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The International Institute of Marine Surveying (IIMS) - Training & Professional Qualifications

Cargo & Commercial Ship, Yacht & Small Craft Marine Surveying Professional Qualifications Training and Online Seminars

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The International Institute of Marine Surveying (IIMS) is an independent, non-political organization and aims to promote professionalism and the advancement of knowledge in the profession of Marine Surveying, which the Institute defines as being, the service provided to maritime and transport organizations in general and the production of guidance reports for all other bodies connected with maritime operations or maritime trade.

Membership is open to Qualified Mariners, Cargo Surveyors, Yacht and Small Craft Surveyors, and Marine Consultants from around the world. Individuals, with specialized knowledge, experience or skills able to contribute and enhance the aims and objectives of the Institute are also invited to join.

The International Institute of Marine Surveying as the professional body for marine surveying recognizes the need to promote the profession and the professionals within it to the highest level.

The Marine Surveying Academy (MSA) is a wholly owned subsidiary of the International Institute of Marine Surveying Ltd (IIMS) as is located at Portchester, Hampshire, UK. The MSA is being developed to meet the growing demand from a number of international marine organisations for specialised skills based training and accreditation schemes.

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IIMS Programs

Cargo & Commercial Ship Marine Surveying

  • Cargo & Commercial Ship Professional Qualification (2 years): To achieve the qualification, you are required to study and pass four CORE units plus an additional four SPECIALIST units of your choice from the twenty-seven that are available. Students have two years to complete the course. It is then possible to upgrade your qualification to an Advanced Professional Qualification in Cargo & Commercial Ship Marine Surveying. This means a further one year of study and an additional four SPECIALIST units to pass.
  • The CORE Units for the Qualification
    •  Core Unit 1: Introduction to Marine Surveying
    • Core Unit 2: Materials and Corrosion (Unit is in two parts)
    • Core Unit 3: Stability
    • Core Unit 4: Report Writing

Yacht & Small Craft Marine Surveying

  • Yacht & Small Craft Professional Qualification (2 years): To achieve the qualification, you are required to study and pass four CORE units plus an additional four SPECIALIST units of your choice from the ten that are available. Students have two years to complete the course. It is then possible to upgrade your qualification to an Advanced Professional Qualification in Yacht & Small Craft Marine Surveying. This means a further one year of study and an additional four SPECIALIST units to pass.
  • The CORE Units for the Qualification
    • Core Unit 1: Introduction to Marine Surveying
    • Core Unit 2: Materials and Corrosion (Unit is in two parts)
    • Core Unit 3: Stability
    • Core Unit 4: Report Writing

Marine Corrosion Qualification

  • Marine Corrosion Professional Qualification: The qualification comprises 10 modules and is offered separately from the Institute’s two award-winning professional qualifications in marine surveying. The course that supports the qualification is entitled Marine Corrosion and Prevention in Small Vessels, Ships and Offshore Structures. The professional qualification in marine corrosion is intended for marine surveyors of yachts and small craft, ships and offshore structures. It is also relevant for design engineers, material specifiers, other professional engineers and students of marine science and engineering.
  • Core Modules
    • The marine environment
    • Steels and non-ferrous alloys used in marine applications; composition and properties
    • Corrosion mechanisms that degrade metals in the marine environment
    • Corrosion control and prevention of metals used in the marine environment

  • Other Modules
    • Ship types, structure, strength, stability, and corrosion control strategies (obligatory for commercial ship surveyors)
    • Processing, construction methods and testing of steel products used in ship building (optional for commercial ship surveyors)
    • Small craft structure, strength, stability, and corrosion control strategies (obligatory  for yacht and small craft & narrowboat surveyors)
    • Off-Shore structures, strength, stability, and corrosion control strategies (optional for commercial ship surveyors)
    • International regulations for the construction of ships, safety, and environmental protection (optional)
    • Failure analysis (optional)

Other Courses

  • Shipbuilding Acquaint Course: Broadreach Marine Ltd in conjunction with the International Institute of Marine Surveying offers an on-demand masterclass in modern shipbuilding, delivered through 10 videos, each covering a specific area of the shipbuilding process.

On Demand Webinars

  • Business Compendium
  • Gathering Evidence
  • Giving Expert Witness
  • HMPE Synthetic Rigging
  • How to conduct a complete mast and rigging survey
  • IIMS Certifying Authority training seminar - application and update of the MCA codes
  • Inspecting critical equipment on crew transfer vessels
  • Introduction to Yacht Coating Failures and Paint Defects
  • Introduction to yacht coatings
  • Masts, Rigs and Sails
  • Moisture Meters, New Tramex and Osmosis
  • Multiple Echo Thickness Measurement
  • RCD post Brexit
  • Report Writing Online Seminar
  • Surveying and Inspecting Small Craft Engines
  • Surveying Bilge Pumps in Small Craft
  • The basics of copyright law - what a surveyor should know
  • The Ian Nicolson Lecture 2023
  • The latest in Ultrasound Measurement Tools