2025: laying the foundations for the IMarEST’s next chapter

Reflecting on 2025, our CEO, Chris Goldsworthy explains why he could not be prouder of the IMarEST’s global community.  

As we head towards the end of the year, we are also at the threshold of new beginnings. We built many of the foundations for our future in 2025. So many people in our Institute have worked together to help shape a united, safe, and sustainable future for the marine sector, and I truly believe we are going from strength to strength. There is so much to share, but here are a few highlights.

Membership with impact 

I’m under no illusion that marine professionals who join the IMarEST want to see value from being part of the Institute, and I know our membership director, Naomi Taylor, agrees. This year we have started the journey to ensure that the IMarEST delivers.

One of the biggest steps forward this year is our learning and development offer. We launched an incredibly successful mentoring platform, M2M, which is getting glowing reviews from mentors and mentees alike. Designed exclusively for IMarEST members, M2M provides opportunities to set goals, overcome challenges, and develop skills through mentorship.

We also introduced IMarEST Learning, a comprehensive online service offering courses, resources, and an easy way to log Continuing Professional Development (CPD). This new platform ensures our members have the tools needed to thrive in the marine sector. It is just one of the initiatives championed by Sue Arnold, our chief operating officer, to enhance the IMarEST member experience.

Our Marine Community 

This year, we focused on nurturing an inclusive, global community by supporting branches, reinvigorating student sections, and welcoming new volunteers to committees, council, and technical groups. I am a firm believer that all IMarEST members should be able to connect with their peers and Jo Lewis, our engagement director, is making this vision a reality.

Ensuring that our community is welcoming to those entering the profession is vital. In May, we held our second annual Future Leaders Forum, which explored mentorship, leadership development, and cutting-edge technologies.

We also brought many of our global community together at our Annual Dinner and IMarEST Week back in April. This was my second IMarEST Week as chief executive, and it was a wonderful opportunity to meet so many members and take great strides toward achieving our organisational goals.

The week began with our AGM and the inauguration of our new president, Professor Stephen de Mora FIMarEST, alongside president-elect Professor Deborah Greaves OBE. We concluded with a memorable Annual Dinner at Plaisterers’ Hall in the heart of London, a special occasion that sparked fascinating conversations and celebrated our incredible industry.

Building A Global Network with Local Impact 

2025 was a year of travel and connection. Singapore, India, Bangladesh, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Cyprus, Greece, China, and Hong Kong were all on my personal itinerary, but IMarEST people have been far and wide.

A highlight was the launch of our new Indian branch, with its base in Bhubaneshwar, to strengthen collaboration across the region. We also reinvigorated branches in Aberdeen (Scotland), and Nigeria. Meeting dedicated volunteers in Singapore, Cyprus, the United Arab Emirates, and other branches reaffirmed to me the passion and commitment to be found in our community.

And we continue to expand. Just a few weeks ago, we also officially opened a Foreign Non-Governmental Organisation (FNGO) Representative Office (RO) in Ningbo, China. The move aims to support China’s rapidly evolving marine sector by strengthening global collaboration and driving professional standards.

Amplifying our technical voice 

Under the leadership of Alasdair Wishart, our new technical and policy director, we’ve enhanced our influence at international forums and expanded knowledge-sharing across marine disciplines.

The sheer number of events and webinars in a myriad of different subject areas is testament to the conversations the Institute is facilitating through its Special Interest Groups, branches, and HQ team. From Oceans of Knowledge and Cefas’ Future Ocean conference in the UK, to webinars on marine mammals, a decarbonisation symposium, and many other global events, the breadth of activity has been extraordinary.

Notably, Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal attended our Engine as a Weapon XI conference in November. This marked The Princess Royal’s first engagement with the Institute in her new role as patron.

We also continued our work with high-level international organisations, including the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Whilst the Net Zero Framework sparked debate at the IMO, we were proud to play a central role in shaping the technical proposals and look forward to continuing this work. IMarEST members are also active in 14 other IMO committees, and we continue to see positive results.

Likewise, we were delighted that the efforts of our UN Decade Ambassador, Niru Dorrian, led to IMarEST’s appointment as a UN Ocean Decade Implementing Partner. This recognition places the Institute at the forefront of global efforts to deliver the science we need for the ocean we want.

It’s also crucial that we drive positive change from within the Institute. This year, we released ‘Transforming Mental Health at Sea: A Vision for Wellbeing’, produced in partnership with the Guild of Benevolence. Designed to empower ship managers and owners to take leadership on mental health, the guide outlines how to create a robust policy and implement measures to safeguard seafarers.

On top of all this, we’ve been playing active roles in conferences and events worldwide. This year you could find us at London International Shipping Week, Singapore Maritime Week, Offshore Europe, Seawork, Marintec, the International Conference on Engineering Advancements, Science and Technology (ICEAST), and the Indo Pacific International Maritime Exposition, to name a few.

Our awards programme continues to thrive, providing a wide range of accolades that grant funding, provide research opportunities, facilitate presentation appearances, enable community projects, and recognise outstanding contributions. As the only professional body uniting engineers, scientists, and technologists, it’s important that we continue to reward and nurture talent throughout our industry. 

Our values, our future 

In October, we unveiled our bold new three-year strategic plan, shaped by member feedback. This vision focuses on delivering greater value, strengthening our technical voice, and increasing global reach.

These priorities have been shaped by you, our members. We have listened carefully and are committed to delivering the services and support that the industry needs to thrive in a time of rapid change.

But to create real change and shape the future of our industry, we need to work as one. To help achieve this, we have defined our organisational values – integrity, collaboration, community, and relevance – and developed a set of behaviours to bring each one to life.

I am excited to work with our members and dedicated executive team to achieve these goals. If we live our values and work together, I have no doubt that 2026 will be our most impactful year yet.