One of IUMI’s core responsibilities is to lobby for safer and more security in the maritime and transportation industry. IUMI’s lobbying work includes the topics that are published in the association’s current issue list. The most important place to develop these issues is at the International Maritime Organization IMO in London and IUMI’s official seat as accredited NGO at IMO is very close to our heart.

 

Accordingly the work of IUMI’s liaison officer to IMO is of high importance and very much at the centre of IUMI’s work. The IUMI Liaison Officer visits all relevant IMO committee meetings; monitors all topics discussed and papers issued at IMO and informs the IUMI Technical Committees accordingly. They also closely maintain a contact network with IMO officers and flag state representatives at IMO and raise, where necessary, IUMI’s voice in the meetings and in between.

 

The role of IUMI’s IMO Liaison officer has, since January 2014, been in the capable hands of Nick Gooding. Nick had worked for more than three decades in the Lloyd’s market as a cargo underwriter. He had been involved with IUMI for a very long time, holding a high, if not the record number of presentations at IUMI conferences and has been engaged in IUMI’s work and committees, not least as Chairman of the IUMI Salvage Forum.

 

Nick has decided to step down from his role as IUMI’s IMO Liaison Officer at the end of 2017. We would like to thank Nick very much for all his hard work on behalf of IUMI and for his very warm-hearted approach which has always had the people (and not only the issues) at the centre. Nick ensured that IUMI’s voice was heard at the IMO and his extensive underwriting experience enabled him to recognise the issues important for marine insurance.

 

Nick will continue his position as Salvage Forum chairman and he will also continue to hold consulting roles in the market. For the time being, the IUMI Executive Committee has put IUMI’s IMO activities in the hands of the Hamburg Secretariat, which has increased its staffing in 2016 and has, in 2017, begun to be more involved in IMO meetings and discussions.