Andrew Hinton
offshore construction manager and consultant
Expertise
Construction, Project ManagementLocation
ScotlandMy highlights
Participating in development of remote subsea construction, opening up access to the ocean
Helping to cap the Deepwater Horizon oil spill
Installing pioneering renewable technologies for floating wind and wave energy converters
A day in my life
My day starts at 6am with a handover from my night shift and a review of ongoing construction operations.
Then I have some coffee and morning meetings with offshore team leaders and clients, setting out strategy and priorities for the day. This is followed by meetings with the onshore stakeholders and offshore vessel on the project.
Then, I'll monitor ongoing operations by visiting operation centres around the ship.
I'll brief the shift team leaders starting at noon, and break for lunch.
I'll then do some afternoon planning and resolve operational challenges with engineers and team leaders.
Then, I'll conduct some operational leadership in the control room over the meal break, have my evening meal and handover to the night shift at 6pm.
Finally, I'll visit the gym, phone home and go to bed.
Civil engineering supports everything from the fundamentals of social needs to the latest technologies.
Which individual project or person inspired you to become a civil engineer?
Although I didn’t realise at the time, my interest in engineering came from growing up looking at the structures of the Settle-Carlisle Railway that stand in stark contrast to their surroundings.
The decision to pursue civil engineering is credited to my cohorts at WR Tuson College Preston.
We asked Andrew…
I would recommend a career in civil engineering because…
As a civil engineer you will be part of the solution to our greatest challenge, climate change.
You will improve the lives of others while having an adventure and working with amazing people from all over the world.
What’s the biggest/most complex thing you’ve made out of Lego? How long did it take you?
The biggest single piece was four cylinder racing car when technical Lego first came out. As a project, my brother and I would build Lego railways with supporting infrastructure.
My dad made us light bulb signals and a photodiode switch for the locomotive.
Complete this phrase: I’m a civil engineer, but I’m also...
...a husband and dad.
What about being a civil engineer gets you out of bed each morning?
The adventure and challenges that come with working on the ocean.
The camaraderie of a team isolated on a ship.
Which civil engineering project (past or present) do you wish you’d worked on?
Operation Pluto, the first reeled pipe under the sea
Name one civil engineering myth you’d like to bust.
Civil engineers drive vans, dig up roads and wear muddy boots.
In reality, civil engineering is limited only by your imagination.
Has civil engineering helped you overcome any personal hurdles/difficulties?
I have a form of dyslexia and have always found written communication difficult, so I followed my strengths, which are numbers and problem solving.
Civil engineering has plenty of opportunities to excel using my strongest skills.
Any hobbies?
Exploring the outdoors and photography.
Andrew's career path
- Day release at WR Tuson College Preston, BTEC in Civil Engineering
- Bachelor of Engineering at Bradford University
- Civil engineering construction with Volker Stevin
- Member of the ICE
- Subsea construction with Stolt Offshore and TechnipFMC
Major projects
- Åsgard: a field at the limits of saturation diving depths (300m) developed using remote operated vehicles (ROV) 1999
- Nakika Project: complex and deepest pipelines (2000m) installed at the time (2003)
- Hywind Demo: 1st floating turbine (2009)
- Capping the Deepwater Horizon oil well blowout (2010)
- Kaombo large subsea development
- CorPower Wave Energy Converter
