On Tuesday 27 October 2020, a web-meeting took place between representatives of HELMEPA Member Companies and Rear Admiral Richard Timme, Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy, US Coast Guard. This was yet another initiative of HELMEPA, as the pandemic made it impossible to arrange the established annual meeting between Member operators and the leadership of the US Coast Guard, at their headquarters, in Washington, DC.
Web-meeting of HELMEPA Member Companies with the USCG
The meeting was attended by representatives of 12 Member Companies as well as the Hellenic Coast Guard. The Director General of HELMEPA, Mr. Dimitris Mitsatsos, welcomed RADM Timme, who expressed his thanks for the invitation to address managing Companies-Members of the Association, maintaining in this way the important, long-standing cooperation between the two organizations, even during these unprecedented conditions.
The Admiral’s speech titled “COVID-19 in the Maritime Environment” covered all relevant contemporary challenges such as distant inspections and new technologies, Cyber Security and the problems of crew change and repatriation. He also made reference to the risks and impacts of COVID-19 worldwide and in the USA, whilst he briefly referred to issues regarding vessel’s autonomous systems, new fuels and batteries as well as the on line meetings of the IMO now taking place.
Following his speech, RADM Timme replied to questions posed and expressed his wish and desire that next time the meeting will take place, once again, in physical presence. The Chairperson of HELMEPA, Ms Semiramis Paliou, thanked the Admiral for his time and for the acknowledgment and significance he places on the issue of crew repatriation.
Rear Admiral Richard Timme, USCG
During the web-meeting