CURRENT POSITION:
Resident Surveyor, PE at Alpha Marine Surveyors – Philadelphia, PA Office (Primarily Serving Philadelphia, PA)
SUMMARY OF EXPERIENCE:
Mr. Shields has extensive experience with shipboard propulsion and power generation systems, auxiliary machinery, cranes, and refrigeration systems and the process of determining their root-cause for failure and/or lack of performance.
Since the opening of the Philadelphia, PA office of AMS in 1996 Mr. Shields has been involved in numerous Hull & Machinery investigations. His office conducts an average of 30 to 40 surveys per year.
A large percentage are Hull & Machinery surveys involving groundings, Main Engine Failures, Damaged Steering gear, Auxiliary Engine Failures, Turbo-Charger Failures, Contaminated Lube Oil Systems, Contaminated Fuel Oil, etc.
EDUCATION:
Drexel University, MS 1996, Engineering Management United States Merchant Marine Academy, BS 1981, Marine Engineering
LICENSES HELD:
USCG Third Assistant Engineer, Unlimited Horsepower of Steam & Motor Vessels, Professional Engineer, PA Mechanical, 2001
MILITARY:
U.S.N.R. 1981 – 1994 Lieutenant, Honorable Discharge 6/30/1994
MARINE SURVEYING and ENGINEERING EXPERIENCE/EXPERTISE:
EXPERT TESTIMONY / CONSULTATIONS:
Vessel Sinking, Vessel Structural Failures, Vessel Condition, Vessel Valuation/Appraisals, Fatalities, Vessel Fuel Oil Contamination, Vessel collisions, Vessel Inert Gas Systems, Vessel Refrigeration Systems, Structural Failure Analysis of Intermodal Equipment, Main Engine Failure Analysis, Combustion Control Analysis, Naval Architecture (small craft), Boiler Tube Failures, Gas Turbine Blade Failures, Steam Turbine Bearing Failures, Diesel Engine Bearing Failure, Crankshaft Failures, Rotor Crack Detection R&D, Diesel Engine/Gas Turbine coatings
CARGO SURVEYING:
Dry Cargo Damages, Refrigerated Cargo Damages, L.Q.V. Inspections, Security Seal/Checks/Counts, Bulk Cargo Damages, Vehicle Inspections, Cargo Transfers
INTERMODAL EQUIPMENT SURVEYS: (Dry Equipment and/or Refrigeration Units)
On-hires, Off-hires, Mobile Crane Inspections, Interchanges, In-Service Inspections
VESSEL RELATED SURVEYS:
Loading & Discharge Surveys, Ro/Ro Loading & Discharge Surveys, Barge Inspection, Security Seal Checks, Vessel On & Off Hires, Evaluation of Tug & Barge Tow
YACHT SURVEYS:
Engine Failures, Fire Loss – Cause & Origin, Gear Box Failures, Stability Investigations (TPI, Inclination), Electrical / Lightning Strikes, Sinking Investigations Appraisals
SPECIAL CALCULATIONS & INVESTIGATIONS:
Refrigeration Unit Cool-Down Analysis, Center of Gravity Calculations, Velocity versus Turning Radius, Wind Velocity Impact of Side of Vessel, Fuel Oil Temperature Correction, Vessel Studies (Ro/Ro) Toward Equip Damages, Vessel Ops Studies Toward Equip Damages
PIER, DOCK and WAREHOUSE INSPECTIONS:
Port of Wilmington, DE, Vessel Allision Damage Assessment, Delmonte Fresh Produce, Camden, NJ, Turbana Terminal, Bridgeport, CT, Pier 82 Cold Storage Facility, Philadelphia, PA; Condition Assessment
EXPERTISE / SPECIALTIES:
Marine & Intermodal Refrigeration Systems, Cargo Surveys (Dry & Commodities), Main Engine & Machinery Failures, Hull & Machinery Investigations, Power Plant Systems & Engineering (Steam, Diesel and Gas Turbine), Combustion Control Engineering (Steam, Diesel and Gas Turbine), Fault Tree Analysis for Failure Investigations, Vessel and Small Craft Appraisals, Yachts / Small Craft, Engine, Lower Units & Gear Box Failures, Electrical & Lightning Strikes, Sinking’s – Root Cause Analysis, Fire – Cause & origin
REFRIGERATION VESSEL INVESTIGATED / SURVEYED (Partial List)
| M/V Skater | M/V Ivory Falcon | M/V Artic Wolf |
| M/V Ivory Bay | M/V Transporter | M/V Ivory Dawn |
| M/V Cape Cod | M/V Lombok Strait | M/V Green Brazil |
| M/V Bluecrest | M/V Lagoon Phoenix | M/V Bluecrystal |
| M/V Spring Panda | M/V Polarstern | M/V Disko Bay |
| M/V Delmonte Harvester | M/V Discovery Bay | M/V Caribbean Star |
| M/V Summer Wind | M/V Napier Star | M/V Summer Breeze |
| M/V Coldstream | M/V Summer Meadow | M/V Polarlight |
| M/V Summer Flower | M/V Avila Star | M/V Swan Lagoon |
| M/V Swan Stream | M/V Coral Reef | M/V Caribbean Reef |
| M/V Hansa Visby | M/V Swan Bay | M/V Granada Carrier |
| M/V Swan River | M/V Santa Lucia | M/V Santa Maria |
| M/V Tundra Consumer | M/V Chiquita Bremen |
HULL & MACHINERY SURVEYS (partial list):
| M/V Chitral | M/V Orangeborg | M/V Marmil |
| M/V Aventicum | M/V Massachusetts | M/V Caribbean Sea |
| M/V Merchant Patriot | M/V Iridium | M/V Crystal Bay |
| M/V Agnios Nikolas | M/V Chemical Pioneer | M/V Ditlev Reefer |
RECENT TRAINING:
ASME PD 382; Predicting Thermal Hydraulic Loads, PD 077; Failure Prevention and Life Extension, ASME B31.1 Power Piping Design, Tribology for Bearing Design API 579-1; Fitness for Service Course.
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS / CERTIFICATIONS:
American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), Member
S.N.A.M.E., Past Member
S.A.M.S., Accredited Marine Surveyor (AMS) Applicant, August 2015
RECENT EXPERT TESTIMONY:
Depositions: December 9, 2013 - March 2014
United States District Court - Southern District of New York
Case No.: 12 Civ 3567 (ALC)
Del Monte Fresh Produce, N. A. Inc., (Plaintiffs) vs M/V Lombok Strait her engines, boilers, tackle, furniture, apparel, etc. in rem, Seatrade Group N.V., Lombok Strait Schiffahrtscessellschaft MBH & Co. Kg, MPC Munchmeyer Petersen Steamship GMBH & Co. KG And Beteilingungsges – Reefer, Flottenfonds MBH & Co. KG, in personam (Defendants)
Depositions: August and December 2009
United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts
Civil Action No. 07-12230-NMG
Indemnity Insurance Company of North America a/s/a MASSACHUSETTS BAY LINES, INC. (Plaintiffs) vs Steve’s Shop Inc. (Defendant)
EMPLOYMENT:
May 2002 - Present
Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia, PA Senior Steam Machinery Engineer for US Navy, Ship Propulsion Systems Expert, Propulsion Steam Turbines and Generators.
2001 – Present
CS Consulting U.S. Inc. President, Principle Engineer, Power and Process Plant Consulting and Trouble-Shooting Service via web site, (Part Time Occupation) One division operates Alpha Marine Surveyors Philadelphia, PA
1996 – Present
Alpha Marine Surveyors, Commence Operations of the Philadelphia Office, Office Manager, Principal Surveyor and Marine Engineer, PE, Philadelphia, PA, CT, DE, NJ, NY, MD, & RI
1990 – Sept. 1996
Naval Command Control & Ocean Surveillance Center (NCCOSC) Warminster, PA
1982 – Nov. 1990 Naval Ship Systems Engineering Station (NAVSSES) Philadelphia, PA