Director and Principal Consultant

Captain Peter J McArthur MNM

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Peter has a distinguished career evidencing global and coastal command and operations on crude oil, white and lube oil, chemical-product, and molten sulphur tankers.  He is experienced aboard bulk carriers, Ro-ro vessels, and has worked extensively in the offshore (oil and gas) industries.   He has considerable offshore industry experience which includes serving as OIM, Tow-master and technical consultant, having gained a thorough understanding of all aspects of oilfield marine operations.  More recently, he has specialised in the development of Walk-to-Work personnel transfer and associated systems.  Peter practiced as a marine pilot for 25 years and is considered one of the most accomplished practitioners in close-quarters ship handling.   During this period, he also qualified as a lawyer, arbitrator, and commercial mediator. He is recognised as a very experienced maritime Technical Consultant, Expert Witness and Expert Determiner having practiced in numerous jurisdictions, undertaking appointments for Criminal and Civil matters, Arbitration, Mediation, Adjudication and Public Inquiries. 

 

Peter is an accomplished marine technical consultant with specialisations in hydrodynamics, ship interaction collisions, wet casualty analysis, personal injuries, and general shipping casualties.  He is one of the foremost experts in the fields of submarine cable damage, coastal-riverine flood defences, offshore industry casualties, and Lithium-Ion battery fires.  Peter is a member of the Baltic [Exchange] Expert Witness Association (BEWA), the Academy of Experts (TAE), the Federation of Forensic and Expert Witnesses, and the National Expert Witness Association (NEWA).

 

He is a Chartered Marine Technologist (CMarTech) and was privileged to become world’s first Chartered Master Mariner (CMMar). In recognition of his professional competence, technical specialisation, and the significant advance his (hydrodynamic research) works represent in terms of maritime knowledge and improved shipping safety, Peter was awarded the Merchant Navy for Meritorious Service (MNM).  He is the Series Editor for Lloyds Practical Shipping Guides, a Younger Brother of Trinity House, and is a member of the Honourable Company of Master Mariners (HCMM), the Nautical Institute and the IMarEST based in London.

 

Over the last three decades Peter has conducted independent research into marine Hydrodynamics and the effects of interaction and has produced several academic papers on the subject. His hydrodynamic theories are recognised as representing a significant development in maritime knowledge and shipping safety. Ongoing research includes a number of post-doctoral collaborations with world-renowned theoreticians.  He has developed a particular specialisation in the field of vessel synchronous and parametric motions – identified as the main causal factor in a number of structural damage incidents and catastrophic hull failures.  He is one of the leading proponents of Molecular Hydrodynamics, its effects on ship-handling and the role it plays in initiating marine incidents and collisions.  His revolutionary work in this very specialised field has allowed him to explain a range of unusual phenomena related to ship-handling and the dynamics of water.

 

As a dedicated lifetime learner, Peter supplemented his maritime and legal qualifications with a master’s degree in business management (MBA), post graduate qualifications in Oceanography, Climatology, Environmental dynamics and Marine biosystems.  He is an aspiring artist, a cyclist, a keen sailor, and a member of Bala Sailing Club in North Wales.

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Some of the areas in which Peter has provided advice, evidence, and specialist support include, but is not limited to:

               

MARINE, PILOTAGE, SHIP HANDLING.

• Close quarter ship-handling incidents.

• Pilotage activities, training, and incidents.

• VTS and Port Cargo operations.

• Maritime wet incidents including ship interactions, hydrodynamic issues, cruise and cargo ship collisions and causation, analysis and reconstruction.

• Vessel synchronous and parametric motion incidents and subsequent cargo / structural damage.

• Allisions / Collisions and hull damage and causation.

• CCTV and V-ECDIS analysis and marine incident - situational reconstruction.

• Bridge watchkeeping and a operational failures leading to incidents.

• Shipboard incidents and personal accident / injury / death - situational analysis.

 

OFFSHORE ENERGY, FISHING INDUSTRY, AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE.

• Personnel transfer and Walk-to-Work (W2W) incident analysis for the offshore energy industry.

• Offshore (oil and gas) incident analysis,

• Offshore semi-submersible activities including rig-towage, anchoring, and support vessel operations.

• Submarine cable and pipeline damage, with particular specialisations in fishing boat / trawler damage, investigations, and analysis.

 

PORTS, HARBOURS, AND INFRASTRUCTURE

• Port, Harbour, and Trust authority, advice, technical and legal, support.

• Port and Harbour vessel and berth analytics, including weather-linked operational reviews.

• Coastal and riverine flood defence systems technical advisory and support.

• Dredging operations monitoring, including hydrographic and bathymetry survey reviews and analysis

• Port, Terminal, and marine waterway infrastructure development

• Locks, docks, and berth development and operations.

• Craneage and berth function / suitability investigations and analysis.

 

OTHER MARINE RELATED

• Personal accident / injury / death investigations and situation analysis

• Small vessel and yachting incident investigations and analysis.

• Water related ‘extreme sport’ incidents, injuries, and situational analysis.

 

TRAINING AND PERSONNEL DEVELOPMENT

• Mooring and berth operations

• Pilotage Law, and the Law for Pilots.

• Risk assessment, duty of care, and legal obligations.

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