Job title: Director & Principal Scientist

Mobile: +852 6168 3906

Email: Luigi.Petrone@charlestaylor.com

Location: Hong Kong

Expertise: Root cause investigation of coating failures and inspection; Investigation of liquid cargo and fuel contaminations; Carriage, sampling and quality of dry bulk, liquid, containerized and LPG/LNG cargoes; Liquefaction, including cargo inspection, sampling and laboratory analysis; IMDG and IMSBC Codes; Sampling and Bunker fuel quality disputes; Hull fouling disputes; Investigation into theft of precious containerized good and fuel oils from refineries; Investigation into explosion caused by cargoes (styrene monomer, VCM, coal, DRI, etc.) and fumigants on board vessels; Investigation into explosions at petrochemical and incineration plants due to leaks, inadequate handling operations and corrosion; Expert witness

Specialities: Marine Technical Services

About:

• Luigi holds a PhD degree in Chemistry from the University of Otago, New Zealand and a Diploma in Coatings for Corrosion Control with distinction from the Corrodere Academy, UK. He is an ICorr Level 3 Coatings Inspector, the highest certification in the field, and is a certified coatings inspector for superyachts, Marine & Offshore structures, pipelines, insulation, and coatings in ballast and cargo oil tanks applied in accordance with the IMO Performance Standard for Protective Coatings (PSPC) standards. 
• As Principal Scientist, Luigi acts as a consultant to the shipping and coating industries in relation to the carriage and handling of commodities at sea, and coatings on vessels and offshore structures in the Oil & Gas and Renewable industries. His scientific and surveying expertise concerns the storage and carriage of a wide variety of commodities at sea, providing expert and scientific advice on sampling, test methods and laboratory analyses for forensic investigations involving liquid cargoes, dry bulk cargoes, fuels, LPG, LNG, and commodities transported in containers. Luigi routinely advises on matters relating to the carriage of dangerous goods at sea in accordance with the IMSBC and IMDG Codes, dealing also with cases of misdeclared cargoes. Using his knowledge in analytical, organic and physical chemistry, he has also carried out high-profile forensic investigations into contaminations, explosions and fires at process plants, incineration plants, and on-board commercial vessels.
• As a coating expert, he has been extensively involved in claims relating coating damage and failure on commercial vessels, superyachts and offshore structures. In addition, he has conducted major investigations into (i) coating damage caused by the carriage of aggressive cargoes in cargo tanks on crude oil, chemical and products tankers, (ii) coating breakdown on offshore structures, (iii) breakdown of coatings in ballast tanks, and (iv) hull fouling disputes. His expertise encompasses the evaluation of coatings, modes and mechanisms of failure, cause and extent of coating breakdown and recommendations for remedial work. Luigi was highlighted as “Profile of Excellence” in the July-September 2019 issue of PCE International, which is the leading magazine in the protective and coatings industry.
• Luigi has been published in top scientific journals as well as P&I Clubs buletins and cargo magazines. He has been invited to give seminars and training presentations on coatings, carriage of specific cargoes and loss prevention. He has also prepared technical scientific reports for, and given evidence at, arbritrations in the United Kingdom and Hong Kong, and Court proceedings in China and Singapore. 

Professional Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Chemistry - Otago University, New Zealand
• BSc. in Chemistry - Universita' degli Studi di Bari, Italy
• Diploma in Coatings for Corrosion Control (Distinction) - Corrodere Academy
• ICorr Level 3 Coatings Inspector
• IMO PSPC Coatings Inspector
• Pipeline Coatings Inspector
• Insulation Inspector
• Marine and Offshore Coatings Inspector

Memberships/Affiliations

• Chartered Scientist (CSci)
• Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry (MRSC)
• Member of the Institute of Corrosion (MICorr)
• Member of the Royal Society of Biology (MRSB)

Languages

• English (fluent)
• Italian (fluent)

Notable Assignments

• Acted as expert witness in courts and tribunals in relation to damage to soybean cargoes, quality of coal cargo, liquefaction, coating failures on board vessels, theft of precious mineral cargo in containers, theft of fuel oil from a refinery, hardening of a cement cargo, fire onboard a container ship, off-spec of cargoes carried on products/chemical tankers, and hull fouling disputes.