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
It was announced from Tokyo on 25 November that ClassNK had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on cybersecurity with the Panama Maritime Authority (PMA).
Panama, the world’s largest flag state, is making various efforts to improve the safety of its own vessels. On 17 November, PMA announced the establishment of a Cyber Incident Voluntary Reporting Scheme to better understand the cyber threats that vessels are exposed to and to seek more pragmatic and effective measures to control the cyber risks. It is understood that the scheme encourages all Panama-flagged vessels to report detected cyber incidents to PMA.
The PMA has issued a relevant Marine Notice available here: https://panamashipregistry.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/MMN-22-2021-CYBER-SECURITY-November-2021.pdf
Under the MOU, ClassNK will provide its knowledge and experience cultivated so far to PMA for their efforts to ensure cyber security. As part of these efforts, Class NK will analyse the information collected from the cyber incident voluntary reporting scheme of PMA.
In 2018, a leading mark, a tower equipped with Sealite’s Port Entry Light (SL-PEL-10), was established at Puerto Mamonal, Colombia, to enhance the safety of vessel traffic approaching the port from the north channel.
Since the installation of Sealite’s Port Entry Light in 2018, it has helped Puerto Mamonal increase the number of large visiting vessels and provided safer operations in the approach to the port.
However, it was found that the north and south channels were in need of additional aids to navigation for safer passage.
Puerto Mamonal’s port owners, with the help of Ingeniería Naval & Señalización Marítima S A S, installed Sealite buoys: six SL-B2200 Nautilus Ocean Buoys in Region B channel configuration.
The SL-B2200 Nautilus is rotationally moulded using UV-stabilized virgin polyethylene to prevent discoloration from the sun’s UV rays. This is especially important in hotter climates. Each buoy is foam filled with closed-cell polyurethane which prevents water logging in the event of collision.
The buoy’s lightweight and two-piece modular design makes it easy to transport and assemble. Its strength lies in the stainless steel tie bars in the buoy body or hull structure connecting the lifting and mooring eyes. This ensures even lifting and mooring stresses at major stress points.
