WHO WE ARE

 

EC3 Marine Ltd is an independent and professional Marine Claims Service company based in the UK providing Surveying, Claims and Recovery Services to the London, UK Regional and Global Marine Insurance Markets. We are a “boutique” claims management company offering our clients 360 degree claims solutions 24/7 – all with a personal touch.

Specialties:
Global TPA Services
Marine & Transit
Additional Expertise:
Cargo
Claims Adjustment/Settlement
Recovery
Risk Assessment
Loss Prevention
Adjuster Experience:
45 years
Email:
richard@ec3marine.com
 

Richard Grassick

Founder

Richard entered the Insurance Industry in 1971 as a trainee Average Adjuster with Richards Hogg International in the UK and spent the next 9 years working in that sector, including a 2 year spell as an expatriate in Greece. In 1980 his choice of career path changed direction when he joined an international company of Loss Adjusters and Marine Surveyors and developed his skills as a Marine Surveyor.
During the past 35 years or so as a marine surveyor Richard has dealt with somewhere in the region of 3 to 4 thousand surveys worldwide for Cargo Underwriters, Shipowners and P&I Clubs etc. The surveys ranged from relatively minor damage claims involving cargo in containers to major rejection claims in respect of entire shiploads including perishable cargoes such as sugar, wheat, rice, frozen meat, fish, tuna, bananas, pineapples, cocoa butter, soya, dairy products, etc. He also handles claims involving machinery and project cargo worldwide and regularly receives instructions to review papers on complex claims and provide expert opinion prior to legal proceedings.
Richard has appeared in court on several occasions as a witness of fact, both in the UK and Spain, and at arbitration and mediation in London on behalf of Underwriters.
He has been called upon on several occasions to deliver lectures on the carriage of goods, including machinery and perishable commodities and was involved on the committee of the British Association of Cargo Surveyors updating the examination syllabus.
Richard joined McLarens operation in Shanghai in November 2012 as China Regional Marine Manager to pass on his knowledge and experience to the local surveyors and adjusters and to develop McLarens presence in the region.
After three and a half years in China, Richard returned to the UK in June 2016 to join EC3 Marine as consultant surveyor.
Specialties:
Marine & Transit Cargo Claims & Recoveries
Additional Expertise:
P&I Claims Management
Survey co-ordination
Experience:
27 Years
Email:
graham@ec3marine.com

Graham Smith

Founder

Graham started his career in insurance in 1988 at a regional broker placing personal lines and car insurance. In 1990 he joined W E Cox & Co as a Directors Assistant where he went on to spend the next 18 years handling marine claims under subrogation, predominately on behalf of cargo insurers, gaining extensive knowledge of all SEA AIR & ROAD carriage conventions. He went on to be appointed to the board of directors responsible for major US/UK, European and Far East accounts.
In 2008 he jumped ship to work for one of the oldest P&I Club’s in the world defending and negotiating marine liability claims on behalf of their Scandinavian ship owner members including the handling of high profile collision and casualty, GA/Salvage cases including LOF and liaison with H&M insurers.
In 2010 Graham joined Lloyd’s where he worked for 7 years in the Agency Department looking after the performance of the Lloyd’s Agency Network and providing technical support to the Agents in all 3 disciplines of marine claims.
Graham has travelled extensively giving lectures and training on Recoveries, Surveying and Claims management and is currently a Committee member of the ICIC Conference. We are delighted to now have him on board as our in-house recoveries expert.
Specialties:
Cargo & Claims Surveys & Claims Adjustments
Hull & Machinery Surveys & Claims
Risk Management
Small Craft and Yacht Claims & Surveys
Motor Vehicle Inspection Services
Additional Expertise:
Recoveries
Project Cargo Surveys
Business Administration
Experience:
24 years
Email:
andrewheathcote@ec3marine.com

Andrew Heathcote

Director

Andrew started his career as a marine cargo surveyor in Durban, South Africa, in 1996, gaining practical hands-on experience in a wide variety of bulk, break-bulk and containerised cargoes.
After a brief hiatus during which Andrew was able to pursue his love of competitive sailing and international travel, he re-joined the marine insurance world in 2001, taking on a role in new risk and claims assessment with a Durban based insurance broker with a large small-craft book. An approach in late 2003 from Rennie Murray & Co., the Lloyds Agents in South Africa, took Andrew to Port Elizabeth where he re-established a branch of the company at the site of its oldest Lloyds Agency appointment, dating back to 1782. Andrew’s career at Rennie Murray & Co. took him back to Durban as Branch Manager in 2007, where he became a Director of the company in 2017 and Managing Director a year later.
In addition to gaining significant management and corporate board experience, during this period, Andrew was able to travel extensively, establishing a wide network of insurance industry contacts in the UK, Europe, India and China. A desire to pursue new challenges in a dynamic and growing company brought Andrew to the UK in September 2022 where he joins EC3 Marine in a survey and claims management role. We’re pleased to be able to tap into the wealth of experience in management of Cargo & Claims Surveys & Claims Adjustments, Hull & Machinery Surveys & Claims, Risk Management, Recoveries, Project Cargo Surveys, Small Craft and Yacht Claims, and Motor Vehicle Inspection Services, as well as an extensive network of contacts and local knowledge of the Southern African region.
Specialties:
Regulatory compliance
Agency network management
Risk assessment and mitigation
Project management
Technology change management
Marine cargo insurance
Additional Expertise:
Accounting and auditing
Data analysis/data science
Relationship management
Contract management
Human Resources
Employee training
Mental health and well-being
Events co-ordination
Claims Experience:
25 years’ experience in the Financial Services sector
Email:
tina@ec3marine.com

Tina Rowland

Head of Operations

Tina started her career in insurance with Lloyd’s and spent 13 years in the Regulatory, Accounting and Auditing Division. She briefly put her career on hold to have a family, and when returning gained experience in data analysis in the Charity and Academic sectors.
In 2005, Tina set up her own company to embrace an opportunity to work in conjunction with DFID, scientists and the FAO in order to repackage scientific research generated over a decade by the DFID Renewal Research and Development Programmes.
Tina subsequently returned to Lloyd’s where she worked for the last 12 years in the Agency Department managing the team responsible for the Operational oversight of the Lloyd’s Agency Network which included helping to organise the Lloyd’s Agency Conference. Tina also had the opportunity to travel when supporting audits of the Lloyd’s Agents and international events held by the Agency Department. During her time at Lloyd’s she also gained experience in risk assessment/mitigation, project management and technology change management. As an experienced interviewer Tina has supported the Lloyd’s Emerging Talent Programme and as a Mental Health and Wellbeing champion provided support to colleagues at Lloyd’s company-wide.
Tina also provided support with the set-up of and facilitation of the inaugural meeting of the ICIC Cargo Conference.
Specialties:
Marine and Transit Surveys
Risk Management
Loading Surveys
CAT attendance
USA Claim/Survey Management
Additional Expertise:
Recovery
Mediation
Loss Prevention
Claims Adjustment/Settlement
Claims Experience:
33 Years
Email:
robert@ec3marine.com

Robert Jull

Consultant Surveyor

Robert started his insurance career in 1987, working as an underwriting assistant at Lloyd’s on a number of related syndicates, covering direct marine insurance as well as marine and non-marine re-insurance.
In 1989, Robert went into the Import and Export sector where he was responsible for shipping operations, including the preparation of export and insurance documents, until 1991 when he joined L&J Recoveries Ltd. at Heathrow airport, initially undertaking recoveries against air and road carriers as well as handling liability claims on behalf of the cargo operations of Virgin Atlantic and their insurers.
In 1992 Robert set up a surveying operation from the Heathrow office, initially focused on fresh flowers and perishables before developing the services to incorporate a general cargo survey and investigation operation.
Robert transferred to L&J International, based in Harlow, in 1994 as a cargo surveyor and investigator undertaking numerous surveys and investigations throughout the UK, Europe and further afield on a wide range of products. In addition to surveying duties he was jointly responsible for managing the claims and risk management surveys for several prestigious clients such as Rolls Royce Power Generation projects in Asia, the Middle and Far East including arranging loading, discharge and damage surveys.
As Robert gained experience more international assignments were undertaken in Europe, USA, Russia, Asia and North Africa. Including risk management assignments on static locations for static cargo and specie risks as well as managing warranty surveys on some of the largest infrastructure projects at the time.
In 2004 Robert became Managing Director of L&J Group Services with responsibility for operations in the UK and internationally for both claims and risk management but primarily in the USA. Robert’s experience extends not only to the day to day survey operations but also to organising operations following natural disasters in the USA involving hundreds of millions of dollars of advised losses. He also has clearance to supervise the shipment of military equipment and defence systems between the USA and the Middle East. In addition, he has also attended mediations in the USA on behalf of insurers and regularly liaised with insurers legal representatives.
Robert was a partner and director of IRSS and RISS, a joint venture with ex-special forces operatives, co-ordinating surveys in Libya following the fall of the Gadhafi regime as well as in several other high risk areas and undertook ISPS audits on oil terminals in the Middle East.
When L&J stopped accepting new instructions in November 2018 Robert operated as an independent survey, investigator and risk management consultant undertaking surveys and investigations in the UK and USA on a wide variety of cargoes as well as consulting on CIT losses in Europe and a large jewellery robbery in the UK.
Robert began working with EC3 Marine as a consultant surveyor in February 2020.
Specialties:
Marine and transit cargo claims
All types of P&I claims
Casualty claims: Salvage, GA and collision
Experience:
44+ years
Email:
andy@ec3marine.com

Andy Macrow

Consultant

Andy started his career in 1973 working for the Prudential Assurance Company as a trainee in the Fire & Accident department, dealing with travel insurance, Fidelity Guarantees and Public and Employers’ Liability covers.
In 1974, he moved into the marine sector with W.K.Webster & Co, initially as a cargo claims adjuster and then for some 16 years dealing with Salvage, GA, Collision and Fraud claims for Cargo owners and Insurers based worldwide.
In 1993, he joined Birketts solicitors, where he benefitted from an extensive introduction to the Courts and added legal knowledge and experience. He continued to deal with Insurers internationally to handle casualty business and to advise on cargo liabilities.
In addition, he began handling claims for and against road hauliers and freight forwarders and developed a very successful maritime debt collection practice.
Subsequently, Andy worked at Hardwick Stallards and Hill Dickinson, continuing to build on his knowledge and experience, adding a number of trading houses to his clients.
In 2002, he joined the West of England P&I Club as a claims handler working mainly with Scandinavian, British and French shipowners. In addition to his existing skills, Andy added dealing with personal injury (passenger, crew and others) and industrial disease claims to his CV. He developed a particular knowledge and understanding of the ro-ro business.
Following his official retirement from WEST, Andy joined EC3 Marine as a claims consultant in February 2021.
Andy has travelled extensively, lecturing on many topics, and became an integral part of the training process for a leading ro-ro operator. He represented WEST at the North Sea Operators’ Claims Conference from 2003, where he was a Board Member for many years, serving as Chairman from 2013 to 2018. In addition, reflecting his desire to share knowledge and experience, he was the WEST Club mentor for those studying for the P&I Qualification. He is a Qualified member of the Chartered Insurance Institute and the Society of Claims Professionals and is a member of the Nautical Institute.
Specialties:
Marine Cargo & Transit Claims
Adjustment/Settlement
Subrogation & Recoveries
Additional Expertise:
Desktop Surveys & Investigations
Billing & Fee Collection
TPA Support

Adjuster Experience:
6 months

Email:
olivia@ec3marine.com

Olivia Menges

Claims Graduate

Olivia started her career at EC3 Marine after graduating from the University of Bristol with a degree in Economics. Olivia joined the team as a Claims Graduate in October ’22 supporting all sides of the business, first gaining experience in handling and pursuing recoveries. She now manages her own case load, handling and adjusting marine cargo claims as well as assisting our in-house surveyors with “desktop” investigations and issuing her own reports. Operationally Olivia also helps input claims data and maintaining our Case Management System, Fee Collection and supports our Brand & Marketing initiatives, as well as taking a keen interest in our Social Media platforms.

 

“I have worked with EC3 Marine for a number of years, their knowledge and expertise in their field make them a pleasure to work with.”

 

Sarah Joiner
Burns & Wilcox

 

“Your efforts really are appreciated; great service as always.”

 

Jane Leeks
AXA XL, a division of AXA

“We were uninsured for a loss involving some vehicles lost as a result of a fire/sinking – we appointed EC3 Marine who managed to negotiate a settlement on our behalf after overcoming a strong defence from the owners P&I Club. We highly recommend their exceptional service, knowledge and advice.”

 

Ariel Franco
Uninsured shipper from Germany

 

“Good work from EC3 Marine”

 

Belgium Office
AXA XL, a division of AXA

 

“When you purchase a GIT/FFL insurance policy, you don’t appreciate the value of it until you receive a claim. EC3 Marine Ltd are experts in their field and go the extra mile!”

 

Leon Grayson
Straightforward Transport Ltd