Materials expert Dr Sophie Parsons reflects on 2023 providing her observations of the marine industry in her article A Year in Review.
The article published in The Marine Insurer discusses the impact Covid-19 had on the profession, including the mental health of seafarers. Sophie also discusses environmental, social, and governance (ESG) and its application to the shipping industry and the challenges that this can pose for in-person inspections following an incident.
Sophie’s article concludes with a review of technological advancements and the growing number of lithium-ion battery fires that have occurred both at sea, and on land. Recent reports of fires aboard a ship and an airport carpark have made headlines as the spread of fire from vehicles led to major incidents. However, aside from the complexity of such incidents, the spread of rumour, misinformation and disinformation in social media creates unnecessary challenges and can shed doubt on factual information, backed by science.
Sophie is a Chartered Engineer (CEng) and a Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals, and Mining (FIMMM). She has extensive experience of investigations involving the failure of marine coatings, liquefaction of class A cargoes and their associated laboratory testing, as well as incidents involving cargo and hull damage. Sophie also regularly presents to law firms, P&I clubs, and loss-adjusting companies on materials failure analysis, corrosion, and cargo/liquefaction matters.
You can read Sophie’s full article below.Â
