It was
perfect conditions for the fourth SUT Perth Branch AGM, held at the
Kings Park Function Centre next to Fraser's Restaurant, on the
evening of 14 November 2007, with a clear blue sky, a temperature of
around 26°C, light breeze and a wonderful view of Perth Central
Business District and the Swan River.
Proceedings kicked off just after 6 p.m. with an update from SUT
Perth Branch Chairman, Martyn Witton. Martyn outlined some of the
2007 highlights including increased local membership of 131, plus 9
fellows, 22 local corporations and 51 students. There were also a
significant number of remote memberships around Australia and in New
Zealand, Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia.
View of Perth CBD and Swan River from Frasers
Martyn
indicated how successful SUT Perth had become with strong growth in
the areas of special courses, technical events, seminars, SUT
cooperation with other societies and institutions including DoIR,
INTSOK, UK DTI and many universities. There was also recognition of
the popularity of the SUT Annual Dinner. All in all, SUT Perth
activity and involvement during 2007 was significant across a broad
range of fronts.
In
particular, there was recognition of subject range, growth and
uptake of the underwater technology courses that were now available
in Perth by SUT. There would be two additional courses in 2008
covering Offshore Survey and Subsea Pipelines. Martyn also talked
about the launch of SUT Melbourne Branch and how it was set to grow
and provide services and facilities to membership in the region.
Martyn made a point of thanking the branch committee and SUT
administrative staff for its commitment and hard work over the last
year. Also, thanks went to all speakers and lecturers that supported
SUT.
Next up
was Keith Bentley, Treasurer. Keith certainly painted a healthy
financial position for the branch that would provide a strong
foundation for SUT to embark on further growth and services to
members during 2008 and beyond. A special mention and thanks was
given to Jim Leven and the Department of Infrastructure and
Resources (DoIR). Since initial startup of the branch, the DoIR has
provided a financial grant which has contributed to SUT growth. This
grant will now cease since SUT is financially sustainable.
Enda
O'Sullivan, Branch Secretary, provided an overview of changes to
committee members and those nominated for 2008. Three new members
were welcomed, Paul Mercer, Dermot O'Brien and Ben Witton. Co-opted
members covering Secretariat and Events Management were Wendy
Buchanan and Joyce Bremner. Regional liaisons included Duncan
Cameron (Singapore), Adam Brumley (KL), Simon Allen (Tasmania) and
Hayden Marcollo (Melbourne). Enda also outlined some proposed
changes to the branch Constitution for 2008. The first proposal was
to ensure continuity and refreshment of committee members by having
members elected for two years, limiting it to a maximum of three
consecutive terms, and having eight members changed out each year.
The second proposal was to name the branch SUT Perth Branch and drop
SUT Australasia.
Enda with Joyce and Wendy
Martyn Witton and the
successful students
Ryan Hannan and Martyn
A special thanks, together with flowers, was
given to Joyce Bremner and Wendy Buchanan for their behind the
scenes efforts with organising SUT events, courses, seminars and day
to day administration of the branch. A new recruit, Jennifer Murray,
was also warmly welcomed. Jennifer will be supporting Joyce and
Wendy during 2008.
A major global focus with
SUT is educational support and encouraging and helping young people
with their education and career in underwater technology. The SUT
Perth Branch is particularly active in this respect, and the AGM
provided the right forum for Martyn to present six successful
students with cheques worth $3000 each. This years students were:
Sophie Broun, University of Western Australia (UWA), Mechanical
Engineering and Applied Maths/Physics; Colin Hart, UWA,
Environmental Engineering, Ocean Systems and Commerce; Nathan
Fairclough, Curtin, Mechatronic Engineering; Ryan Hannan, UWA,
Engineering in Commerce, majoring in Offshore Engineering and Naval
Architecture; Craig McDonnell, Curtin, Aquatic Science, Coastal
Management; and Daniel Aleksandrow, UWA, Mechatronics and Physics.
New Outer Limits for
Resource Jurisdiction - Implications and Opportunities
The guest
speaker for the evening was Phil Symonds, Senior Adviser - Science
and Law, of the Sea, Petroleum and Marine Division, Geoscience
Australia, Australian Government. Phil gave a very interesting and
informative talk about approaches to defining the outer limits of
extended continental shelf (ECS) and highlighted some national, as
well as global, implications and opportunities of this activity,
which is now underway throughout many parts of the world's oceans.
Phil went
on to explain that the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of
the
Sea (UNCLOS) provides for the establishment of a series of marine
jurisdictional zones, in particular the continental shelf, which
extends to 200 nautical miles, or beyond that to the outer edge of
the continental margin. In this zone a coastal
state has sovereign rights for the purposes of exploring and
exploiting its mineral and other non-living resources of the seabed
and subsoil, together with sedentary living organisms.
The full
application of the UNCLOS rules for delineating the outer limit of
the extended continental shelf (ECS) beyond 200 nautical miles
requires information on the water depth, sediment thickness, and
other geological characteristics of the continental margin. Over the
last 15 years, considerable survey work has been conducted by
countries for this purpose and is providing substantial new insights
into the remote, deepwater parts of the world's continental margins.
Where a coastal state intends to establish the outer limits of its
ECS, it must make a submission to the Commission on the Limits of
the Continental Shelf (CLCS).
Guest speaker Phil Symonds
The
21-member CLCS is a scientific and technical body that facilitates
the establishment of the outer limit of the extended continental
shelf by considering data and other materials submitted by states
and making recommendations on the outer limit. To date, the CLCS has
received eight submissions and has made recommendations on three.
Delineating the outer limit of the ECS is not a pure scientific
task, but involves the integration of legal, diplomatic, scientific
and technical matters. The amount of offshore survey data that has
been collected over the years by countries to compile submissions to
the CLCS was staggering. The 3D virtual modelling of the seabed that
Phil presented was also extremely interesting and provided a
powerful visualisation tool for scientists and engineers.
Phil wrapped up his talk by pointing out that
to define clear demarcation to national and international
jurisdiction, helps to promote peace and security in the oceans, and
creates the secure environment necessary for the management,
exploration and exploitation of marine resources. This activity has
important global political implications and provides considerable
future opportunities for industry, marine science, resource and
environmental managers.
As usual at SUT events, the socialising and
networking continued well into the late evening. This was helped
along with trays of refreshments and delicious finger food being
served by the waiters.
