Alan has extensive experience in the marine industry specialising in port and oil terminal operations and management. He was a senior port manager before becoming a consultant and still serves as a Member of the Board of the Port of Cromarty Firth. His various roles gave him the overview and responsibility of ensuring all port management procedures were correctly implemented and audited and he has been involved with and responsible for the production and implementation of SMS procedures for various parties which included oil pollution response and port security procedures at Flotta, Nigg and Finnart oil terminals and Scrabster and Invergordon commercial open ports. He is very experienced in the operational management of oil transfers, oil terminals and tankers and has been involved with specialised marine projects. He has made high level commercial business decisions including port expansion and development. He is a Master Mariner with command experience of various vessel types including ASD tugs mainly in European waters, and has also been a Pilot and Deputy Harbourmaster.