SHIPVET - Key Persons
Colin Evans has had a lifelong association with BP Shipping which included 26 years seagoing of which the last 7 years were in command, followed by 8 years in shore management with BP and OCIMF.
He is a director of ShipVet Services, the company he founded following early retirement from BP.
Fintan Cullen spent 15 years at sea with a number of major oil companies and ship operators of oil, chemical and gas tankers.
After coming ashore he spent 4 years inspecting for the BP Vetting Service gaining his CDI & Sire inspector accreditations during this time.
Since joining ShipVet Services in 1997 he has established strong links with a number of leading chemical organisations and has been instrumental in the development and administration of vetting policies in a number of those organisations.
He represents one of our major clients on the CDI Board.
He is a Member of the Nautical Institute.
Frank Gaunt spent 36 years with BP Shipping, 18 years seagoing and 18 years ashore in various posts including Loading Master at the BP operated Sullom Voe Terminal, consultancy work in BP Shipping's Marine Division, assisting in the establishment of BP's Vetting Service, BP's first full-time ship inspector, Four month voyage as Master on a 20,000 tdw BP product carrier, Marine and Chartering Superintendent in BP Shipping's Offshore office in Aberdeen, Marine Advisor to BP Bitor a joint venture between BP and PDVSA, marketing and shipping Orimulsion from Venezuela, return to BP Shipping's Vetting Service including membership of the OCIMF task force which established the first uniform Ship Inspection Report (SIRE) the standard inspection format used by the oil majors.
Frank took early retirement from BP in 2008. He set up as a Marine Consultant under the name of ShipVet Services, though operating independently from Colin and Fintan. He became an accredited inspector for CDI on Chemical and Gas Tankers and for BP/OCIMF on Oil, Chemical and Gas Tankers, carrying out 590 inspections over 9 years. During this period he was also retained by London solicitors as an expert witness on 4 occasions. He acted as the Marine expert in teams formed by BP Oil Trading to carry out Terminal audits in Singapore, Egypt, Croatia, Tunisia, Denmark, Georgia and Azerbaijan.
These activities were curtailed in June 2008 when Frank underwent an operation for cancer on his vocal chords. The operation was successful but left him with limited vocal abilities.
Importantly, he is able to vet ships using email and can still converse adequately over the telephone when required.
John Gipson joined Shipvet in 2010 to work full time with vetting.
He spent 32 years with BP Shipping. Following 14 years at sea sailing in senior positions on a variety of tanker types including LPG, culminating in 2 years offshore on a semi-submersible Emergency Support Vessel. On coming ashore John started as a ship vetting inspector and vetting superintendent and was involved in the development of the OCIMF SIRE system. John was one of the first auditing inspectors for the CDI in system at that time. During John's 18 years his shore-based roles have always been marine assurance related, carrying out terminal audits, varied major marine projects and periods of secondment to upstream. John's final role with BP Shipping was as Manager of Offshore Assurance where he was influential in the development of the OCIMF OVID inspection system for upstream vessels.
On departure from BP and prior to starting with Shipvet John was seconded to OCIMF for 6 months to work as the Offshore Technical Adviser.
Karen Greer joined ShipVet Services Ltd in November 2012. She is responsible for keeping the database up to date and general accounts/admin duties. She is also PA to Fintan Cullen.
She has 20 years of accounts experience and has previously worked as a Director and Accounts Manager for other Private Limited Companies. She is a fully AAT and part CIMA qualified Accountant.