Mr. John Halcrow

John Halcrow is a Marine Consultant and Surveyor. With 40+ year experience in a 40+ year career in the maritime industry as a marine engineer and, latterly, for the past 15 years specialised as a marine consultant and surveyor in the highly regulated offshore support sector. He has demonstrated a unique and detailed knowledge of the offshore energy and associated support industry, working in towage, offshore support and marine construction sectors.

Throughout his 15+ years in marine consultancy, John's work has encompassed marine warranty surveys; statutory and regulatory audits and surveys including safety management; vessel assurance; on/off hire; casualty and collision investigation; project management; shipbroking; contractual negotiations; technical and marine engineering consultancy; and expert witness work.

For the last 10 years, John has also acted as a Lead Examiner, Tutor and Examinations Assessor for the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers Offshore Support Industry Professional Qualification Examination (PQE). He has significant commercial, business and project management experience, gained from setting up and running two successful marine consultancies; liaising and working with leading warranty and maritime consultants and major operators in the offshore energy and support sectors.

Expert experience
Expert Witness & advisory
Expert Witness, Offshore support vessels, Varna, Bulgaria (2019)
Reporting on the commercial and operational suitability of offshore support vessels.
Expert Witness, Heavy lift vessel, Aberdeen (2020)
Expert Witness reporting on Heavy Lift Vessel chartering on offshore wind farm construction.
Expert Witness, Platform supply vessels, Aberdeen (2021)
Expert Witness reporting on term chartering arrangements for Platform Supply Vessels.
Expert Witness, Project Logistics, Ivory Coast (2022)
Expert Witness reporting on escalation of freight/chartering costs for power station construction.
Expert Witness, Fuel Oil Contamination Incident, Genoa (2023)
Expert Witness reporting on fuel oil contamination incident during acceptance trials on newbuild cruise ship.

Experience
Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers, Lead Examiner - Offshore Support Industry, UK (2013-present)
The Institute’s lead for its Offshore Support Industry module and professional qualifying exam (PQE). The module is designed to develop a thorough understanding of the offshore support sector encompassing technical, operational, commercial, contractual, management and safety aspects, from the perspective of both the support provider and the end user. Responsibilities encompass course development; setting examinations; developing marking schemes and marking ICS’s Offshore Support Industry PQE (Professional Qualification Exam). Also, tutor and prepare the module’s PQE candidates, using the ICS’s TutorShip distance learning system, and also lecture at the Institute’s Examination Preparation weekends. Other activities include reviewing and revising course teaching materials and books and participating in ‘road show’ preparation events for PQE students.

Marine Consultant and Surveyor/Company Director, UK (2002-present)
Over this period, John has been involved in the establishing and the operation and commercial and financial management of two marine consultancy companies – Shetland Marineco Ltd (Jul 2013 to date) and Shetland Maritime Ltd (May 2002 to 2014). Whilst providing a broad range of marine consultancy services, this focuses on the commercial and legislative aspects of shipping and offshore services. Areas of activity include marine warranty surveys (heavy lift and pipelaying operations); survey and audit (CMID; ISM/ISPS); vessel assurance; on/off hire; acting as client marine representative; marine casualty investigation; project management, including overseeing new build; shipbroking, encompassing vessel purchase and sale; negotiating term charters; technical and marine engineering consultancy and problem-solving and new company start-up consultancy. John’s experience covers assignments in both the oil & gas and floating offshore wind sectors, and he is qualified with both OPITO and GWO for travelling to offshore installations.

Kincardine Offshore Windfarm Ltd, Aberdeen, UK (2018 - present)
Marine and Offshore Engineering consultant. Monitoring operation and maintenance systems, management of offshore engineering repair and maintenance programmes, and hand-over from EPC contractor to windfarm operator. Undertaking Condition Survey on prototype Wind Turbine Generator Floating Foundation Unit.

Various companies, Warranty surveys, Various Locations (2012 - present)

Numerous warranty surveys for clients including Petrofac, GDF Suez TenneT.

ISM/ISPS audits, Lerwick & Scalloway (2014 - Present)

ISM/ISPS audits for Vroon Offshore Services; North Star Shipping.

Various companies, CMIDs, Various Locations (2012 - Present)

CMIDs for Stork Technical Services; Calegeo; Chrysaor; Premier Oil. Vessel assurance/CMID for BP, Shell, Total, Centrica Energy; Stork Technical Services; Vroon; Premier Oil, Ocean Farm Services.

Various companies, On-hire surveys, Various Locations (2011 - Present)

On-hire surveys for BP/Bibby Maritime; Petrofac/Chevalier; Stork Technical Services; Calegeo; Vroon.

Various surveys, Various Locations (2011 - Present)

Other audits and surveys including Bridge Team Management Audit (Centrica); Helideck Survey (Maersk Oil); Ship to Ship Fuel Transfer System Survey (Dolphin Geophysical)

Vessel assurance, Various Locations (2012)

Delivery/redelivery vessel assurance for Stork Technical Services.

FPSO Sailaway, Chief Engineer, Rotterdam to North Sea field location  (2012)

Standing in as Chief Engineer for sailaway and transit to hook-up location of FPSO following major upgrade and repair works.

Azimuth thruster failure, Liverpool (2013)

Recurring failure on a DSV barge which could have had serious commercial implications for the client.

Bibby Maritime, Accommodation vessels, Lerwick (2015)
Engineering contract to provide maintenance/repair services for Bibby Maritime’s accommodation vessels in Shetland, involving liaison with the client to identify needs; sourcing contractors and negotiating fees and supervising contractors to ensure work is completed to the required standard and timescale.

Stork Technical Services, Accident investigations, Aberdeen (2013)
Incident and accident investigations for Stork Technical Services (collision investigation); Bibby Ship Management (marine casualty investigation)

Stork Technical Services, ISM Audit, Kristiansand, Norway (2014)
Head Office ISM audit for Stork Technical Services, involving extensive pre-planning to identify areas of interest.

Shetland Islands Council, Ports & Harbours/Shetland Towage, Sella Ness, UK (1981-present)
Shetland Towage was taken over by Shetland Islands Council in 2006. The Ports and Harbours Division now operates a fleet of harbour tugs for vessels at the major, deep water port of Sullom Voe, one of the world’s largest oil port and gas ports, handling tankers between 140 and 365 metres LOA.

Shetland Islands Council, Chief Engineer, UK (2003-present)
Accountable for the operation, maintenance and repair of all machinery, plant, equipment also technical and engineering systems on ASD and Voith Schneider tugs ranging from 3000-6600 kw and 45-90 tonnes bollard pull, berthing and unberthing ULCCs and VLCCs. Also worked on conventional twin screw tugs. Duties include: managing engineering crew undertaking operational, maintenance and repair tasks; directing and supervising maintenance and operation of technical and engine room safety systems; completing onboard planned maintenance in line with PMS requirements; and ensuring that ISM identified ‘critical’ systems and equipment are correctly maintained and operated. Regular involvement in dry dock operations, including annual, intermediate and special surveys. My role involves identifying work to be completed; pre dry dock preparation and planning and subsequent supervision of contractors undertaking the work to ensure timely completion to the required specification.

Tug Newbuilding & Delivery, Valencia, Spain (2009-2011)
Standing by the construction of new tugs Solan and Bonxie, built in Valencia, Spain, during the period 2009-11, overseeing the contractors to ensure work was completed to specification. Contracting to provide delivery crews and undertaking delivery of vessels from Valencia to Sullom Voe, Shetland as Chief Engineer.

ASD Tugs, Various locations – Norway, Sweden & Turkey (2017)
Undertaking evaluation surveys of new tonnage, prior to the demise charter and subsequently purchase of 2no. 80t ASD tugs.

CEDR, Accredited Mediator, 2018 - CMID, AVI Inspector, 2017 - Advanced Diploma in Tanker Chartering, Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers, 2011 - Chief Engineer 111/2, Motorships, Certificate of Competency, 1994

Fellow, Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (FICS), Fellow, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb), Member, International Institute of Marine Surveyors (MIIMS), Member, Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (MIMarEST), Member, Dispute Resolution Board Foundation (DRBF), Supporting Member, London Maritime Arbitrators Association (LMAA)