Had an extensive seagoing career serving from 1979 to 2002 with BHP Transport which then morphed into Teekay Australia starting out as a Deck Cadet and rising through the ranks to Captain.

In 2002 I swallowed the anchor to become a pilot in Hay Point / Mackay until 2007 when I transferred to Dampier, WA to work for Woodside piloting and loading LNG, LPG and Oil tankers.

In 2012 I graduated with a Masters Degree in Human Factors and Safety Management Systems and am currently trying to use that to help further discussion on Human Factors in the Maritime industry particularly as they affect pilotage.

My Thesis subject was Situation Awareness and my study aimed to develop and validate situational awareness behavioural markers that are used by Marine Pilot’s when piloting ships to a berth and I was fortunate enough to present these findings at the International Marine Pilots Association (IMPA) 2012 Congress in London as well as at a Australasian Marine Pilots Institute (AMPI) workshop. In 2013 it was possible to make a presentation on Situational Awareness Challenges Involved in Human Centred Design at another AMPI workshop.

My studies have also enabled me to write the Fatigue chapter in IMPA’s recent publication titled IMPA on Pilotage as well as writing articles for various industry publications.

My particular interests in Human Factors lie in the areas of Situation Awareness, Decision Making and Fatigue which are termed  Non -Technical Skills and are three of  what I call the Seven Deadly Sins of Human Factors. The other four are Communication, Team Working, Leadership and Managing Stress.