John is a seasoned industry professional with ​over forty years’ experience in the maritime industry. He's served as Executive Director/Board member/Non-Executive Director in the public/private sectors & the UK Chamber of Shipping trade association for more than fifteen years.

John is an independent Chairman of Lloyds Register Technical Committee, former member and Director of the Interferry Board, Chairman of the Interferry Regulatory Committee, a member of the Supervisory Board of the UK Chamber of Shipping & founder of JG Maritime Solutions Limited.

Since setting up JG Maritime Solutions John has been involved with Ro-Ro Passenger (Ro-Pax) ship newbuilding programmes with P & O Ferries, Kiwi Rail, and Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC). John provided strategic ferries advice for the rail enabled Ro-Pax new build programme with KiwiRail which involved shipbuilder assessments, classification society reviews, flag state engagement as well as the sourcing, evaluation and recommendation of Naval Architects and Shipbrokers. Additionally, John provided expertise to the P & O Ferries Double Ender Ro-Pax newbuilding programme.

John has provided expertise to many industry committees particularly those dealing with Maritime Regulatory Affairs. He provides independent chairmanship of the Lloyds Register Technical Committee and Interferry’s Regulatory Committee and is a member of the DNVGL Ferry Committee. Additionally, John is engaged on behalf of Interferry with the EE funded LASH FIRE project on fire safety & attends IMO on Interferry’s behalf.

John joined P&O Ferries in 2004 as Fleet Director & was responsible for the safe & efficient operations of up to 23 Ro-Ro Passenger, Ro-Ro Cargo, High Speed Craft and Container vessels. Additionally, he was also responsible for the new-building programme of the Spirit of Britain and Spirit of France built in Rauma, Finland for the Dover to Calais service. During his time at P&O he also gained over three years’ experience as Ports Director managing the eleven port terminals within the P&O Ferries UK/Continent network.

John also served six years at the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) as Deputy Director of Operations, during which he discharged the obligations of the Secretary of State’s Representative (SoSREP) for a six month period, & latterly as Director of Standards, as a member of the MCA Executive Board.

 Prior to that he served for three years as the Fleet Operations Manager of the Stena UK fleet, where he was responsible for the introduction to service of the Stena HSS 1500 vessels Stena Explorer and Stena Voyager .

John served in all ranks at sea on tankers, car carriers, bulk carriers, and container ships before sailing as Master/Senior Master on Ro-Ro Container & Ro-Ro Passenger Ferries.

John is a Fellow of the Nautical Institute (FNI), a Chartered Master Mariner (CMMar), a Fellow of IMarEST (FIMarEST),  & a Chartered Marine Technologist (CMarTEC).