Managing Master Mariner
BSc (Hons), AFNI, HCMM
work
London
Career Summary
Neil Gardiner, a Master Mariner with a combined Honours degree in Marine Technology and Maritime Law, joined Brookes Bell in 2012 as a Managing Master Mariner.
Background
Neil Gardiner is a Master Mariner with a BSc (Hons) degree in Marine Technology and Maritime Law. He joined Brookes Bell from a position as Ship Inspector for a leading P&I Club, and had previously investigated casualties for another UK-based marine consultancy for 6½ years. He served on a variety of vessel types, including container vessels, refrigerated cargo vessels and high-speed ferries; he sailed as Master for nearly 7 years.
Professional Qualifications
- Class 1 Master Mariner, foreign-going ISM, Internal Auditor
Academic Qualifications
- BSc (Hons) in Marine Technology and Maritime Law
- HND in Nautical Science
Professional Associations
- Associate Fellow of the Nautical Institute
- Freeman of the Honourable Company of Master Mariners
Previous Employment History
- UK P&I Club: Ship Inspector
Working for the Loss Prevention department, inspecting the Club's entered vessels and producing risk profiles of those vessels using Bowtie software. Assisted with other Loss Prevention initiatives.
- OOCL: Master
Sailing on ice-classed panamax container vessels, primarily trading between N. Europe and Montreal.
- TMC (Marine Consultants): Consultant/Surveyor
Investigating and advising on various claims issues, including collision, grounding, salvage, fire/explosion, personal injury, port safety disputes, pollution, speed and performance, hull damage, crane damage, aspects of the ISM Code and various cargo-related matters including containerised cargoes – losses/damage, lashing systems, planning and stowage, bagged/bulk claims, breakbulk, refrigerated, RoRo, etc.
While working for TMC, Neil was invited to the UK P&I Club's Carefully to Carry Committee, sitting on the Container and Dangerous goods sub-committees, advising the Club's members on various cargo claim-related issues, and had 2 articles on container stowage and securing published in Carefully to Carry Bulletins.
Surveying and Consultancy Experience
He has prepared technical advice and expert reports for commercial litigation with respect to the following issues:
- Damage to and/or loss of:
- Containerised cargoes, including planning, segregation, stowage and securing
- RoRo cargoes
- Bagged and bulk cargoes
- Breakbulk and project cargoes
- Refrigerated cargoes
Other claims:
- Collision and ColRegs analysis
- Grounding and wreck removal
- Fire and explosion
- Personal injury
- Port safety disputes
- Pollution
- Hull damage
- Dock and crane damage
- ISM issues
- Vessel performance disputes
He has acted as expert witness in court, arbitration and mediation in the UK and abroad.