Macduff Ship Design is excited to announce the launch of Macduff Marine Surveyors, a new branch of the company covering marine survey work. Based at the Macduff offices in the North-East of Scotland, Macduff Marine Surveyors will cover both the local area and further afield.
During 2014, Macduff Ship Design became aware of the diminishing presence of qualified marine surveyors in the North East of Scotland, due to the retirement of both independent surveyors and from established marine survey companies with no replacements being trained to fill the gap.
With this in mind, in 2015 a decision was made to bridge this gap by forming a separate marine survey element within Macduff Ship Design, as the work load is still very much present for this section of the marine industry in this part of the country.
Macduff Marine Surveyors aims to provide professional and practical marine survey functions in the following areas:
- Statutory workboat coding
- Marine insurance damage cover
- Vessel valuations for banks and financial institutions
- New construction supervision
- Project management for vessel conversion work
- Towage certification for insurance companies
- Tonnage measurement
Equipment levels for survey purposes include the following:
- Computer system
- Thickness meters
- Noise meters
- General survey equipment.
During the formation of the company, it was decided to recruit an engineer or surveyor with considerable previous experience in the Maritime sector either offshore or on large sea-going vessels.
In late 2015, a suitable candidate was selected to start the process.
The principal surveyor at the new company is Mr Jim McDonald (MCMS, IEng, I MarEng, MIMarEST). Jim has a long history with the marine industry at sea and as a marine superintendent. He undertook an apprenticeship at Southampton and Glasgow Marine Colleges, working his way up through the promotion ladder to obtain a chief engineers ticket (unlimited). He has served various shipping companies in that role. Jim was recently appointed as an MCA / SCMS code surveyor to conduct surveys under the MCA Workboat Code of Practice.
To support Jim in this role and help with the establishment of the business, Mr Mike Tillman of M.D. Tillman & Co has been working alongside Macduff Marine Surveyors as a consultant, to provide valuable assistance and training during this process. M.D Tillman & Co is an established marine survey company based in Newburgh, Aberdeenshire.
Over the years Mike has built up a wide range of experience and contacts in the workboat sector which, as he takes a step back he is now passing on to the next generation in order to ensure a continuous high quality of service in the marine survey sector.
The long term aim of the company is to grow Macduff Marine Surveyors into an internationally recognised, dedicated marine survey company and to provide a quality service in the marine industry worldwide. Looking forward, it is hoped that the company will expand and employ more marine qualified personnel as surveyors as the work load develops.