MARINE EXPERT & INVESTIGATION SERVICES DIVISION

This page contains a range of staff profiles taken from our Marine Expert and Investigation Services Division. This division covers a wide range of areas including the provision of Expert Witnesses, Forensic Engineering and Casualty Investigations together with Naval Architectural and Marine Engineering Design and Consultancy Services.

NAVAL ARCHITECTURE

Principal Consultants

B.J. Corlett, B.Sc. (Hons), M.Sc., C.Eng., F.R.I.N.A.
Experience in a wide variety of design and feasibility investigations, including; Design of a purpose built storage barge; Feasibility of conversion of a trading tanker to a dynamically positioned production test vessel; Design and specification of a purpose built barge for a floating methanol plant; Study into the use of chains for offshore moorings; Technical audit of a short sea passenger/vehicle ferry service. Technical investigations for litigation leading to the presentation of evidence if required, for both marine and offshore structures including: Loss of the M.V. "Derbyshire", including investigation of environmental conditions, hatch cover strength, etc. Damage to a CALM in the Gulf of Suez; Loss of a cargo ship in the Pacific due to progressive flooding of cargo holds; Infringement of a patent for a particular configuration of semi-submersibles.

Specialism: Litigation investigations, expert witness.

J.C. Colman, B.Sc. (Hons), C.Eng., F.R.I.N.A.
Experienced in design and analysis for newbuildings and conversions. Technical studies include port Formal Safety Assessments, offshore Quantified Risk Analyses. Has provided expert witness reports and testimony for over 20 years. Subjects covered include ship structural failures, stability, fires, explosions and pollution incidents, squat and interaction, newbuilding and conversion disputes, computer simulation of accidents, ship motions and loads in storms and compliance with class and regulatory criteria. Has given expert evidence in UK and US proceedings including the Derbyshire Inquiry, the Gaul Re-opened Inquiry and the MSC Carla hearings in New York.

Specialism: Litigation investigations, expert witness.

N.R. Hendy, B.Sc. (Hons), C.Eng., F.R.I.N.A.
Experience in Ship Design, includes Tugs, Ferries, Patrol Boats and Hover Platform and Technical studies including collision structural analysis with respect to bridge design; container lashing analysis with respect to ship motions; loading on hatch covers due to boarding seas; analysis of ship structural failures. Performed quantitative Risk Analysis and hydrodynamic studies. Developed a manoeuvring design tool, TRIMAN, for the MOD, which included supervision of model testing and analysis of results for use in the prediction of specific manoeuvring derivatives for trimarans.

Specialism: Risk analysis and hydrodynamic studies.

Consultant

J.P Hook, M.Sc., B.Sc. (Hons) Foreign Going Certificate of Competency
Service as Senior Navigating Officer and involved in technical investigation for litigation of merchant vessels, encompassing areas such as founderings, collisions, groundings and manoeuvrability aspects of vessel design and operation. Studies into Intact and Damage Stability and Pollution Hazards of Double Skin and Single Skin Tankers and Offshore Floating Production Units for U.K. Health and Safety Executive. Development and maintenance of in-house computer facilities.

Specialism: Computer simulation and programming.

MARINE ENGINEERING - SHIPBUILDING

Principal Consultants

G. Armstrong, BSc, PhD, CEng, FIMarEST, ACIArb
RN sea service as an engineer. 12 years university research and consultancy in analysis of propulsion machinery and auxiliary systems, waste heat recovery, engine and propulsion plant performance, residual fuel specifications and concept studies. 4 years shipbuilding design management. 11 years ship design consultancy relating to naval and commercial vessels.

Specialisation: Expert witness, marine engineering systems, engine performance and ship design management.

P.J. Codd, B.Eng. (Hons), M.B.A., C.Eng., M.I.Mar.EST., 1st Class Marine Engineer
Service as Senior Engineer Officer and Senior Surveyor with MCA on Ship and Safety Surveys, Plan Approval and Certification. Consultant for newbuilding contracts and supervision. Pre-purchase, Condition and Damage Surveys on Passenger ships, Ro-Ro Ferries and Cargo Vessels.

Specialism: Safety Investigations and Investigations into ship's condition, hull, machinery and equipment.

D. Richmond, C.Mar.Tech., I. Eng., F.I.Mar.EST., 1st Class Combined Marine Engineer
Service as a Chief Engineer gaining operational experience of VLCC’s, Product Tankers, Ro-Ro’s, Passenger Ships and Fast Ferries. Culminating at the rank of Senior Chief Engineer for the first of Stena Line’s HSS gas turbine powered fast ferries. Subsequently qualifying as an English lawyer working for a City law firm within their Admiralty Casualty Investigation Group.

Specialism: Expert witness, casualty investigation, machinery failures, engine room floods and fires, groundings, salvage, collisions, towage, pollution, seaworthiness, personal injury, ship building disputes, major structural failures and cargo losses.

MARINE SURVEY SERVICES

Principal Consultants

N.R. Smith, B.A., M.B.A., M.I.Mar.EST., 1st Class Marine engineer
Service as Senior Engineer Officer, Superintendent and Ship Manager with major shipping companies. Senior Surveyor and Ship Manager with independent maritime survey company. Experience of containers, tankers, bulk carriers, car carriers, passenger and chemical vessels.

Specialism: Project management, ship and cargo condition, pre purchase surveys, hull and machinery damage surveys, consultancy.

C.J.K. Heaton, C Eng., M.I.Mar.EST., 1st Class Combined Marine engineer
Service as Senior Engineer Officer, Superintendent and Ship Manager with major shipping companies. Senior Surveyor with The Salvage Association for over 20 years. Experience of many hundreds of casualty surveys including strandings and groundings, including scuttlings and many more.

Specialism: Casualty Surveys, Towage approval, Speed and Angle of Blow surveys and Salvage surveys.

Senior Consultant

M. Martyn-Johns, I.Eng., F.I.Mar.EST, M.C.M.S., 1st Class Marine Engineer
Service as Chief Engineer Officer and Superintendent with major shipping companies including new building/refit supervision.

Specialism: Expert witness including preparation of reports for litigation and arbitration, involving hull, machinery failures and repairs. Fire investigation, hull/machinery damage and condition surveys on mega yachts, passenger and dry cargo vessels.

NAUTICAL – SHIP OPERATIONS

Principal Consultant

Captain G. Morrison, MNI, MInstPet
Master mariner with 18 years experience with Denholm Ship Management working on Tankers, OBOs, Bulk Carriers, General Cargo and Refrigerated Vessels. Working ashore for Caleb Brett USA Inc for 2 years undertaking liquid cargo loss investigations and associated work. Then in 1986 started working in the marine surveying and consultancy field.

Specialisation: Safety, Navigation, Pollution, Cargo and Operational Consultancy. Working onboard vessels providing audits and training programs on all types of merchant ships, FPSOs and FSOs. Performing OCIMF Vetting inspections.

SUB-CONTRACTOR CONSULTANTS

In the event that a specific specialist area of expertise is required, that is not covered by our in-house Consultants, Burness Corlett - Three Quays have access to an extensive number of Consultants specialising in various disciplines that can be called upon to assist.