78 World Bunkering Autumn 2010 PREVIEW - IBIA CONVENTION Shaping the industry " Everything you wanted to know about bunkers ( but were afraid to ask?) ." T he 8th IBIA Annual Convention will meet at the Stamford Marriott Hotel, Stamford Connecticut, USA. As the second convention to be produced by IBIA we are excited to continue the success of the 7th Annual Convention, in Singapore in 2009. Our location this year is Stamford, Connecticut, which lies in the heart of coastal Fairfield County on the shores of Long Island Sound, just 25 miles from New York City. Stamford uniquely combines a vibrant downtown with a host of cultural attractions, museums, great shopping, galleries and theatres, with nearby beaches and surrounding rolling hills. It is also the loca-tion for one of the major shipping clusters in the US, home to a wide range of maritime companies with a global reach. This year the IBIA Annual Convention 2010 will take delegates into the world of the bunker industry through three sessions aimed at highlighting the current hot topics and debates on the Environment, Technical and Quality, Contracts & Commercial. The Convention opens with a keynote speech from Rear Admiral Robert North, looking at the case for a compensation fund for international shipping to reduce greenhouse gases. John Aitken, secretary general, will give a second keynote on the benefits of Emissions Trading Schemes. The presentations, and the following dis-cussion, will provide vital background for the IBIA session, where the Association will present on its position on greenhouse gas reduction. Later sessions include presentations on a wide range of topics from some of the industry's leading experts. One session looks at the implications of the new ISO standard, including the use of biofuel and biodiesel in the bunker industry, the changing quality of fuels, availability and sourcing. At the end of the session, members will develop a statement from IBIA to ISO, setting out the Association's position. Other issues to be addressed on the first day include the ' greening' of the bunker industry, and a look at the latest legal and regulatory issues, including the question of terms and conditions of sale. Core to the IBIA Annual Convention is the IBIA Session, held on the second day of the Convention, where you get the chance to meet the members of the Board and hear from them how they will direct IBIA in the future and what they will bring to this successful organisa-tion. CE, Ian Adams, will give an update on IBIA's activities at IMO and open up the forum to conclude on our position as an association on the hot topics discussed throughout the two day conference. IBIA will conclude the Convention with an afternoon of interac-tive workshops designed to challenge the participant to think through Technical and Commercial problems. Creating and strengthening links between members is a vital part of IBIA's role, and the Convention will offer plenty of opportunities to do so. The Convention opens with a welcome and networking event on Tuesday evening. As well as breaks during the sessions, the convention includes a cocktail reception on the first night, a recep-tion and dinner on the second, and the IBIA golf tournament at the North Hempstead Country Club on Friday. The Convention is designed for IBIA members. Ultimately, this is an event for all in the bunker industry to really grasp the idea of how the industry works and how we want to shape it in the future. We want you to participate in influencing IBIA activities to lead us towards our position at the International Maritime Organization and position us as THE association for the bunker industry. We look forward to seeing you in Connecticut in September!

World Bunkering Autumn 2010 79 BOOK review Bunkering for the desktop An Introduction to Bunkering Operations by Nigel Draffin I t is often said that there is no substitute for on- the- job training, especially in areas such as bunkering operations, where practical, hands- on work is the norm. However, there are many in the industry who may never get their hands dirty on a bunker barge, oil terminal or receiving vessel but who, nevertheless, still need to understand exactly how the industry works. This is the gap that Nigel Draffin's latest book, An Introduction to Bunker Operations, aims to fill. It explains the basics of bunker operations for those - be they traders, brokers, lawyers, insurance agents, shipmanagers - who need to know the basics of the business that they deal in, without being involved in it on a daily basis. " I know from the questions I have been asked over the years that for most of us, the operations involved seem to throw up problems and restrictions that we do not understand. This book is intended to explain and put the whole process into context," says Nigel. The book is filled with photographs, charts and diagrams intended to help the reader visualise important aspects of bunker operations. Starting with a brief history of the industry to put everything into context, it goes on to cover issues from ship design and crewing to delivery by road tanker, pipeline and barge, and all the issues associ-ated with each method of delivery. Quality control issues, including sampling and measurement, are looked at in detail, and a final section looks at dealing with potential problems, including debunkering and pollution prevention and control. Nigel examines each of the key elements involved, from ordering the right type and amount of fuel, to making sure it is safely delivered and properly accounted for. He covers the paperwork that needs to be done and looks at the various regulations now in place, including MARPOL Annex VI and the International Ship and Port Facility Security ( ISPS) Code. The book includes a vast amount of informed detail on some of those areas that are often ignored - sometimes to great cost and inconvenience - such as variations in flange and hose sizes. Despite this, though, it is clearly laid out and easy to follow, setting out detail where necessary without getting bogged down in it. As with earlier books in the series, there are comprehensive indices and appendices, as well as a useful ' where to go for help' section. " Conveying complicated subject matter in an easily- understood manner is Nigel's speciality and helps explain his success and popularity as an author, teacher and mentor," says publisher Llewellyn Bankes- Hughes. An Introduction to Bunker Operations is Nigel's third book on bun-kering. In May 2008, Petrospot published the first in the series, An Introduction to Bunkering, which provides a comprehensive entry- level introduction to the bunker industry, and is also available in Spanish. In June 2009, Nigel Draffin's second book, An Introduction to Fuel Analysis, was published, tapping into a growing thirst for information on bunker quality issues. This book is intended to help anyone who has any doubts about what can be found in marine fuels and, once found, what can be done about it. An Introduction to Bunker Operations By Nigel Draffin M. I. Mar. E. S. T. Published by Petrospot Limited Website: www. petrospot. com/ books