July 2010

AMC Dynamic Positioning (DP) Unit for Perth

Following the successful implementation of DP Operator training courses at AMC’s Launceston campus last year, a second AMC DP unit is being established in Perth, Western Australia.

The Kongsberg KPOS equipment will replicate the Launceston unit, and the course materials, simulation exercises and assessment processes will be of the same high standard as for the Launceston based courses.

The practising DP Operators, who so professionally deliver the instruction for the Nautical Institute (UK) approved courses at AMC in Launceston, will provide course instruction at the Perth facility when it commences operation in November this year (subject to Nautical Institute approval).

The DP equipment order has been placed with Kongsberg, and installation and site acceptance tests at the AMC DP Unit premises in Northbridge, (5 minutes walk from Perth CBD) will commence in October, 2010.

Bookings for courses will be available later in the year as project milestone dates are completed, and course dates scheduled, and will be managed through AMC Search in the usual way by contacting Catherine Wilson, our Short Course Manager.

qb

Governor-General Quentin Bryce with the AMC Search CEO John Foster and DP Lecturers
Tim Newton and Matt Barney, at the AMC Dynamic Positioning Unit, Launceston

Upcoming Courses

There are still some vacancies on the following courses:

The short course schedule is being continually updated, and the program for the remaining year can be accessed through our virtual calendar. Enquiries to Catherine Wilson, our Short Course Manager.

International Trade Seminar – Canberra, 27 August 2010

AMC’s Maritime Transport Policy Centre in association with Holman Fenwick Willan, is conducting a one day seminar in Canberra on Friday 27 August 2010. The programme will provide senior executives involved in international trade with a review of some major risks associated with international trade and commercial opportunities for Australian shipping.

Specialist international maritime and trade lawyers, Gavin Vallely and Stephen Thompson from Holman Fenwick Willan, will co-host the event with John Francis from AMC. This will be the first of a series of such seminars.

The seminar will commence with a keynote lecture from the President of the NSW Court of Appeal, The Hon. Justice James Allsop entitled “Constitutional and Governmental structure for Australian shipping”. This will be followed by Mr Peter Mannion, General Manager Operations – Marine for Rio Tinto, who will address delegates on “Opportunities for Australian Shipping”.

Following the formal presentations, four seminar topics will be addressed by AMC and HFW representatives as follows:

  • Contractual risks in charterparties, bills of lading and insurance contracts arising from FOB and CFR export contracts.
  • Risks arising under Forward Freight Agreements – including netting off, counterparty default and dispute resolution clauses.
  • Quarantine risks inherent in certain import contracts.
  • The application of the Trade Practices Act to Australian trading and shipping contracts – including innocent misrepresentation as a cause of action.

A fee to cover the cost of the day will be $495 including GST and lunch.

More details will be released closer to the event, but in the meantime general enquiries about the program can be made with AMC’s Director, Maritime Policy Centre, John Francis.

Circulating Water Channel Re-Opens

AMC’s Circulating Water Channel (CWC), otherwise referred to as the Flume Tank, was officially re-opened in April 2010 by the Chancellor of the University of Tasmania, Mr. Damian Bugg AM QC, after months of refurbishment following a major fire at AMC’s Beauty Point campus in 2008.

The CWC is the only one of its kind in the southern hemisphere and is used to test the behaviour of structures in currents such as those related to the offshore oil and gas industry (pipelines, spar buoys, underwater vehicles) and fisheries (nets, trawl gear). AMC’s CWC has also been used extensively for defence research, including research and development of mine counter-measure technologies.

The CWC can also be used for testing performance of hulls of surface vessels, and has been used for extensive research into the manoeuvrability and effectiveness of tugs.

AMC’s Centre for Maritime Engineering and Hydrodynamics has already secured the first commercial job in the refurbished CWC, being a detailed drag and flow study on prawn trawl nets.

Flume Tank

CWC testing of model prawn trawl net

MSV Bastion Point Safety Audit

AMC Search has recently concluded a full safety audit to inform the design and construction of a new open ocean access boat launching facility to be built at Bastion Point, Mallacoota, Victoria. Commissioned by Maritime Safety Victoria (MSV), the audit was conducted using a methodology based on AS/NZ 4360:2004 Risk Management Standard.

Risk sources, risk events, consequences and causal factors were identified, and likelihood and consequence levels estimated.

Risk treatments were then identified using the universal hierarchy of control, and a list of preferred treatment options developed for each of the combinations of risk source, risk event, and consequences. Assessments were also made of the effect of these risk treatments on the risk rating, and residual risks obtained.

A comprehensive final report was compiled for MSV by the AMC Search team led by Naval Architect Dr. Martin Renilson, AMC’s Risk Adviser David Waldron, and Small Boat Handling and Safety Specialist Peter Hunt. AMC Search is grateful to each of them for an excellent job.

Martin Renilson
Martin Renilson

Ballast Water Risk Analysis – Qatar

AMC’s National Centre of Marine Conservation and Resource Sustainability has commenced a study in collaboration with GHD to assist in developing an IMO Ballast Water Risk Assessment for Qatar Petroleum Ports.

Led by Professor Chad Hewitt and Associate Professor Marnie Campbell, the project involves the identification and evaluation of all sources of possible invasive species relating to ballast water including ballast water discharge, backwashing of ballast water filters, and microbes within bio-film formed on equipment and walls of ballast tanks etc.

Chad and Marnie will also work with GHD to advise on “onboard the ship” methods of ballast water management (exchange/chemical/mechanical physical sterilisation etc) and the method most commonly used at various ports.

The primary outcomes of their work will be the identification of potential source regions and shipping traffic that pose the highest risk of donating invasive alien species; and in conjunction with GHD, the development of a ballast water management framework for Qatar Ports.

Congratulations Geoff & Dani

Geoff Rollins, our Simulation Projects Administrator recently became a first time Dad. Wife Dani successfully delivered twin girls, Georgiana and Chelsea into the world on 14 June. Born 5 weeks premature Mum and girls have had an extended stay in hospital but are due to return home very soon.

Geoff will soon be taking a leave of absence to assist Dani and to settle into fatherhood.

Congratulations to Geoff and Dani, and all of us at AMC Search look forward to becoming acquainted with Georgiana and Chelsea very soon.

Rollins Family

New Staff Member

We are delighted to welcome Anita Robson as a new staff member. Anita has been working with AMC Search since February, and already is a major contributor to the administration and support services behind the Company’s maritime industry Short Courses Training program. Anita comes to us from another registered training organisation, and she holds a certificate in Business Administration. She is studying for her Diploma in Business, and her knowledge and experience has enhanced and complemented the Short course team.

Anita and husband Cory have two small children, Jade aged nine, and Lachlan six. Weekends involve children’s sport with AusKick, participating in events within the Four Wheel Drive Club and recreational fishing on the family boat.

Anita Robson