IMarEST to Move Ahead

Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST) is planning to move from its current headquarters in Coleman Street in the heart of the City of London, UK, to new offices, Aldgate House, at 33 Aldgate High Street in the City, that better suit its requirements for the years ahead. Moving with the times is expected of a proactive professional body such as the IMarEST to ensure the very best service for its members and the maritime community.

 

The Institute’s chief executive, Dr Marcus Jones  expects to move to take place in late spring 2011. “Although ideal when we moved to it in 1999, our current building is the wrong shape and size for us now, and limits our scope to develop in the future; it also requires major works that would cause unacceptable disruption to our activities and bite into our capital reserves.

 

 “The sale of the Coleman Street and Moorgate properties - they go onto the market today (10 February) - allows us to acquire more suitably sized and structured office and meeting space, bringing greater efficiency and focus to our headquarters operations. The move is a part of our continued effort to ensure the long-term sustainability and success of the Institute and a natural part of its evolution.

 

“The sale will also release funds which, when invested, will enable the Institute to deliver even better services to our worldwide membership. We plan to continue to develop in IT systems that will allow effective knowledge management, improved networking among members, and will create new opportunities for IMarEST to extend its services more responsively, wherever those members may be in the world.

 

“In recent years a number of key forces have affected us, and indeed our members, such as the globalisation of the marine sector, the casualisation of work, the growing need for breadth in professional knowledge and networks and the digital revolution in knowledge management,” Dr Jones explains. “We have responded to those challenges by taking a marine sector-wide perspective, and extending our membership and professional recognition pathways to a wider knowledge discipline base – and are constantly building on these firm foundations. 

 

“We have, in recent times streamlined our UK headquarters and developed the role of our international divisions. Our membership is increasing, and we are enjoying rising to the challenges of the digital age, ensuring that we exceed the needs of the new generation of professionals who work in marine engineering, science and technology. In doing so, we will most certainly not ignore the needs of our members of all ages, and will retain the services they enjoy and expect from us, including regular meetings, lectures and conferences.”

 

“The IMarEST library and archive is a unique piece of our heritage, and the Institute aim to be able to transfer the bulk of its treasures to a suitable and appropriate new home, where it can remain accessible to all who need it. The headquarters move also provides the Institute with the opportunity to bring its information services fully into the 21st Century. At the same time, as part of the overall IT strategy, the work carried out to date in e-library services are being improved and expanded, including digitising the bulk of the content as time permits, so that a worldwide readership can be served effectively. 

 

 “Moving, whether it is moving house or offices, is not something that anyone does light-heartedly, and we will make all efforts to ensure there is no loss of continuity in any of our services to members,” adds Dr Jones. “A special strategy taskforce has been convened, consisting of members of the IMarEST’s Executive and Board of Trustees with input from specialist advisors. Linked committees responsible for the procurement of the new headquarters, sale of the freehold properties, the management of the move itself and communications have been, and still are, hard at work. Together, these groups are responsible for ensuring that the move maintains that all-important continuity of services delivered to our members, and the preservation of the vital relationships the Institute has with its diverse stakeholders.”

 

Dr Jones wrote a well-received assessment of the needs of members of learned societies in 2025 for the Institute’s membership publication “Marine Professional”, in which he highlighted the needs of modern methods of communications for an industry as globalised as the marine sector …. “the Internet is accessible on-the-go through a whole range of devices, not least smart mobile phones. Mobile browsing is predicted to outpace desktop-based access within three to five years. We can expect this trend to continue to the point where one does not need to connect to the Internet – instead, it is just there. Like electricity, water and other utilities …..”.