Captain Paul Townsend

Master Mariner, BSc (Hons), MNI, MRIN
Ship Management Consultant

Captain Paul Townsend

As a Master Mariner, Captain Paul Townsend spent 15 years trading worldwide on a variety of vessels including container ships, bulk carriers, VLCCs, oil and chemical tankers and high speed passenger ferries in the 1980s and 1990s.

In 1990 he obtained a BSc (Hons) in Maritime Business, while working in the EU Short Sea Trades, and subsequent employers included The Salvage Association, C F Spencer & Co, Trinity House Lighthouse Service and Hoverspeed.

Paul joined the Seafarer Training & Certification Branch of the Maritime & Coastguard Agency in 2000 as an Examiner of Masters & Mates, and following a period as a Surveyor Plymouth Marine Office, returned to HQ where he was promoted to Navigation Safety Manager and subsequently to Head of Branch. Paul spent 10 years in the Navigation Safety Branch developing and implementing UK policy for Navigational Safety and representing the UK at IMO, EU, IALA & National Committees involved with STCW Training, Navigation Safety, SafeSeaNet, Vessel Traffic Services, The Port Marine Safety Code and Offshore Renewable Energy.

Paul has also gained experience as a senior lecturer for Warsash Maritime Academy in Southampton (UK) and as a consultant to the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) in Lisbon. As well as these two organisations, he has delivered International Safety Management (ISM) and International Ship and Port Security (ISPS) approved training and consultancy services to IMO Member States.

He has brought his extensive expertise to Azimuth Nautical Solutions Ltd., to ensure that any related training or consultancy services are developed and delivered consistently within the international maritime sector to ensure competence and compliance, and with a particular focus on regulatory developments such as Port State Control, III Code, Ballast Water Management and Environmental Compliance.