Charles Taylor, a global loss adjusting and insurance solutions firm, has expanded its marine technical services (MTS) team with several new hires across key locations in Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and China.
The appointments reflect Charles Taylor’s strategy to strengthen its capabilities in Asia-Pacific and meet the demand for = cross-border marine technical support, reducing client reliance on multiple service providers.
The expansion aims to support Charles Taylor’s clients with complex regional projects, such as damage evaluations for Chinese-owned vessels operating in Australian waters and technical management of repair projects in Singapore.
By adding seasoned professionals to the team, the firm is positioning itself to streamline the claims process and offer clients a comprehensive, end-to-end service approach that integrates technical expertise across multiple jurisdictions.
Appointed as senior surveyor in Sydney, Australia, D’Souza brings over 46 years of experience in the marine and insurance sectors, including 32 years as a claims adjuster. His expertise spans high-value cargo, hull damage, and liability claims.
Based in Singapore as marine surveyor, Eng Hong offers over two decades in the marine sector, including managing shipbuilding projects, handling hull & machinery (H&M) damage claims, and conducting marine warranty surveys for major oil firms like Chevron Thailand and Petrovietnam.
Joining the Hong Kong office as senior marine surveyor, Hawthorne brings 34 years of experience, including work in marine casualty response, heavy lift, project cargo, and warranty services for both H&M and protection & indemnity (P&I) insurers.
Based in Shanghai, Mingxin joins as a surveyor with a background in salvage engineering and project management. His work has included the design of unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) and participation in notable salvage operations, such as the Sewol ferry recovery project in South Korea.
Additionally, Harshvardhan Kumar has been appointed director of MTS in Australia, reporting to Graeme Temple, regional director for MTS.
The leadership role is intended to reinforce the firm’s ability to deliver a seamless service for marine clients throughout Asia-Pacific.
Temple commented that the new team members will greatly enhance the firm’s regional capabilities, allowing it to provide a full suite of solutions to clients facing complex marine challenges.
“With this expanded team, we ensure continuity and consistency and aim to be a trusted partner our clients can depend on for experience and expertise on all aspects of marine technical services, from loss prevention and asset management to major marine property and complex cargo losses,” he said.
The timing of these appointments aligns with broader trends in the global marine insurance industry.
According to the International Union of Marine Insurance (IUMI), the global marine insurance market saw a 5.9% rise in premiums in 2023, reaching a total of $38.9 billion.
Cargo insurance represented the largest share at 56.9%, followed by ocean hull at 23.6%, offshore energy at 11.9%, and marine liability at 7.7%.
Geographically, Europe held 48.5% of total premiums, with Asia-Pacific capturing 28.1%, Latin America 10.9%, and North America 7%.
