Ship repair sector loses a key commentator

The inimitable journalist and owner of Ship and Offshore Repair Journal, Port Engineering Management and Ship Repair Newsletter (SRN) spent more than five decades in the business, following a spell at sea working on tankers.

Over the years, Alan built an astonishing network of contacts in the shipbuilding and repair sectors, and was on first name terms with many of the industry’s luminaries. He was particularly proud of the weekly SRN and the fact that at no time in nearly 40 years had the newsletter missed publication.

An amazingly gregarious character, Alan’s wealth of jokes and anecdotes tickled all his colleagues on the journo circuit and could reduce even the most straight-faced of senior shipping executives to uproarious laughter. He was also in popular demand as an after-dinner speaker, where his irreverent stories would always end with the perfect punchline.

Our thoughts are with Anne, Alan’s wife of 50 years, and their loving family at this sad time.