Charter for International Association of Innovation and Cooperation

on Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering

ARTICLE I GENERAL PROVISIONS

Clause 1  The Chinese name of the organization is 船舶与海洋工程创新与合作国际组织, and the English name is International Association of Innovation and Cooperation on Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering (abbreviated as ICNAME). 

Clause 2  ICNAME is a global, academic, and non-profit social organization voluntarily formed by universities, research institutions, enterprises, and individuals in the fields relating to naval architecture and marine engineering. The purpose of ICNAME is to facilitate the exchange of research outcomes, promote extensive cooperation, and advance scientific and technological development in the fields.

Clause 3  ICNAME is committed to establishing a platform for international cooperation and exchange in naval architecture and marine engineering. It strengthens mutually beneficial relationships among its members by collaborative research, fosters coordinated development, and drives technological innovation. It advances the industrial application and commercialization of research outcomes, promotes the building of a maritime community with a shared future, and enhances global ocean governance.

ARTICLE II SCOPE OF ACTIVITIES

Clause 4  ICNAME primarily engages in academic exchanges, collaborative research, joint industry projects, joint  education, industry application, strategic consulting, and co-authoring and publishing in the following areas: Ship and Offshore Mechanics, Design and Manufacturing of Ships and Offshore Structure, Green Shipping and Marine Energy, Intelligent Ships and Unmanned System Technology and Application, Marine Environmental Acoustics and Underwater Information Technology.

ARTICLE III MEMBERSHIP

Clause 5  Membership Composition

ICNAME is open to both regular members and observers. Regular members include Institutional Members and Individual Members.

1. Institutional Members are open to all universities, research institutes, and enterprises worldwide that are involved in naval architecture and marine engineering. These institutions should play a leading role in their respective fields within their countries or regions.

Institutional Members should designate a responsible person or an authoritative legal representative to handle their affairs within ICNAME. 

2. Individual Members should have significant international influence in the field of naval architecture and marine engineering. 

Individuals or representatives from institutions who have outstanding achievements in naval architecture and marine engineering is qualified to be appointed as Senior Advisory Members of ICNAME.

3. Institutions that officially become members of ICNAME are referred to as Council Institutions. Individuals who officially become members of ICNAME are referred to as Council Individuals. 

Clause 6  Membership Admission and Withdrawal

Institutions or individuals meeting the membership criteria should submit an application to the Secretariat. Upon approval by the Council Meeting, the membership will be formally granted.

Members wishing to withdraw from ICNAME for their own reasons should notify the Secretariat in writing. Members who do not participate in ICNAME’s activities for more than 2 years will be considered as having automatically withdrawn.

Clause 7  Rights and Obligations of Members

1. Members are entitled to the following rights: 

(1) Full voting rights, including participation in discussions on major decisions and matters related to ICNAME, as well as the rights to vote, be elected, and participate in decision-making; 

(2) Participating in the activities organized by ICNAME and having the right to propose suggestions for ICNAME’s projects and overall development;

(3) Priority access to the services provided by ICNAME;

(4) The right to provide feedback and supervise ICNAME’s work;

(5) The freedom to voluntarily join and withdraw from ICNAME. 

2. Members shall fulfill the following obligations:

(1) Abiding by ICNAME’s Charter and implementing its resolutions;

(2) Protecting the legal rights and interests of ICNAME;

(3) Finishing tasks assigned by ICNAME;

(4) Paying membership fees as required;

(5) Providing relevant information and necessary materials to ICNAME.

Clause 8  Observers

Observers are informal members of ICNAME. Invited observers may participate in academic conferences, scientific research, joint industrial projects, joint laboratories, and publications organized by ICNAME.

ARTICLE IV ORGANIZATION

Clause 9 Council Meeting

1. The Council Meeting is the decision-making body of ICNAME.

The Council Meeting is convened by Chairman and attended by institutional and individual members who hold formal membership status.

2. The Council Meeting is held in person every two years, with additional meetings conducted via online conferencing tools and other methods.

3. Among ICNAME’s institutional members, there are designated Chairman Institution and Vice-Chairman Institutions, totaling 7 to 9 in number. 

The Chairman Institution of the first session of the Council Meeting is Harbin Engineering University. 

The list of Vice-Chairman Institutions is proposed by Chairman and becomes effective after approval by the Council Meeting. It may be updated or revised as needed based on ICNAME’s development.

Clause 10 The Secretariat 

ICNAME establishes a secretariat responsible for daily operations, including all administrative and secretarial tasks, promptly implementing decisions of the Council Meeting, following up on activities of sub-committees and working groups, organizing meetings, coordinating internal and external communication, managing funds and fees, and maintaining the website.

The Secretariat of ICNAME is located at Harbin Engineering University. The Secretariat is headed by a Secretary-General, who is appointed by the Council Meeting. The Deputy Secretaries-General and other Secretariat staff are nominated by the Secretary-General and approved by Chairman. 

Clause 11 Professional Committees  

1. ICNAME establishes relevant professional committees to promote the academic development of its members, enhance its global academic influence, align precisely with academic fields, and broaden and deepen academic exchange and collaboration.

2. Based on research fields and industr demands, 5 professional committees are initially planned: Ship and Offshore Mechanics, Design and Production of Ships and Offshore Structure, Green Shipping and Marine Energy, Intelligent Ships and Unmanned System Technology and Application, Marine Environmental Acoustics and Underwater Information Technology. Additional committees may be established in the future based on development.

3. The chairman of each professional committee should, in principle, be university leaders, academicians, or experts and scholars of international repute in the field of naval architecture and marine engineering.

ARTICLE V FINANCIAL AFFAIRS

Clause 12 ICNAME is a non-profit organization, and any member must not engage in any illegal profit-making activities under ICNAME’s name.

Clause 13 ICNAME’s funding mainly comes from:

(1) Membership fees;

(2) Donations;

(3) Government grants;

(4) Revenue from activities and services within the approved scope of business;

(5) Interest.

Clause 14 ICNAME should compose and conduct a strict financial management and approval system to ensure that accounting information is lawful, authentic, accurate, and complete.

ARTICLE VI SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISIONS

Clause 15 The right to interpret this Charter shall be vested in ICNAME. This Charter shall become effective upon adoption by all members of ICNAME.

Clause 16 ICNAME may amend the Charter upon proposal by the Chairman Institution and/or Vice-Chairman Institutions. Any amendment to the Charter shall require the affirmative vote of two-thirds or more of the representatives of the Council Meeting.