Richard Postles, BSc(Hons)
After completing a Merchant Navy engineering cadet-ship, sponsored by Shell Tankers, at South Shields College, UK and gaining an HND in Marine Engineering in 1988, I worked for Shell Tankers, P&O Cruises, China Navigation and Mercyships.
I worked on steam and motor cargo vessels, container vessels, oil and LNG tankers, cruise ships, bulk carriers and hospital and book / passenger ships worldwide. Of the twenty years at sea I was chief engineer for six years.
While at sea I completed an Open University BSc with honours in design and engineering and was a member of the institute of Marine Engineers, Science and Technology (IMarEST).
In 2008 I started working as a marine insurance surveyor for Inserve, based in London but working worldwide mainly surveying vessels and auditing companies for hull and machinery purposes for Lloyd’s underwriters.
In addition I have carried out P&I, pre purchase, voyage approval, marine assets, fire risk and other specialist surveying. In 2010 I was made a partner and in 2013 senior marine surveyor. In 2016/17 I took a year out and sailed as chief engineer on a passenger vessel with my family mainly around Africa, the Caribbean and South America. I returned to Inserve at the end of 2017.
In 2025, with the winding up of Inserve, I set up Inserve Marine Surveying Ltd.