Erick Weston, who spent a large part of career in the LNG shipping industry, has died aged 66.
Weston, who has been based in Singapore for several years, died in London on 26 November.
He had been battling cancer for some years.
Born in the southern Scottish village of Crawford in 1956, Weston started his career as an engineer cadet at Shell in 1975.
In 1977, on his first voyage as a cadet, he joined the then 35,000-cbm LNG carrier Methane Progress (built 1964) — one of the world’s first LNG carriers — in Canvey Island in the south of the UK.
He went on to work on tankers, building his way up to chief engineer in 1987 before coming ashore a year later.
During his time with Shell, Weston worked as fleet manager for the Nigeria LNG project, in which Shell has been a major shareholder, overseeing the nine LNG carriers with the development at that time.
He also took on the general manager’s role with North West Shell Shipping in Perth, Australia.
In October 2017, he moved on to work with Anadarko as it started to develop the Mozambique LNG project.
Weston was appointed director of LNG shipping and oversaw the tender for up to 17 LNG carrier newbuildings.
He spent another year with the project when it was taken over by French energy major TotalEnergies.
The major declared force majeure on Mozambique LNG in April 2021 and plans for the 17 LNG carrier newbuildings and the four owners lined up to build them at two South Korean yards still remain on ice.
Most recently Weston, who was known for his upbeat outlook on life and engagement with the industry, had been working with French classification society Bureau Veritas.
Singapore-based David Barrow, who is vice president for South Asia at Bureau Veritas’ Marine & Offshore division, said: “Erick was an inspiration and real support to us during his three years with Bureau Veritas.
“Passionate about safety — always improving performance in safety — and about decarbonisation, he was a deeply experienced shipping man in general, as well as being an LNG expert. He was an exceptional leader and mentor with great vision and drive, taking a keen interest in young and old.”
Clare Pike, vice president of human resources at Bureau Veritas, said Weston was “highly perceptive, engaging, with a great sense of fun and humour”.
“His experience and tenacity gave all those who worked with him a sense of confidence, integrity and certainty,” she said.
Barrow added: “Our thoughts are with his family. We will miss him very much.”
