Ashok joined QACE in January 2019. Again QACE is lucky to have such an experienced new Director. He began his career as a cadet working up to the level of being a Master on foreign going ships in the Merchant Navy. This followed with many years as a Surveyor with the Indian Maritime Administration. Ashok has also been the Deputy Nautical Adviser to Indian Government of India. Thereafter, he has worked at the IMO in the Maritime Safety Division from 1998 to 2017. He was the Director of the Maritime Safety Division, IMO from 2015-2017.

Niels-Bjørn joined QACE in January 2019. QACE is lucky to have him, his career having covered many aspects of the marine industry at sea and on land. After his sea time for East Asiatic Company as deck officer, he qualified as naval architect which took him to head the Burmeister & Wain Shipyard design office at a time when large numbers of tankers, OBOs and bulk carriers were designed and built at the yard. Work for BIMCO followed as a technical consultant and then Head of the Marine Department. Niels has had various roles from Vice Chairman of the IACS Advisory Committee (QSCS), member of the Korean Register European Committee and Lloyd’s Register’s Technical Committee. In 2010 he became Director of Regulatory Affairs in Maersk Maritime Technology and chaired the Technical Committee of the Danish Shipowners’ Association from 2013-2016.

QACE publishes it’s  2019 Specific Interest Areas.

QACE attended the IACS End User Workshop (EUW), in London on 8th and 9th November 2018 to discuss with the audit bodies and stakeholders, its feedback in relation to the audit scheme. While the scheme is meeting the QACE objectives focus is called for on the verification of surveying and auditing standards, the effectiveness of audit finding corrective actions and the evidence to support the downgrading of major ISM non-compliances.

QACE is pleased to announce that, Christian Breinholt has been appointed as the new QACE Chairman. QACE and the QACE Members look forward to Christian’s leadership and direction, thank him for taking on the role and wish him all the best for the new challenges ahead.

After retiring from as Head of Maritime Safety Division of the German Administration, Klaus dedicated his new working life to ensuring the establishment and development of QACE, chairing the entity from its foundation in 2010. In a testament to Klaus’s achievements the EU Commission, at the same time as acknowledging QACE meeting the governing Regulation, thanked Klaus for his “cooperation and personal efforts to develop QACE to its current form during the 8 years of his service as Chairman of the board”.

QACE, the Board, Secretariat and Members thank Klaus for his commitment and leadership over the years and wish him all the best in his retirement.

Dean Tseretopoulos steps down as a QACE Director having completed his final term of office. Dean has been a QACE Director since its beginning in 2010. His shipbuilding expertise and practical experience, together with his guidance on all matters technical and financial will be sorely missed, a major factor in QACE’s success. His presence will be sorely missed. The QACE Board, Secretariat and the QACE Members wish Dean all the best for the future.

QACE presented KR with their Certificate of Compliance, during the Individual Recommendations meeting in Busan, on 7 September 2018.

2018 has already been an eventful year. Here is a summary of the key activities so far:

The Assessment Programme proceeds well with, so far 37 of the planned 62  audits planned for 2018.

January 

• Appointment of QACE Technical Expert Tim Ho
• The Annual Assessor’s Meeting is held at the QACE office in London to plan the 2018 QACE Assessment Programme.
• London office Board Meeting and welcome to the new President, Bureau Veritas’s Patrick Le Dily for his first full meeting.
• QACE Technical Expert participated in the annual IACS Auditor Refresher Training Course, this time in Vladivostok.

February 

• QACE completes a successful ISO 9001:2015 audit 

March

• The appointment of New QACE Director Dr Nikos Mikelis

April

•  An Individual Recommendations visit was made to the Polish Register of Shipping.
•  QACE publishes the 2017 Annual Report and  2018 Interested Parties Survey online.

May

• QACE provide the International Maritime Organisation member State and adviser with the 2017 Annual Report and 2018 Collective Recommendations.
• QACE holds the mid-year Board Meeting, again at the London office.