The outline and consideration status of the ISO drafts now within ISO/TC 8/SC 9's work list are as follows:
a.ISO/CD 15016 "Assessment of speed and power performance by means of speed trials
The draft was deliberated on the various comments about first ISO/CD 15016 submitted by the member bodies of SC9. The second ISO/CD 15016 is now being prepared for circulation by the end of June. The decision on the circulation as ISO/DIS 15016 will be fixed at the TC8/SC9 meeting to be held in Tokyo on 1999-10-19.
b. As a related matter, SC9 is developing an ISO standard for "sea trials." This new work item is under a new WG4 with Mr.Falcao de Campos, Portugal as convener. This item is a result of Resolution 166 adopted at ISO/TC8 17th Plenary Session in Maldon, UK. This item is progressed under the Vienna Agreement with parallel approval under CEN lead and is in line with the ongoing work in CEN/TC300/WG1.
・Standards Developers Information Site (SDIS)
As mentioned above, the Central Secretariat has developed a public accessible website which comprises - as a single resource - all information and documents relevant for professional developers of ISO standards. The site contains basic reference documents and updated information on all ISO procedures for the development of ISO standards, rules for the drafting of standards and other practical and hands-on information, electronic versions of all editions of the TMB Communique, including the current one, can be found there. The URL of the site is http://www.ISO.ch/sdis. To enter the site, please click on "Log-in as guest" on the entry screen.
・Closing Remarks
ISO is in the process of re-building and improving its working methods and the means by which it achieves its objectives. It is of utmost importance, that we introduce a management approach which allows ISO to ensure that any proposal for new work and any ongoing project responds to needs in the market place. To make sure that market interests are fully reflected in the work programme of ISO committees, Business Plans are now introduced into ISO.
A training programme is under development which will provide comprehensive and up-to-date information in a modular form to committee officers and members of committees on all important issues related to the activities of ISO committees. The training modules will be accessible online from a website.
The Central Secretariat is also in the process of developing in a pilot project with a number of ISO committees an electronic working environment for the collaboration between members of committees and working groups.
All these and the other initiatives, on which we reported above, aim at ensuring the continuous relevance of ISO by meeting market needs and by increasing the speed of the development of International Standards.
ITEMS OF INTEREST
FAREWELL
TO GEOFF ALEXANDER
At the end of the TC8 meeting held in Maldon. Essex last year we said goodbye to Geoff Alexander as the UK representative on TC8. He has supported the work of the Technical Committee for many years and it is right that we should record his retirement and thank him for the work he has done.
Geoff was a tremendous asset to the Committee as a whole and particularly to the Advisory Group and Chairman in setting the course for the next century. Noted for his "action oriented" personality, Geoff was unique in his ability to "get things done." On many occasions he represented ISO/TC8 at IMO meetings.
A brief word on Geoff's long and illustrious career is perhaps worth mentioning.
A "Geordie" to use the English term, he was educated at King's School, Tynemouth right in the heart of the North East shipbuilding country and then undertook National service as a Military Policeman which accounts for his military bearing to this day. He has spent most of his working life in the UK marine industry, particularly in the anchor and chain section starting with a firm of Beal & Son Ltd, first in the office and ending up as its front man. He then left to work for the Balmoral Group in Aberdeen and in the 1990's was instrumental in assisting the German shackle manufacturer Feuerstein GMBH to grow into one of the large suppliers in the world. Concurrently, he was part of W.G. Readman Ltd of Middlesborough as a Director. He also worked within the British Marine Equipment Council from its beginnings in the 1960's up to the present day and he was seconded to the United Kingdom Government's Offshore Supplies Office Committee to help formulate Offshore Oil/Gas policy.
He was a strong supporter of the United Kingdom British Standards Institute Marine Equipment Committee (SME32) as well as TC8 for many years.
Outside work, his interests have been skiing and horse racing.
We wish him and his wife, Elizabeth, a long and happy retirement.
SEMINAR ON STANDARDIZATION
AT LISBON TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY
The Portuguese sectorial body for shipbuilding standardization (AIM-Portuguese Association for Maritimes Industries) promoted last June, in cooperation with Lisbon Technical University, a seminar on the subject of standardization as strategic issue for business. The intent of this event was to draw the attention of the future naval engineers to the importance of the standards, namely the standards issued by ISO/TC8 for shipping and shipbuilding. The lectures were given by the Chairman of ISO/TC8, Capt.Charles Piersall, and by the Chairman of Danish TC for Shipbuilding, Mr.vanDijk, to whom Professor Guedes Soares of the Lisbon Technical University expressed his gratitude.
