eCMID Update – Fees from 18 June, privacy policy and more

Published 21 May 2018

Following is an important update on forthcoming changes to the eCMID system and software:

• Upload fees – As previously announced, from 18 June 2018 there will be an upload fee for submitting inspection reports to the eCMID database.  We have been listening to user feedback and details on implementation are set out below.
• Privacy policy and GDPR – An updated privacy policy has been published, in line with GDPR requirements.  While these clarify your rights and our responsibilities, there are no significant changes to operation of the eCMID system.  However, we encourage you to review the information below.
• New software version – 2.0.0.17 – this will be offered to those with automatic updating (users on version 2.0.0.15 or higher), or is available via Help > Check for Updates or for downloading via the website.

eCMID Upload Fees

From 18 June 2018, upload fees are being introduced for submission of inspection reports to the eCMID database.  Further details are now available on how this is being implemented, which also addresses some of the feedback from system users to the earlier announcement:

• The eCMID upload fee will be £100, as previously advised.
• The eMISW upload fee will be £50, reflecting the shorter format and use in the small workboat market.
• The fee will be required when an inspection report is uploaded.  However, the payment request can be passed by an inspector to any other party, such as their own accounting department or, depending on your own arrangements, to a vessel operator or client.
• Pre-payment will be possible, by a system of vessel credits, so that delivery of an inspection report isn’t delayed by company accounting processes.
• Payment will be possible via PayPal (including credit/debit card, with or without a PayPal account), with direct bank payment options also available.

To date, IMCA has funded the entire system from its members’ subscription fees, which has delayed and/or limited the improvements we can make.   While new fees are never welcome, these are required to provide stable funding for the system and to enable improvements that the industry has been asking for, such as availability on non-Windows platforms, image libraries, file attachments and more – all of which can now be considered for future work.  By ensuring a robust and effective system is in place, this should provide significant value for vessel operators and their clients, far in excess of these relatively modest upload fees.

Privacy Policy and GDPR

An updated privacy policy has been published at www.imca-int.com/privacy-policy.  This describes the data we collect, how we use it, your rights and our responsibilities.  Specific changes to the system operation are noted below but, in general, this is merely formalising existing good practice.

Please take a few moments to review the policy and let us know if you have any questions or concerns.  The basis for processing your personal data (name and business-related contact details) is legitimate interests associated with your company’s use of the eCMID system.  Specifically with regard to eCMID, your data may be used as follows (extract from the above policy):

eCMID vessel inspection system – IMCA maintains an electronic database for the inspection of vessels.  Companies can register and provide such limited personal data as is necessary for contacting them with regard to use of the system, such as notifying when reports are available for review or a request for data access has been made.  An identifier for qualified vessel inspectors is also recorded.  This data is generally held for two years after a user account becomes inactive, except where it forms part of a vessel inspection record and is therefore retained for legitimate verification purposes.

There are two related changes to the eCMID system:

• Removal of crew data – The crew qualifications section of vessel and inspection data has now been anonymised and existing data deleted for data protection reasons.  PDF reports already only show positions and certificate data, but previously names could be entered via the software and stored.
• Non-live/suspended account data – Additional data clean-up routines are being implemented and inactive user accounts will be automatically disabled after two years.  Company primary administrators are already able to delete most inactive users and we are expanding that capability.  There is an exception for users listed in inspection reports – inspectors, reviewers, etc., whose names form part of the official inspection record   Their accounts can, however, be deactivated and contact data obscured as required.

For all enquiries and support needs, please contact the eCMID Helpdesk.

The above message was sent to eCMID system users by email on 21 May 2018.