William Hargreaves

Master Mariner

Bill is a Chartered Master Mariner with Command experience and over 30 years of ship-handling and Pilotage experience. He has sailed on Crude and Product Tankers, Gas Carriers and Chemical Tankers as Master and has experience on Bulk Carriers and Car Carriers. He is a qualified Pilot, Pilot Assessor and Lecturer at Solent University – delivering courses on ship handling, ship operations and collision avoidance.

  • Experienced Pilot and Pilot Assessor
  • Extensive Ship Handling Experience
  • Experienced in Tanker, LPG and Bulk Carrier Operations
  • Experienced in Port Development Projects and Charter Party Disputes

Since coming ashore, Bill has worked as a Nautical Surveyor, Pilot and Lecturer. He has been involved in salvage and distress operations, port development projects and Charter Party disputes. He served as a First Class (Unrestricted) Authorised Pilot at the Port of Southampton for 28 years and was primarily responsible for the execution of the pilotage of vessels of all different types, including tankers, passenger ships, ro-ro and container vessels.   He was also responsible for in-house accident investigations, risk assessments, pilot and pilot exemption assessments, and salvage work.  Since 2021 he has kept himself current in pilotage operations as a Relief Pilot in Portsmouth International Port.

As a marine consultant he has been involved in casualty investigations, port development and feasibility studies, navigational impact studies, ship handling, tug operations and pilotage studies.

In parallel with his career as a Pilot, he has lectured at the Warsash campus of Solent University, most recently at the internationally renowned Timsbury Ship Handling Centre. He also has considerable experience as a volunteer officer on square-rigged sailing vessels.

His primary focus is marine casualties, claims, disputes, and litigation, combining both his academic and practical expertise. In addition to his Master Mariner Certificate of Competency, William is a Chartered Master Mariner and has a Masters degrees in Logistic in addition to a Masters degree in advanced pedagogical practice.

Waves Group Personnel