Marcelo Rodrigues

Managing Scientist at Brooks Bell

Speaker

Dr Marcelo Rodrigues, a Managing Scientist at Brookes Bell, has specialised full-time since 2018 in investigating the cause and effect of maritime claims, the majority of which concern cargo casualties and charterparty disputes related to hull fouling and its consequences on a vessel’s speed and performance. In these areas of expertise, he advises maritime professionals such as shipowners, charterers, commodity traders, insurers, and shipping lawyers.

Marcelo is now based in Liverpool after a secondment in Brookes Bell’s Hong Kong office. He has a BSc obtained in Brazil and PhD in Spain, both in Biological sciences. Before becoming a consultant for the maritime industry, he conducted academic research at the postdoctoral level at the University of Vigo (Spain), the University of Innsbruck (Austria), the University of Mons (Belgium) and Newcastle University (UK). During his postdoctoral assignments, he was granted the Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellowship to conduct his studies on how animals establish bonding underwater. He is a Member of the Royal Society of Biology and the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science & Technology.

As a biofouling scientist, he has been extensively involved with incidences of hull fouling and has extensive experience in the biology of major marine fouling organisms, which settle on the ship’s hull and other submerged man-made structures. He has presented at several international conferences, acted as a referee for scientific journals and expert panels for the European Union, and published scientific articles on the subject.

Marcelo grew up in Santos (Brazil), a prominent maritime port and in addition to English, he is fluent in Portuguese and Spanish. Last but not least, what does he enjoy doing when not at work? Sailing his yacht, which he greatly enjoys, despite the slightly (normally!) cooler climes of northwest England.