IHMA Organisation
IHMA is run on a day-to-day basis by the Executive Committee which is referred to as ExCo. This consists of 7 Officers (The President, 5 Vice Presidents and the Treasurer) and is supported by the Secretary. The Vice Presidents are required to be Full members of the Association; the Treasurer is required to be a Full member of the Association when first elected. These seven positions are filled by election held at each Ordinary General Meeting (OGM). Once elected by the Full members of the Association, the Vice Presidents elect the President from amongst their number. Other members may be co-opted to ExCo for specific purposes, such as the next Congress Chair and the Chair of the Papers’ Committee.
ExCo meets quarterly and is increasingly doing so using electronic means. However, it always meets ‘face to face’ just before and at the end of each Congress; the latter meeting is held in combination with the IHMA Council.
The Council consists of six full members who are also elected at each OGM and exercise immediate oversight of ExCo. It is accepted practice for the Council to be consulted about the proposed annual budget and any sensitive issue arising at ExCo meetings.
The IHMA Constitution
The Constitution of the International Harbour Masters’ Association sets out the articles under which the IHMA shall exist and operate. Amendments to the Constitution are approved at Ordinary General Meetings (OGM).
The Constitution was initially approved by an Ordinary General Meeting of the European Harbour Masters’ Association in Reykjavik, Iceland, on 21 June 1996, with the agreement of those harbour masters from outside Europe in attendance at the Sixth Congress of the EHMA. A substantially revised Constitution was approved on 1 June 2016 at the OGM held in Vancouver during the 10th IHMA Congress.
Regional Committees
IHMA members within a defined geographical region of two or more neighbouring countries may seek IHMA authority to establish a Regional Committee. The aim of a Regional Committee is to further the specific interests of IHMA's members within that region.
At present, there is one Regional Committee, the European Harbour Masters' Committee (EHMC). The EHMC is managed by a board from which its Chair is elected. There are board members for each of the South, East, West and North European areas. The EHMC has its own Secretary and its elected Chair is co-opted to ExCo.
International Liaison
International Maritime Organization (IMO)
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is the United Nations specialised agency with responsibility for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine pollution by ships. Find out more about the IMO here.
IHMA has Non–Governmental Organisation (NGO) consultative status at IMO. The purpose of consultative status is to enable IMO to obtain information or expert advice from NGOs with specialist knowledge in a particular area of maritime activity and to enable such NGOs, representing their members whose activities have an important and direct bearing on IMO’s work, to express their points of view.
Members of IHMA may attend IMO meetings by arrangement with the IHMA Secretary. Members of IHMA are able to participate in Correspondence Groups between meetings and in Working Groups during IMO meetings.
International Hydrographic Organization
The principal aim of IHO is to ensure that all the world's seas, oceans and navigable waters are surveyed and charted. Its vision is to create a global environment in which States provide adequate and timely hydrographic data, products and services and ensure their widest possible use. IHMA has Observer status at IHO and contributes to work streams associated with the provision of nautical port information.
Sister Organisations
Whilst maintaining relations with many maritime organisations, especially those represented at IMO, IHMA has signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with four organisations.
IHMA is represented at meetings of IALA. IHMA members have the opportunity to participate in PIANC Working Groups which develop guidance to inform the construction and management of waterborne transport infrastructure.
National Associations
National Associations for Harbour Masters are active in some countries.
- German HMA
- French HMA
- UKHMA
- ACOPM (Morocco)
Latest News & Events
On 20 November the European Commission commenced the process for reviewing the 2013 TEN-T guidelines with a public consultation before summer.
This was reported the same day and it is learnt that ESPO believes the review should not lead to a complete change of direction in the TEN-T policy.
Furthermore, ESPO believes that the rationale of the 2013 guidelines remains the same: achieving an efficient, sustainable and multimodal Transport Infrastructure Network (TEN) in Europe.
The European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) however believes that the European Commission should use the review as an opportunity to level the playing field between the maritime and the land links.
In the words of ESPO’s Secretary General Isabelle Ryckbost: ‘More than 30 % of intra-EU freight traffic is currently going over sea. The ongoing digitalisation, the progress on the internal market for maritime transport with the new European Single Window Environment framework and the greening of shipping, which seems to be delivering first on the short sea links, will give maritime transport within the EU, and even within one Member State, a new impetus. It is now time to fully recognise the contribution of maritime transport to the aims of Europe’s Transport Infrastructure policy. The maritime dimension must be brought on an equal footing with the land-based corridors and links.’
The Namibian Ports Authority (Namport) is currently marking the 15th year of accreditations from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
This notable achievement follows a successful external audit that was conducted by the South Africa-based National Quality Assurance (NQA) representing the Global Certification Body based in the UK.
External auditors covered: the ISO 9001 Standard (Quality Management System), the ISO 14001 Standard (Environmental Management System) and the ISO 45001 Standard (Health and Safety Management System) and as a result conferred Namport with the positive report on all three standards.
In the words of Acting Chief Executive Officer of Namport, Kavin Harry: ‘The importance of this achievement cannot be underestimated especially the impact it has on reassuring our esteemed customers on the quality and safety of our services rendering at our ports. It is therefore, only befitting that I, on behalf of the Executive management team convey our heartfelt appreciation for the great work displayed by all Namport employees resulting into this great achievement.’
