An experienced marine engineer has relocated to the North East with his business having worked around the world.
Glen Jones, who is originally from Cumbria but learned his trade at South Shields Marine College, has returned to the region with Dockspec Marine, a business providing expertise to the industry as well as inspection, financial specifications, and expert opinion to the underwriting and loss adjusting sectors.
During a 30-year career that has seen him work in Asia, the Middle East and Europe, Mr Jones has worked shoreside and at sea. Latterly he was ship an rig repair director at Drydocks World Dubai.
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Since setting up Dockspec in 2019, he has been involved in a number of reactive projects for worldwide clients, including shipping companies, often attended at short notice. His return to the North East has been prompted by growth in the offshore wind supply chain industry but the business will also support small private boat owners who need pre purchase, condition assessments, damage or insurance reports.
He said: "When we look at the huge offshore wind farms, the ancillary industry supporting them is not generally appreciated. Crew transfer and smaller work boats are utilised to hot-shot maintenance teams to site, jack up rigs are employed to install the turbine structures, and they also need large support vessels to undertake integrity and operational projects.
"These vessels and rigs need assurance audits or industry recognised inspections, drydocking and routine or emergency maintenance periods; and whilst I enjoy the thrill of being on call 24/7 for deployment anywhere in the world, sometimes it’s good to support what’s on your own doorstep or even back to my home town of Barrow, where the Walney windfarm is located."
In addition to commercial work, Mr Jones has pledged support to nautical charity The Maritime Volunteer Service (MVS) which operates two vessels on the Tyne and aims to educate and train its members and the general public in all aspects of maritime and communication skills and knowledge.
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Mr Jones added: "Seeing the work these volunteers were doing on the river, I wanted to be involved in helping the community. I thought it would be beneficial to help them with their vessel compliance and specifications for keeping them seaworthy, safe, and immediately operational. Working with a small boat has many similarities to working with cruise liners or huge support vessels and if my advice keeps them safely afloat whilst helping others then that’s a huge drive to get involved.
John McDonald, deputy head of Northumbria Unit at MVS, said: "We are all volunteers with a wide variety of experience in the nautical world from people who have no experience and want to learn more to ex Royal and Merchant Navy personnel. Having a qualified marine engineer to give us advice is priceless, and we look forward to learning from Glen’s experience of working with vessels all over the world."
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