degree of experience in general and an increased spot market, resulting in calling at many different ports. This upheaval has put a chink in the nautical chain – one that the EHMC is keen to straighten out.  Its fix is to improve communication and awareness.  Such awareness will lead to a better knowledge of everyone’s day-to-day work when receiving a vessel in a port, to a better mutual understanding and a better understanding of the common interests in optimizing the functioning of the maritime chain.”

This two-part video by the European Harbour Masters' Committee is a joint production by all those who are key to the business of bringing ships into port (the nautical chain) - harbour masters, agents, pilots, tugboat captains, boatmen, ship masters, hydrographic offices and terminal operators. For the first time a film will give an insight into the key roles of the nautical chain.

The aim of these vidoes is to strengthen the chain by creating greater awareness of each other’s jobs, sharing best practice and gaining a better understanding of the impact of individual operations. This way each participant can strengthen its own link in the chain and, by better co-operation, make the whole chain stronger. We believe that this will result in a safer, smoother and more efficient voyage from berth to berth.

'The Chain' is an initiative by Captain Ben van Scherpenzeel for the European Harbour Masters’ Committee. For comments or questions about the video please contact Scherpenzeel.ehmc@harbourmaster.org. Hard copies of the video can be obtained from Ingrid Römers at romers.ehmc@harbourmaster.org.

Click on the links below to watch 'The Chain' videos.

The Missing Link

In 2011, the EHMC responded to concerns about knowledge gaps in the mooring process by commissioning a second video  titled “The Missing Link - improving the mooring processes”.  It appeared the mooring process had become the forgotten link in the nautical chain and consequently, content was developed by a number of organisations to address improvements in mooring safety.

Over the years thousands of copies of ‘The Missing Link’ videos were distributed worldwide and links to the videos have been accessible on the IHMA website for over a decade.  But as ships increased in size and mooring technology advanced,  the original content of ‘The Missing Link’ became outdated. However, the issue is still of importance to harbour masters and port users so in 2021, the EHMC commissioned an update to the original video which is now complete.

The new series features seven short Vimeos aimed at making the mooring process safer and more efficient for personnel and preventing damage to terminal equipment and vessels. Each video reflects current practices on:

• Importance of safe mooring
• Mooring plan
• Mooring plan execution
• Best practises during adverse conditions
• How to maintain mooring lines (including maintaining records)
• How to maintain mooring winches (including maintaining records)
• How to select and install new mooring lines and tails

"The Missing Link" is an initiative by Ben van Scherpenzeel for the European Harbour Masters’ Committee. For comments or questions contact Scherpenzeel.ehmc@harbourmaster.org.

CPD Explained

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