Marine Engineering Expert Witness

Specialties & Experience of this Expert Witness

Additional Information

Matthew Fenton held an unlimited U.S. Coast Guard Chief Engineer's License from 1990 until 2025 as well as a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Engineering Technology from the California Maritime Academy. He worked in the Far East for twenty-four years before returning to the San Francisco Bay Area in August 2021, where he founded Nicomar LLC and provides expert witness, consultancy and survey services globally. During his 43-year career in the marine and offshore industries, Matthew has served as a senior officer and Chief Engineer on chemical tankers and roll-on/roll-off (Ro/Ro) vessels and as a junior officer served aboard bulk carriers, survey vessels, and passenger/cargo ships before coming ashore as a Superintendent Engineer, then moving into marine consultancy in 2000. Clients have employed him as an expert witness in a range of cases, including stern tube bearing failures, vessel performance and fuel consumption issues in newbuildings, charter redelivery, and floating production system disputes. He has given evidence in LMAA and ICC arbitrations and is a member of the Korean Civil Arbitration Board’s panel of arbitrators. He has also served as an expert witness in personal injury cases in the United States. As a consulting marine engineer, Matthew has investigated many hull and machinery cases, including main and auxiliary engine damage (low and medium speed motor as well as steam turbine), pollution cases, hull casualties, shipboard fires and fuel contamination. His experience includes both commercial and naval vessels. When his firm was appointed to provide forensic investigation support to an Asian government’s enquiry into a passenger ferry sinking, Matthew led the machinery investigation team. Matthew’s naval background resulted in his appointment by an Asian nation’s Ministry of Defence, where he led his firm’s forensic team investigating a shiplift failure; he also developed the shiplift’s salvage program. In addition, he has also been part of a salvage team attending an LPG carrier after an engine room fire. He has applied his project management experience in many cases involving shipyards, both for repair and newbuilding. The issues involved concerned delivery, guarantee and vessel performance. He has employed his offshore operational experience in the survey, management and adjustment of energy claims involving platforms, support vessels and floating production systems. Matthew was responsible for developing and implementing risk engineering programs for vessel fleets, ports, and terminals, and for factory-to-site transportation of heavy lift and project cargo supporting insurance policies that included Delay in Start Up coverage. While working as a Superintendent Engineer, he was responsible for day-to-day operation, maintenance repair and conversion of ocean-going commercial ships as well as floating production systems (FPSO). He was the project manager for the conversion of two RoRo vessels in the United States, and the service life extension of an FPSO in Singapore. His global superintendency background has given him a wide variety of experience in the management of repair projects, including the technical and commercial aspects of working with designer and shipyards. Matthew served in the US Navy’s reserve component in the Middle and Far East, both at sea and ashore in support of fleet and ground logistic operations. His service included carrying out risk assessments of port and shipyard facilities in several countries. His expertise was employed in the development of counter-piracy doctrine and operations in the Horn of Africa. He was decorated for his management of guarantee repairs to the naval logistic ship USNS WASHINGTON CHAMBERS (T-AKE-11). When he retired in June 2012, he held the rank of Captain after 30 years of service. During his 24-year residence in East Asia from 1997 to 2021, Matthew lived and worked in Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Singapore.