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North Star Shipping engineer awarded Merchant Navy Medal

The chief engineer of a North Star Shipping vessel, Dennis Talbot, has been awarded one of the highest merchant navy accolades granted to serving seamen.

Mr Talbot, chief engineer of offshore platform supply vessel, the Grampian Explorer, has been awarded the Merchant Navy Medal for his services to shipping and the training of engineer cadets.

The award recognises meritorious service by British merchant seafarers and other people who have made a significant contribution to merchant shipping.

Nominated by his crew, Mr Talbot will claim his medal at a glittering ceremony held in London this week and is one of only a handful of other British Merchant seafarers to be awarded the honour.

North Star Shipping, a division of global shipping and energy services firm Craig Group, manages and operates a fleet that stands at 31 vessels and includes a mix of offshore supply, ROV survey and emergency response and rescue vessels.

The North Star fleet currently provides services to more than 45 installations in the North Sea.

Mr Talbot, 64, has been with North Star since August 2003 and said he was surprised and extremely humbled to be nominated by his crew.

He said: “I am over the moon to be awarded the Merchant Navy Medal, it is such a huge honour.

“One of the most important aspects of working safely at sea is having a great team around you and this award is a tribute to the crew on the Grampian Explorer, and to all at North Star Shipping, who work so hard and provide fantastic support.”

Mr Talbot, who lives in Preston, was described as a “first class engineer” by colleagues.

Callum Bruce, managing director of North Star, said: “We are delighted that Dennis has been recognised in this way as we believe he wholeheartedly deserves this award.

“Not only is he a first class marine engineer he is a nice person to know also; generous, kind, hard working, punctual and has a great sense of humour.

“Dennis has trained about fifty cadets during his time with us and always has time for every one of them. He is very respected by all the other crew members and is a great ship mate.

“People often use the phrase ‘he deserves a medal’ and that’s Dennis. It’s great to see he is actually getting one.”

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