Len Messenger Award 2025 – Winner: Plamen Dimkin

In May 2025, Plamen Dimkin was honoured with the Len Messenger Award, recognising his exceptional contribution to the Marine Warranty Survey (MWS) profession and his long-standing dedication to driving safety, competence, and excellence across the marine and offshore industries.

Widely regarded as the epitome of a true value-add MWS professional, Plamen has built a career defined by technical integrity, collaborative leadership, and an unwavering commitment to ensuring safe and successful offshore operations.

Plamen is known throughout the industry for striking the perfect balance between engineering rigour and practical, solutions-focused thinking. While suitably conservative and meticulous in his engineering analysis, he brings a positive, “can-do” mindset to every project. This approach has enabled him to work effectively with clients, contractors, and the insurance market alike— ensuring that complex offshore operations can be executed safely even in the most challenging marine environments.

His depth of experience, technical insight, and engaging personality allow him to move seamlessly between roles, whether acting as a Project Director or Manager, specialist Consultant, or highly respected Field Engineer. In each capacity, Plamen brings clarity, assurance and a calm, authoritative presence that earns the trust of crews and stakeholders at every level.

A notable recent example of his capability was his work as Project Consultant on a demanding pipelay operation in close proximity to existing pipelines. The combination of sensitive seabed conditions, shallow water, depth constraints, and burial restrictions required a uniquely engineered under-pull-through methodology. Adding to the complexity, the operation was carried out using a new pipelay vessel on its first ever assignment. Plamen’s guidance and technical leadership were instrumental in delivering the project safely and successfully.

Plamen’s reputation extends across the MWS sector, with many of the major Marine Warranty Survey companies regularly sub-contracting his services. He is particularly renowned for his expertise in shallow-water marine operations—a specialty in which he is considered one of the foremost authorities in the region. His contributions have been formally recognised not only within industry circles but also regionally by the Bulgarian Government, acknowledging the impact of his engineering achievements.

Beyond his technical leadership, Plamen is a passionate advocate for raising standards within the MWS profession. He is deeply committed to knowledge transfer, competency development, and mentoring within his own marine engineering company, helping to equip the next generation of engineers and surveyors with the skills and judgement necessary to operate safely and effectively. His enthusiasm for sharing knowledge and strengthening professional capability has had a lasting and meaningful influence on those who have worked alongside him.

Plamen continues to “raise the bar” for Marine Warranty Survey services across a wide range of challenging marine and geographical environments. Clients and insurers routinely return to him because they know that projects are demonstrably safer under his guidance—an endorsement that speaks volumes about his professionalism, credibility, and technical authority.

Plamen Dimkin’s long-standing commitment to excellence, his pioneering contributions to safe marine operations, and his passionate support for competency development make him an exceptionally deserving recipient of the 2025 Len Messenger Award. His work continues to uplift the MWS community and exemplify the values that define the very best of the profession.

SOMWS Lifetime Achievement Award 2025 – Winner: Ernest Wee

In May 2025, Ernest Wee was honoured with the SOMWS Lifetime Achievement Award, with nearly 45 years of dedicated service in Marine Warranty Surveying (MWS), Ernest Wee has been a cornerstone of the Southeast Asia offshore industry, operating throughout his distinguished career from Singapore. His technical excellence, calm leadership, and unwavering commitment to the profession have left a lasting legacy across the region.

Ernest began his career in 1981 when he joined Noble Denton as a junior engineer specialising in Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture. In the early years, he gained extensive exposure to a wide range of offshore projects, including fixed platforms, mobile drilling units such as jack-ups, semisubmersibles and drill ships, as well as floating systems like FPSOs, FSRUs and CALM buoys. This breadth of experience allowed him to build strong analytical skills, deep practical insight, and a profound understanding of complex engineering challenges.

Through dedication and technical capability, Ernest rose to the position of Engineering Manager and Senior Principal Engineer. Alongside delivering major engineering projects, he became a respected mentor and leader within the MWS community. As a Full Member of the Society of Offshore Marine Warranty Surveyors (SOMWS) since its inception, he has been instrumental in shaping industry standards and guiding future generations of MWS professionals. His long-standing contributions as a technical authority have also been vital to the development and enhancement of DNV-ST-N001.

Ernest’s career is defined not only by technical mastery but also by his exceptional composure in high-pressure situations. Notable examples include his key role in recovering a 7,000-ton topside during a near-loss load-out in 2003, and again in 2014, when he played a critical part in the safe salvage of an 18,000-ton topside under similar conditions.

A model of professionalism, Ernest embodies the highest standards of the Marine Warranty Surveying field. His deep expertise, leadership, and dedication to advancing industry practice make him an outstanding and highly deserving candidate for the SOMWS Lifetime Achievement Award. His career continues to inspire colleagues and future practitioners alike.

SOMWS Lifetime Achievement Award 2024 – Winner: S. Douglas Devoy

In May 2024, Doug Devoy was honoured with the SOMWS Lifetime Achievement Award, recognising a remarkable career defined by technical excellence, leadership, and an unwavering commitment to advancing the Marine Warranty Surveying (MWS) profession. With decades of service across the offshore and maritime sectors, Doug has been a respected and influential figure whose contributions have helped shape the standards and practices used throughout the industry today.

Doug’s career spans more than four decades, during which he established a reputation for deep technical understanding, practical insight, and a calm, authoritative approach to problem-solving. His work has covered a wide range of complex offshore operations, including major marine construction campaigns, transportation and installation projects, heavy-lift operations, and the assurance of critical offshore assets. Doug’s technical judgement has made him a trusted advisor on some of the industry’s most challenging projects.

Beginning his career at a time when offshore operations were rapidly evolving, Doug quickly demonstrated his capability in both engineering and operational roles. Over the years, he progressed into senior technical and leadership positions, where he played a pivotal role in guiding project teams, supporting high-risk operations, and ensuring the highest standards of safety and assurance. His ability to combine engineering rigour with practical, real-world experience has been consistently recognised by colleagues and clients alike.

Beyond project delivery, Doug has been a long-standing advocate for the development and professionalisation of the MWS discipline. As an active and committed member of the Society of Offshore Marine Warranty Surveyors since its early days, he has contributed significantly to the raising of standards, the mentoring of new surveyors, and the strengthening of industry-wide best practice. His willingness to share knowledge, provide constructive guidance, and support others has had a profound influence on the next generation of surveyors.

Doug’s career is also marked by his exceptional composure during highpressure situations. Across a range of complex and time-critical offshore operations, he has been a steady, trusted presence, providing clarity and assurance when it mattered most. His practical wisdom, gained through decades of hands-on experience, has been invaluable during operations requiring rapid decisions, technical judgement, and a clear understanding of risk.

A highly respected figure across the offshore sector, Doug embodies the values of professionalism, integrity, and dedication to continuous improvement. His contributions have had a lasting impact on the global MWS community, and his influence will continue to be felt through the standards, practices, and people he has helped shape.

Doug Devoy’s receipt of the SOMWS Lifetime Achievement Award is a fitting recognition of an outstanding career and a lifetime of service to the profession. He remains an inspiration to colleagues and future practitioners, demonstrating what can be achieved through expertise, humility, and a commitment to excellence.

Len Messenger Award 2024 – Winner: Mike McLachlan

In 2024, Mike McLachlan was honoured with the Len Messenger Award, recognising his exceptional dedication, professionalism, and long-standing contribution to the Marine Warranty Surveying (MWS) industry. Over more than two decades, Mike has become one of the most respected figures in offshore renewables MWS, playing an instrumental role in shaping standards, improving industry practice, and defining what excellence looks like in this rapidly evolving sector.

Mike has been a central figure in the growth of MWS within offshore renewable energy projects. At a time when the industry had limited established frameworks, he was one of the first to champion the application of robust MWS rules and guidelines to renewables operations. His work helped set the foundation for the standards and expectations now seen across the sector. Through his leadership, diligence, and technical insight, he significantly raised the quality of deliverables and improved the level of assurance provided on complex offshore projects.

Highly regarded for his meticulous attention to detail and unwavering commitment to high-quality outcomes, Mike has been a trusted technical authority throughout his career. His thoroughness and ability to deliver well-reasoned, carefully considered assessments have helped strengthen both project safety and stakeholder confidence. Colleagues frequently note his willingness to go the extra mile, consistently delivering work that reflects not only his personal standards but also positively elevates the reputation of the wider MWS profession and SOMWS itself.

Mike’s contributions extend far beyond individual project delivery. He has been a vocal advocate for advancing MWS practice within offshore renewables, promoting the importance of strong technical governance at a time when the industry was still finding its footing. His efforts have helped ensure that MWS is now recognised as a critical component of renewable project execution, influencing how developers, contractors, and surveyors approach risk and assurance.

As a respected and well-known professional, Mike is admired not only for his technical capability but also for his supportiveness and willingness to share knowledge. He has played a key mentoring role for many within the industry, offering guidance and insight that have helped shape the careers of numerous up-and-coming surveyors. His influence continues to resonate across the sector, and he remains a point of reference for both current and future SOMWS members.

Mike McLachlan’s achievements embody the values represented by the Len Messenger Award. His pioneering work in offshore renewables, his commitment to raising industry standards, and his strong professional reputation make him a truly deserving recipient. His legacy will continue to support and inspire the MWS community for years to come.