Paul Shepherd is Chair of the CHIRP Superyacht Maritime Advisory Board, leading the group’s work to strengthen safety awareness and promote open reporting across the superyacht sector. A Master Mariner (Unlimited) with experience across yachts, cruise ships, ferries, tall ships and research vessels, Paul brings a broad operational perspective to his role.
He is the founder and Director of Whitehorse Maritime Academy, the leading provider of oral-exam preparation and professional training for deck and engineering officers, and heads Dragonfly Maritime, which delivers consultancy services to vessel operators seeking to improve bridge resource management, leadership, and operational safety. He is also an ISM lead auditor and inspects vessels on behalf of several flag state administrations.
Through CHIRP and his wider work, Paul advocates for practical, collaborative approaches to safety; encouraging the superyacht industry to learn from near misses and incidents, and to embed proactive safety leadership at every level.