EDITOR’S LETTER


Dear Member and Fellow Industry Colleagues


Welcome to edition 111 of The Report magazine. I am proud of each and every edition the Institute publishes for the benefit of its members and the wider maritime community, but this one I particularly recommend to you for its diversity and depth of thoughtful content.


You will notice two very distinctive themes as you turn the pages of this edition. I have sourced several articles about lithium-ion batteries, a subject that continues to interest and concern me in equal measures! (i) ‘Lithium batteries don't commit suicide. They're murdered’ (page 74). (ii) ‘An expert’s guide to lithium-ion battery fire prevention’ (page 72). (iii) ‘Lithium-ion batteries - a growing risk for yacht fires?’ (page 78). All three articles are required reading. As a surveyor, having at least a basic understanding of what is going on with this technology is becoming increasingly vital, especially as regulation is still lagging. And as the authors of article (iii) debate, there is potential for a surveyor to be held liable in the event of a lithium- ion battery boat fire in certain circumstances. A new reporting caveat would seem to be essential!


The other subject that has attracted my attention this month is AI (Artificial Intelligence). We may want to hate it. We may choose to ignore it, but that is becoming increasingly hard to do for it is omnipresent. AI is inexorably starting to get a deepening grip on the marine industry. But it is not all bad! There are three articles on this topic, all of which have been written for you by real humans! (i) ‘AI is empowering shipowners to tackle new safety management challenges’ (page 138). (ii) ‘AI in the maritime industry: An overview’ (page 135) and (iii) ‘The risks and benefits of AI translations in safety critical industries’ (140).


I am grateful to IIMS Past President, Geoff Waddington, and not for the first time. He has tackled another challenging subject that affects UK inland waterways vessels in his thoughtful article entitled ‘Inland Waterways craft and the vagaries of the conflicting regulations’ (page 101). To say this is a confusing landscape would be something of an understatement. Geoff explores this topic methodically as he tries to make sense of it all.


For the first time, ‘The Day in the Life of’ (page 143), does not feature a marine surveyor, nor indeed an IIMS member. Over the years I have got to know Captain Andy Moll, Chief Inspector at the MAIB (Marine Accident Investigation Branch), quite


4 | ISSUE 111 | MAR 2025 | THE REPORT


well. The work that the organisation does in inspecting and reviewing the evidence after serious incidents and their resulting reporting is excellent and a wonderful resource. I wanted to know more about what makes Andy tick and to better understand the work of the MAIB, so I am most grateful to him for agreeing to share information with you.


There are several pages dedicated to electric boating, which seems to be gaining in popularity. I have published an article ‘Celebrating The Gussies 2024 Electric Boating Awards’ (page 81). It perfectly showcases the remarkable innovation that is going on in this transformatory sector. Continuing in the same vein, ‘METRADE 2024 Electric boating overview: higher power and new outboards’ (page 84), author Jeff Butler looks at some of the new innovative electric boating products which were exhibited at last year’s show in Amsterdam.


Sadly, I don’t have sufficient space to talk up some of the other great articles from other excellent and knowledgeable contributors, but as always, I am most grateful to them all for sharing their knowledge and experience for your benefit.


Survey well, Mike Schwarz Chief Executive Officer


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