About the Author
Nigel Draffin’s reputation as a teacher and as a writer is boosted still further with the publication of Commercial Practice in Bunkering, his fourth specialist title on the marine fuels industry and another very valuable addition to the growing library of books on bunkering.
Nigel has been involved in shipping for over 45 years and with the commercial bunker market for over 25 years. After joining Shell Tankers as an apprentice engineer in 1966, he progressed through the ranks, serving on all classes of vessel, including very large crude carriers (VLCCs) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers.
He came ashore in 1979 to join the newbuilding department of Shell International Marine. After two years of new construction in Ireland, South Korea and the Netherlands, he transferred to Shell’s Research & Development unit, specialising in control systems, fuel combustion and safety systems.
In 1986, Nigel moved to the commercial department as a bunker buyer and economics analyst. In 1988, he was promoted to be Head of Operational Economics, responsible for all of the fuel purchased for the Shell fleet, the operation of the risk management policy and the speed / performance of the owned fleet. In March 1996, he joined the staff of E.A.Gibson Shipbrokers Ltd in the bunker department, and became the manager. In 2006, this department merged with US-based broking house LQM Petroleum Services, where Nigel is currently Senior Broker and Technical Manager.
Nigel is a founder member of the International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA) and has served several times on its council of management and executive board, most recently as Honorary Treasurer. He currently serves as co-ordinator of IBIA’s Education Working Group and is the author of IBIA’s Basic Bunkering Course. He is the Technical Director of the Oxford Bunker Course and Director of the Oxford Bunker Course (Advanced). Nigel is a member of the Institute of Marine Engineering Science and Technology and Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Fuellers.
Nigel’s previous books have been sold all over the world and continue to contribute enormously to the knowledge and understanding of hundreds of newcomers to the industry. His first book, An Introduction to Bunkering (2008), provides a comprehensive entry-level introduction to bunkering, offering newcomers bite-sized pieces of key information in a format ‘packed with useful and relevant data, practical illustrations and enough pictures to help anyone understand exactly what bunkering is all about’.
His second book, An Introduction to Fuel Analysis (2009), taps into a growing thirst for information on bunker quality issues. It provides a reference for those who need to understand the terminology and the reporting used in fuel analysis.
Nigel’s third title, An Introduction to Bunker Operations (2010), is filled with colourful photographs and graphics designed to help the reader visualise important aspects of bunker operations, from choosing the right flanges, hoses and samplers, to handling barges, pipelines, road tankers and storage tanks. His latest book, Commercial Practice in Bunkering, concentrates on the buyer and the seller and the contract between them, and takes the reader to a higher level of understanding of this uniquely global industry. |
