Governance

I was Apprentice to Chief Officer with Houlder Brothers and Co. Ltd serving on a wide variety of vessel types. Obtained my Command on a Seismic Survey vessel before moving into Education at Hull Nautical College becoming a Principal Lecturer in Strategic Management at was is now the University of Lincoln. 

I am a fully Qualified Cricket Umpire standing on the York and District Senior League panel. I am a season ticket holder at Leeds United and a keen photographer. My major interest outside of the Company is my family.

Twitter:

@chadders63

Since 2013 have been Vice Chairman of the Membership Committee, member and Trustee of the HCMM & HLD Charity Committee, Finance & Risk Committee and since 2016 on the Chartership Registration Authority and Regulations Drafting Sub Committee, mentor on the HCMM Mentoring Scheme, I also represent the HCMM as Chair of Governors at George Green’s School and Foundation Trustee of The George Green’s School Trust Fund.

Born and brought up in Canada, I went to Royal Military College of Canada graduating in 1978 with a BChemEng(Nuc) degree, spent 10 years in the RCN and 14 in the RN becoming a Command Qualified Submariner before retiring in 1997 spending 3 years in the Port of Southampton and 20 years as a director and consultant in the marine industry in the City and is currently Chairman of Margaret Black and a Director of the London Shipping Law Centre.

I am a Younger Brother of Trinity House, Chairman of the South East Regional Grant Committee of the Trinity House Maritime Charity & represent Trinity House as a Trustee on the Tower Hill Trust, Trustee of Greenwich Sea Cadets, Liveryman WC of Shipwrights and Past Chairman of London Branch NI, and ICPEM.  I am also Treasurer of Navy Lodge and a member of 11 other Masonic units.

Twitter:

@LesChapman76

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/les-chapman-5587101

My seagoing experience started when I joined Shaw Savill and Albion Co. as a Cadet in 1968 subsequently serving as 3rd and 2nd Officer in Refrigerated, General Cargo, Container and Passenger vessels. On obtaining my Master Foreign Going (Class1) Certificate of Competency I joined Blue Star Line and continued my seagoing career again serving in Refrigerated and Container vessels as Chief Officer with time in command at the end of this period. I came ashore with Blue Star Ship Management joining their London office as Assistant Operations Manager. I was subsequently promoted to Manager of Lion Shipping (Hong Kong), spending time in Hong Kong and Singapore. My final shore position was with Lloyd's Register of Shipping as a Nautical Advisor and eventually becoming a Principal Specialist and Global Manager of the Port State Control Department. I was the author of the Pocket Guide Checklists (both hard copy and Smartphone Apps) which became and still are the leader in the field.

I am a Fellow of the Nautical Institute and a Chartered Master Mariner. In my spare time, and within present government guidelines, I enjoy a game of golf!

Twitter:

@JimBarclayUK

I have been a standing member for over 3 years of the Education & Training Committee and also the Professional & Technical Committee. HCMM Ambassador to London Southern District Sea Cadets and an HCMM ships guide since early 2015. For the Wellington Trust I volunteer as a Master Mariner Instructor & Exhibition Supervisor. 

I served 10 years at sea as a Deck Officer with BP Tanker Co. and obtained my FG Masters Certificate aged 27. I then got promoted Chief Officer two weeks after my Masters Certificate. Also, while with BP, I trained as a pump Engineer. Came ashore to rescue a distant relatives Industrial Rubber Company which was trading insolvent. 18 months after joining, I was promoted to Sales Director and then within four years, the Company was back in profit. Nine years later promoted to MD and served 25 years. I eventually sold the Company with a Turnover of £2.4 million. 

My interests and hobbies include: naval history; encouraging the young to take up a career in seafaring; sailing; skiing and; classic cars.

I joined the Education & Training and Technical Committees in 2015, progressed to be a Liveryman and became a Court Assistant in 2016 and was elected as Warden in 2019, I am an Associate Fellow of the Nautical Institute and also act as mentor to an associate recently qualified as OOW. 

At sea 1970 - 1988 with a major tanker company and latterly with various management agencies, I spent almost 25 years as a freelance consultant and surveyor in the offshore oil & gas industries and presently work as Marine Manager for an expanding marine and engineering consultancy in London, largely engaged in the renewable energy sector.

Born on Tyneside I lived for many years in Yorkshire but am now happily settled in Suffolk with my wife Val, I am involved with our local church and also like to turn my hand to practical projects large and small, recently construction of a kit car and latterly smaller scale modelling along with an interest in various aspects of nautical and aviation history.

Having found a home for my many and varied interests, and many a kindred spirit to share those interests with, I got involved in the Education & Training Committee, the Technical Committee and Mentoring of Apprentices and Cadets.   In September 2015, the Clerk invited me to apply my Commercial and Legal knowledge to the seemingly impossible task of creating a Chartered Master Mariner (CMMar) programme.  Given the legal, technical, and inter-organisational complexities and the number and scope of organisations that had to be consulted and accommodated - which included the Shrieval Courts and Privy Council, Chartership took up 3 years of my life and involved a huge amount of work and industry, but it did prove successful.   During this period, I stood for and was elected as a Court Advisor.  in 2020, I was elected as Warden of the Honourable Company and, in that role, I have been involved in supporting and creating the Young Officer's Committee (YOC), and working to support, preserve and prepare the Company for the future during the Covid pandemic.

My maritime career started with washing dishes on a paddle-steamer during summer holidays from School.  I learned that there was no substitute for hard-work and learning.  This has been my philosophy throughout a career that now extends over 45 years.  During that time, I have served aboard Tankers (of all description, including Crude, Chemical, and Product), Bulk Carriers, Ro-ro's - both deep-sea and in the coastal trades.  For several years I worked in the Offshore Oil and Gas industry,  quickly rising to Barge Master, Tow-master, OIM and Marine Superintendent.   I left the oil industry to become a pilot, which had been a desire ever since I first learned what Pilots did.  I am now Senior Pilot for the Manchester Ship Canal - a position that allowed me to pursue my other passion of learning and study.  Over the last 15 years, I have gained a law degree, a Master's in Business Administration, several Charterships and Fellowships and have developed my own Company that provides advice, support and consultancy services to the maritime industry.   I have not plan to slow down any time in the near future and my interests are changing with the tide of the maritime industry.  My current fields of learning include expert-witness and determination work, Artificial Intelligence and Ship Automation developments.

Over the last year of Global pandemic and national lockdowns, the needs, protection, and development of HCMM have drawn heavily on my time. My personal interests and hobbies are probably as eclectic as everything else in my life.   I keep fit, practice yoga, cycle, walk, hill-climb, read (when I can), swim and am a member (and Secretary) of my local sailing club where I also provide regular safety-boat cover.   My wife - who has supported me tremendously in my Career, Study and HCMM pathway, has recently discovered that I used to paint and is trying to encourage me back into that more genteel pastime.  That said, the garage exterior needs painting and my sailing boat (a modern version of the 1927 design 'Post Boat') needs anti-fouling and pre-season servicing before going back on the water.