The Royal Institution of Naval Architects (RINA), in association with the UK Ministry of Defence Sea Technology Group, will present a seminar on transfer processes including launching, dry-docking and lifting/slipping at RINA Headquarters in London 5 - 6 November 2003. The transfer of a ship from land to water and vice versa is perhaps one of the most routine movements of a heavy weight. The awkward shape and fragility of a ship out of the water, as well as the sheer scale of the task, adds to the inherent hazards. Worse still, the transfer frequently takes the form of an unstoppable slide. The rarity of major incidents is a tribute to the skills of the industry, but the trickle of minor incidents hints that perhaps it is time for some greater consideration of the subject.

This symposium will look at how world shipping and its supporting industries manage the transfer of these extreme weights between land and sea. Influential speakers, gathered from around the world, will present papers on the following topics:

• Ship Launch – many aspects of launching, including launching development, operational experiences and future trends
• Shiplift – contributions from shiplift designers and operators
• Floating Docks – dock accidents and operation
• Design – an overview of design developments to the techniques used in SSN Docks
• Operation – practical experiences from shipyard launches and docking at the Panama Canal
• Safety – safety management and operational procedures
• Ship Recovery – recoveries of the HMS Nottingham following grounding damage and the USS Cole following terrorist attack