RMI - Experts & Thought Leaders

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), the Port of Rotterdam Authority (PoR) and 20 partners in the Green & Digital Shipping Corridor are working to reduce 20% to 30% of emissions from international shipping by 2030. This was agreed at the third Green Corridor workshop, held this week in Rotterdam. Green & Digital Shipping Corridor The Green & Digital Shipping Corridor was established in August 2022 to bring together partners across the supply chain to realise zero and near-zero emissions shipping on the Rotterdam-Singapore route, with the ultimate aim to reach net-zero emissions in 2050. Over the past year, the corridor attracted strong support from global value-chain partners Over the past year, the corridor attracted strong support from global value-chain partners, including shipping lines, port authorities and operators, fuel suppliers, fuel coalitions and associations, banks, leading institutes of higher learning and knowledge partners. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions The project partners are working towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions from this international shipping corridor by 20%, striving for 30%, by 2030, compared to 2022. The corridor will continue to deepen efforts towards achieving the strengthened ambition of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) under the 2023 IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships. This is to be achieved through the development and uptake of zero and near-zero emission fuels in large containers vessels (of at least 8,000 TEU) deployed on the 15,000 km route, supported by a combination of operational and digital efficiencies. Multiple alternative fuels explored A modelling study led by the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero-Carbon Shipping, one of the corridor partners for the project, and supported by the ports, explored multiple alternative fuels across a variety of zero and near-zero emission pathways, including synthetic and bio-variants of methanol, ammonia and LNG. Beyond the study, hydrogen is one other alternative fuel pathway to be looked at. Efforts are underway to aggregate demand and supply to reduce cost gap towards adoption of sustainable fuels. Identify action steps for the various fuel pathways Working groups have been established to look into the deployment of all of these fuels on the trade lane Working groups have been established to look into the deployment of all of these fuels on the trade lane, spanning across demand and supply of fuel, standards, safety procedures, financing and regulations. The corridor partners gathered in Rotterdam, Netherlands this week, in order to identify action steps for the various fuel pathways. Enabling the use of new fuels Low carbon fuels will likely be more expensive than existing fuels. Therefore, a separate working group has been formed with the support of the Global Maritime Forum, the Centre for Maritime Studies of the National University of Singapore, University of Oxford, and Citi, to address gaps in regulation and financing. The study includes modelling price-gap differences to incentivise the uptake of alternative fuels. In addition, Singapore and Rotterdam have jointly assessed the readiness of both ports and steps ahead, such as adopting similar bunkering standards and safety frameworks to accelerate the adoption of zero and near-zero emission fuels on this major trade route. This was put into action in Q3 2023 with the conduct of ship-to-ship green methanol bunkering on the world’s first methanol-fuelled container ship at both - the Port of Singapore and Rotterdam. The partners believe that the corridor’s approach, supported by the strong industry coalition will provide greater certainty in demand and help scale-up production of zero and near-zero emission fuels. This will help to close the cost gap and encourage even wider adoption of such fuels. Digital trade lanes Rotterdam and Singapore are the first ports adopting and sharing port and vessel information Rotterdam and Singapore are the first ports adopting and sharing port and vessel information, such as arrival and departure timings in accordance with global standards, namely the IMO & International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) standards to enable systems interoperability. Both ports are also promoting the use of electronic bills of lading and digital solutions such as just-in-time planning and coordination to enhance efficiencies and reduce GHG emissions. Partners in the Green & Digital Shipping Corridor The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, the Port of Rotterdam, A.P. Moller Maersk A/S, bp, the Centre for Maritime Studies of the National University of Singapore, Citi, Clifford Capital, CMA CGM, Digital Container Shipping Association, the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation, the Global Maritime Forum, the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero-Carbon Shipping, Methanol Institute, MSC, Nanyang Technological University Maritime Energy and Sustainable Development Centre of Excellence, Ocean Network Express, PSA International, RMI, SEA-LNG, Shell, University of Oxford, Yara Clean Ammonia.

Bespoke solutions provider RMI has given its support to a charter aimed at improving and supporting the mental health of North Sea workers, becoming the latest signatory in industry-wide efforts led by the North Sea Chapter of the International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC). With over 20 years of health and safety provision to the offshore industry, RMI is well positioned to utilise and build upon its existing mental health provision to further promote and encourage open conversations about mental health and well-being. Author's quote RMI joins a range of organisations, including Noble, the Port of Aberdeen and Borr Drilling Alex Janzen, Chief Operating Officer at RMI, commented: “At RMI we are committed to staying at the forefront of medical service provision, and we are delighted to be a signatory of this charter. We are proud to stand alongside our colleagues within the offshore industry, to promote and encourage employers to consider mental health to be as important as physical health in the workplace.” RMI joins a range of organisations, including Noble, the Port of Aberdeen and Borr Drilling, in supporting the initiative in order to effect positive change within the offshore energy industry. Joined-up approach The charter is set out to create a shared framework that organisations can adopt throughout the industry, forming a universal, joined-up approach using key learnings and sharing them with peers. Instigated by the North Sea Chapter of the International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC), it includes contributions from almost 200 representatives from operators, contractors, psychologists, and third-sector organisations.

RMI, a solutions partner that supports operations in complex environments worldwide, has reinforced its position as a pioneer in medical provision for offshore wind following the launch of a new assessment centre to support workers on the first major U.S. offshore wind farm project – Vineyard Wind. The company, which specialises in protecting the health and well-being of workers on remote and diverse sites, has been operating out of a temporary assessment centre in New Bedford, Massachusetts to prepare the workforce for deployment to the largest offshore wind farm in the western hemisphere. OEUK medical process RMI’s expert clinical personnel pioneering the Vineyard Wind workforce and contractors RMI’s expert clinical personnel have been pioneering the Vineyard Wind workforce and contractors through the Offshore Energy UK (OEUK) medical process, a medical exam designed for those working in offshore environments. It is designed to ensure that individuals are medically fit to work offshore in remote, austere environments. To obtain an OEUK medical, workers undergo a comprehensive medical examination overseen by an OEUK registered doctor. This exam includes health history, vital signs, audiometry, urinalysis, and vision testing. Additionally, RMI can offer services such as the Chester Step Test, EBS medical, Respirator Fit Testing, and urine drug screening, out of the Vineyard Wind Assessment Centre. Author’s quote Chris Murff, Vice President of Global Sales at RMI, commented: “RMI’s extensive experience protecting the lives of workers in offshore environments means we are uniquely placed to support with the operations at Vineyard Wind. OEUK’s are the recognised global safety and quality standard for working in offshore. At RMI, we combine OEUK certification with Chester Step Testing and Compressed Air Emergency Breathing Systems (CA-EBS) examination, to effectively assess the fitness of staff to work offshore. The U.S offshore wind industry is growing every single year and it’s important that we utilise our global experience and solutions to bring the best and most robust standard of safety certification to the industry.” OEUK’s are the recognised global safety and quality standard for working in offshore" He adds, “This is just one of many unique medical solutions that RMI is providing to offshore operations on the East Coast. We are in a fantastic position to utilise local, US-based staff to deliver industry qualifications that would otherwise require offshore medics to travel to the UK, demonstrating our strength as a leading offshore medical provider here in the U.S.” Training and certification By combining training and certification to a singular site, and through one provider, RMI can process a larger volume of staff in a shorter period than traditional methods, at a location close to the wind farm, significantly reducing the need for staff to travel internationally to receive the necessary qualifications, and therefore improving the speed in which Vineyard Wind can receive staff on-site. Located 15 miles off the coast of Massachusetts, Vineyard Wind 1 is currently building the nation's first utility-scale offshore wind energy project, which plans to generate clean, renewable, affordable energy for over 400,000 homes and businesses, while reducing carbon emissions by over 1.6 million tonnes per year. RMI has been servicing the offshore wind industry for many years, operating in the renewables sector since its infancy, and ensuring that offshore medics are specialists in their field, able to work in extreme conditions and make life-saving decisions in an instant.

Health and safety are key considerations for all maritime organisations, in particular, for those operating in remote locations or where extreme weather conditions may put workforces at greater risk. With COVID-19 here to stay for the foreseeable future, it is vital that shipping organisations consider both the short and long term safeguarding measures, which are required to protect their workers at sea. COVID-19 management plans Establishing safe working conditions and providing onboard expert medical care has always been of paramount importance but, now, effective COVID-19 management plans have also become essential in creating safe working environments and, importantly, in keeping them operational when personnel contract COVID-19. In these circumstances, controlling the spread of infection remains mission critical and for companies, like RMI In these circumstances, controlling the spread of infection remains mission critical and for companies, like Remote Medical International (RMI), which provides health and medical support to teams, operating in remote or hard to reach locations, the need for COVID testing services has resulted in rapid scale up and business diversification. Early on during the COVID-19 pandemic, the world learned that many symptoms presented by an individual had the potential to be a positive case. This knowledge was used to respond to clients’ needs, in order to get employees back to work safely, as quickly as possible. COVID pre-mobilisation testing The sharp rise in demand for testing has resulted in an upscale of COVID pre-mobilisation testing at ports and harbours, for teams heading offshore, on-site COVID-19 audits, and virtual consultancy for remote teams. This shift in demand means that over 25% of the business is now COVID-19 related. Over two years, RMI’s medical experts have helped various shipping organisations on screening programmes that are tailored to their current needs. Their global presence and team of over 200 highly qualified medics, means they are well set to provide assistance services 24/7, with telemedicine support, case management and security services, adding to a one-stop-shop for all global medical and risk management requirements. One of the key concerns of shipping organisations has been how to manage a potential outbreak of COVID-19 offshore, and RMI has seen a variety of new demands imposed on personnel, who await embarkment at UK ports, for activities in the North Sea. In 2020, RMI began to work closely with a leading independent oil and gas company, to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 offshore. Ad-hoc testing for personnel embarking and travelling offshore Initially, RMI issued ad-hoc testing to personnel, who were due to embark and travel offshore Initially, RMI issued ad-hoc testing to personnel, who were due to embark and travel offshore. Crews were ranked by risk and then tested as a matter of priority: personnel would stay in a local hotel, awaiting the results of their test and if negative, would soon travel offshore. However, very quickly, the need for ad-hoc testing progressed into the requirement for regular daily testing, not made any easier by the complications of sending thousands of staff offshore weekly during a pandemic. RMI medics and shipping staff combine The hotel facilities were, therefore, expanded and in total, over 18,695 personnel were tested. RMI’s medics, already highly trained and qualified, had to adapt quickly to the novel protocols required, when providing a rapid point of care PCR test, delivering 80 to 90 tests a day within an eight-hour window meant that there was no room for error. In this way, the collaboration of RMI’s medics with shipping staff under increasingly challenging conditions ultimately protected lives and ensured smooth running of shipping operations. Rise in demand for COVID-19 risk audits As the COVID-19 pandemic progresses and with undoubtedly more variants to come, there is an increase in demand for COVID-19 risk audits, which can really help shipping companies to ensure their operations, stay on track. For example, RMI conducted a robust risk assessment on the impact of COVID-19 on employees living at sea and working offshore in Equatorial Guinea. COVID-19 has made it very challenging to find good medical staff for work – the demand has been far higher than the supply at times, during the past year. RMI sets a very high bar and is committed to only employing the very best, as they have a reputation to protect, as well as the lives of the people that their medics are there to support. This role particularly suits ex-combat medics, who are looking to use their skills in a different setting and in this case, RMI selected and sent out only the very best to Equatorial Guinea. Their experienced medical auditor, who had just returned from working in Afghanistan, was deployed to document the potential risks at the airport, during their 10-day quarantine in-country, and throughout their assignment offshore. RMI’s audits designed to cover all bases Remote Medical International’s audits are designed to ensure that all bases are covered Remote Medical International’s audits are designed to ensure that all bases are covered. For this project, each location was broken down by levels of risk and included recommendations on how to prevent a possible COVID-19 infection. Each assessment included the level of probability for infection, as well as how to best prevent it, such as always wearing a mask, or limiting access to certain communal areas. Following the audit, our recommendations consisted of overarching actions that would ultimately prioritise the health and safety of the offshore employees.  This included the implementation of a COVID-19 surveillance testing program for facility workers at the quarantine site, establishing a more structured COVID-19 testing programme, creating a training programme to support service staff, and the safest ways to provide services to employees onboard. RMI delivers critical support in vital and diverse ways It really is the case that no matter how remote the location or vessel, RMI can deliver critical support in vital and diverse ways. One of their recent operations has seen them provide emergency medical advice to US government owned and operated ships and units, located throughout the world, via the company’s topside assistance service, meaning that no crew is ever alone. The medical providers onboard could contact the Global Coordination Centre, at any time and be connected to a physician for medical advice within mere minutes. This type of remote support is what can enable crucial operations to continue all year round, despite the COVID-19 pandemic and RMI hopes to support many more, as they navigate these turbulent times.