John M. Walker, FIMarEST, CEng, CMarEng, SAMS AMS

SUMMARY:

·      Industry leader, chartered marine engineer, surveyor and consultant with over 30 years in the marine industry from onboard to senior shoreside management positions.

•    Chief Engineer with proven experience of project management, fleet maintenance and new construction; cruise ships, mega yachts and refrigerated cargo ships

•    Supervised design and construction planning of marine power plants, air conditioning and propulsion systems

•    In-depth knowledge of the marine, liability and shipyard claims industry from a technical perspective; leading major casualty investigations, causal analysis and risk engineering assessment for global insurance Underwriters, shipowners and P&I Clubs.

QUALIFICATIONS/TRAINING:

·        Chief Engineer Class 1 Unlimited, United Kingdom (STCW 95 III/2), 2002        

·        HNC Marine Engineering – Warsash Maritime Academy, 1996

·        Diploma in Marine Investigation — Lloyds Maritime Academy, 2012

·        Approved flag state surveyor (various)

·        Advanced Investigation Team Leader, Root Cause Analysis — TapRoot, 2010

·        P&I Insurance and Loss Prevention – NEPIA Residential Course, 2012

·        Marine Gas Turbine Advanced Maintenance and Inspection — General Electric, 2003/05

·        Diesel Electric Propulsion / Marine Electrical Maintenance / High Voltage Systems, South Tyneside College / Faraday Training Centre 1999

·        Cargo Refrigeration Systems – Carrier Transicold & York, Rotterdam1999

·        Aviation Fuel Management and Handling, IFTC 2004 

·        Service and Maintenance – Wartsila NSD (various engine types and courses)

·        Command & Control Advanced Fire Fighting, inc. Helicopter Fire & Rescue — IFTC

·        Human Behaviour & Crisis Management of Passenger Vessels – UK MCA

·        LEAN Techniques for Managers – GL Group, 2012 – 2013

·        SEAK (US) & Bond Solon (UK) – Excelling as an Expert Witness – 2015 / 2016

·        HULT Business School (Ashridge) Executive Leadership, 2022

MAIN DISCIPLINE:

Marine Engineering; CEng, CMarEng, FIMarEST

YEARS IN INDUSTRY:

31+

COUNTRIES OF EXPERIENCE:

United Kingdom / Merchant Navy – Sailing Worldwide (1993 to 2002)

Japan – Newbuilding Project Management (2002 to 2004)

Netherlands – Newbuilding (2004)

Germany – Newbuilding / refit and repair management (2005 to 2009)

USA – 2009 to date – Engineering Consultancy / Casualty Investigation

2017-Current

ABL Group  

Managing Director, Americas

New York, USA

Overall responsibility for all aspects of the company's Maritime business in the Americas region, including P&L responsibility, business development, coordinating strategic acquisitions, and mergers. Running teams across Canada, the US, Mexico, Panama, and Brazil. Responsible for maintaining technical standards, overseeing technical committees, client relations and personal case load (Continuation of role after Braemar merger with Aqualis Offshore to form ABL). Global functions as member of the ABL Group Senior Management team, mentoring senior staff and input on educational development programs.

2013-2017

Braemar (inc.The Salvage Association)

Chief Surveyor, Americas

New York, USA

Responsible for management of all technical staff and reporting standards in the region. Designated to lead legal and technical consulting services for financial investors in the Americas region.  Tasked with increasing the company's business portfolio by exploring new opportunities, along with developing consulting service agreements with major insurance companies, ship owners, shipyards and manufacturers.

Braemar Yacht Services senior management, a worldwide super yacht specific consultancy and subsidiary of the Braemar group.

Continued to lead major casualty investigations, risk assessment projects and provide expert witness services, similar to work undertaken at GL Group.

2009-2013

GL Noble Denton (Now DNV)

Vice President

New York, USA

Managed a team of surveyors, naval architects, marine and structural engineers in North, Central and South America. Responsible for leading investigations, technical reporting standards, building new business, financial performance, setting budgets, recruitment, training and staff development in the Marine & Energy Casualty Investigation practice. Work performed included:

• Hull and Machinery damage surveys

• Casualty investigation for legal counsel, insurance underwriters, P&I Clubs and Owners

• Technical due diligence for construction, conversion and repairs

• Consultancy and expert opinion in technical failures, shipyard and salvage issues

• Root cause analysis investigations

• Suitability and condition surveys of all types of vessels (JH 2013 A/B/C, pre-purchase, P&I club entry and Flag State)

• JH 143 Dry dock, port and terminal risk assessments

• Cargo claims and project cargo surveys

2007-2009

Blue Ocean

Fleet Technical Manager

Hamburg, Germany

• Planned and coordinated dry dock, refit and repair works for a fleet of super yachts

• Completed accurate budgeting of refit and repair projects, ensuring delivery into service on time

• Set up fiscally efficient long term service agreements with contractors and repair yards

• New build chief engineer of the 162m mega-yacht ECLIPSE — Blohm & Voss, Hamburg

• Responsible for fleet maintenance, refits and operational technical matters of superyachts including PELORUS, ECSTASEA, LE GRAND BLEU, SUSSURRO and 777

• Led a team developing and building a new concept with Damen / Amels for Fast Yacht Offshore Support Vessels, resulting in completion of two customized vessels OBERON and UMBRA

·    Developed contract and build specifications for an 85m SWATH vessel and a 120m monohulled super yacht

2004 — 2007

Blue Ocean

Chief Engineer / Technical Superintendent

Hamburg, Germany 

·   Managed a team of specialist engineers, including technical recruitment, training and job allocation

•  Oversaw running and maintenance of propulsion, auxiliary plant, air conditioning, refrigeration, audio visual, IT and communication systems on company vessels

• Implemented and enforced the vessels' Safety Management System & ISM

• Completed yard delivery and guarantee period of 86m high speed gas turbine / diesel Feadship ECSTASEA

• Undertook planning and management of refit periods for repair, maintenance and capital upgrade modifications

• Set up and controlled budgeting and spares parts procurement

2002 — 2004

P&O Princess Cruises (Carnival Corp)

Commissioning Engineer

Nagasaki, Japan

•   Responsible to the Newbuild Project Manager for inspection, testing and commissioning machinery of two 113,000 GRT cruise ships; DIAMOND PRINCESS and SAPPHIRE PRINCESS at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Nagasaki, Japan.

•   Liaised with the shipyard design office to ensure specification, Flag State and Classification Society requirements were met

•   Attended damage surveys and inspections / repair planning following a major fire during the construction

•   Vessels delivered were gas turbine / diesel electric propulsion, installed with advanced safety, environmental protection and HVAC systems

•   Worked with Princess Cruises technical management setting up spare parts and maintenance database systems and administered warranty issues following delivery

•  Compiled major system running guides

•  Trained ships officers in the running of the ships systems

1993 — 2002

P&O Princess Cruises / P&O Nedlloyd

Engineering Officer (Seagoing)

Worldwide

• Senior Second Engineer and Maintenance Engineer Officer (progressed from Officer Cadet)

· Sailed on large cruise ships, container ships and refrigerated cargo vessels.

• Managed daily workload of 20 technicians maintaining the propulsion plant

• Major dry dockings and refits, undertook structural, boiler, engine and gearbox repairs

•Selected as P&O Cruises technical representative to assist in training and hand over of VICTORIA to new Owners

• Maintained ships tenders, hydraulics, deck machinery and hotel systems

• Assisted USCG and UK maritime authorities for safety certification and environmental surveys

• Worked with US Public Health to ensure full compliance with CDC regulations

• Refrigeration Engineer, blown air refrigerated cargo ships maintaining the cargo plant

• Designated Electrical Engineer on 6.6 kV distribution container ships

1991 – 1993

Dover Harbour Board

Summer Intern

Dover, UK

·    Work as intern / summer work experience on harbour tugs, pilot vessels and bucket dredgers — assisting shore side staff and onboard engineering and deck departments with day to day tasks

SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE:

·      Cruise ships and super yachts; newbuilding and repair management

·      Commercial vessel repair and inspections.

·      Casualty Investigation

·      Root cause analysis of major incidents and failures

·      Diesel electric and pod propulsion

·      Gas turbines propulsion, large crosshead type diesel engines, medium speed diesels

·      Refrigerated cargo ships / cellular container ships

·      Pre-purchase and condition surveys

·      Dry dock, vessel and terminal risk assessments

·      Builders Risk and Repairers Liability

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS:

·      Executive Committee Member & Fellow, IMarEST

·      Chairman, Association of Average Adjusters (2019-2021)

·      Engineering Council UK, Chartered Engineer (CEng, CMarEng)

·      Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors, Accredited Marine Surveyor (SAMS, AMS)

·      Maritime Law Association, Non-Lawyer Member

·      Connecticut Martime Association (CMA) Member

·      American Institute of Marine Underwriters (AIMU), Member, Lecturer and Consultant

·      IUMI Technical Consultant

·      Society of Marine Port Engineers, Board Member

TECHNICAL PAPERS & PRESENTATIONS:

·        Use of Root Cause Analysis in Hull & Machinery Claims – IMCC Dublin 2010

·        Vessel Salvage and Technical Failures – AIMU/IUMI Educational Courses – Annual Course Lecturer

·        The Role of the Casualty Surveyor – AIMU/IUMI Educational Courses – Course Lecturer

·        Ship Repairers Liability Claims Investigation – AIMU/IUMI Educational Courses – Course Lecturer

·        Lessons Learned from Operational and New Building Design Failures – IMarEST/SNAME 2012

·        Super Yachts — Understanding the Risks — Lloyds of London, 2013

·        LOF vs Wreckhire and Local Authority Interests – Ocean Marine Claims Conference, NY, 2015

·        The Panama Canal Expansion — Study of potential risks to ship owners, hull insurers, cargo interests and liability Underwriters, Lloyds of London, 2015

·        Crankshaft Failures and Repair Methods, IMarEST/SNAME/SMPE/ASNE, 2014

·        Utilising “Root Cause Analysis” to predict future trends and mitigate future losses, IUMI Berlin, 2015

·        Cyber Loss – Disruption and failure of integrated and networked ships systems – IMCC Dublin 2016 & Ocean Marine Claims Conference NY, 2017

·        Shipyard and Repairers Liability Claims, Mitigating the Risks – Lloyds of London, 2018

·        Superyacht Building and Management: Impacts, Implications and Considerations of Newly Adopted Codes – IMarEST/ SNAME Joint Meeting, April 2019

·        Pure Car and Truck Carriers – Challenges of Salvage – Lloyds of London, 2020

·        RoRo Ship Fires – Challenges and Mitigation – Lloyds of London, 2023

 EXAMPLE EXPERT WORK

·        Sea Star Line, LLC, d/b/a TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico, as Owners; and TOTE Services, Inc., as Owner pro/lac vice of the S.S. EL FARO for Exoneration from or Limitation of Liability.

United States District Court, M.D. Florida, Jacksonville Division;

·        Conti 11. Container Schiffahrts-GmbH & Co. KG MS MSC FLAMINIA As Owner and NSB Niederelbe Schiffahrtsgesellschaft Mbh & Co. KG, as Operator, of the “MSC FLAMINIA” for Exoneration from Limitation of Liability.

United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, Civil Action No. 12-CIV-08892 (TPG);

·        FE Partners, LLC and Fomento Resources (USA) LLC President's Yacht SEQUOIA, v. Chesapeake Boat Works, LLC, Chesapeake Marine Railway LLC

United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Civil Action No. 4:16-cv-00188

·        Vloeibare Pret Ltd, v. Lloyd's Register North America, Inc.

United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division (C.A. NO. 4:13-cv-03653). Affidavit and report only.

·        Four Jacks v. Palmer Johnson Yachts

Testimony at arbitration in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

·        Swallowfalls Ltd. v. Cantieri San Marco S.R.L. (NATO Project)

Testimony at London Maritime Arbitrators Association (LMAA)

·        McAllister Towing and Transportation Co., Inc. as Owner and McAllister Towing of New York, LLC as Owner Pro Hac Vice of the Tug PATRICE McALLISTER for Exoneration from or Limitation of Liability; United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, Civil Action No. 12-CIV- 2505. Testimony and reports

·        85 Unleashed v.Florida Detroit Diesel-Allison, Inc., MTU Detroit Diesel, Inc. and Marine Technologies L.L.C.

Supreme Court of the State of New York, Index No. 10-15893. Expert report – case settled.

·        James Holder et al v Capstan Corporation, Fraser Shipyards Inc. and the Interlake Steamship Company HERBERT C JACKSON

United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin, Case No. 16 CV 343. Expert report and testimony – case settled.

·        Derecktor Inc. v. Matthew J. Bruderman, et al.

New York Arbitration 01-15-0005-3513 Expert report and testimony at arbitration, MY INDEPENDENCE.

·        Aaron Richard Golub v. Modern Yachts, LLC, et al

Supreme Court of the State of New York Index No. 655531/2016

·        VESPER Maritime v Lyman Morse Boatbuilding

US District Court for the District of Maine 2:2019-cv-00056-NT – Report and testimony as fact witness, subsequently expert at mediation.

·        Faryn Maltese and Albert Maltese v. Brunswick Corporation

United States District Court Eastern District of New York Case No. 2:18-cv-07244-JMA-AKT. Testimony and expert report.

·        Peter Moses Gutierrez, Jr., et al., vs.Amplify Energy Corp., et al., vs.Capetanissa Maritime Corp., et al.,

United States District Court Central District of California Case No. 8:21-cv-01628-DOC-JDE In the Matter of the Complaint of Dordellas Finance Corp., et al. Case No. 2:22-cv-02153-DOC-JDE – Trial Testimony and reports (Costamare, VShips)