Peter Thornton MBE

Peter started his legal career with Hill Dickinson in 2018 as a marine manager having graduated with distinction in a post graduate diploma in law. In 2019 he graduated with distinction in a master’s degree in law, business and management and went on to complete his training contract with Hill Dickinson with seats in the Cargo & Logistics, Yachts and Shipping teams before qualifying as a solicitor advocate in 2021. He now works for the Shipping and Yacht teams, advising on a wide range of contentious and non-contentious issues, as well as providing master mariner analysis across the Marine Business Group sector.

He brings a wealth of seafaring knowledge to the firm having spent 22 years as a deck officer, starting in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and finishing in the yachting industry as Master. He served on tankers, general cargo, Ro-Ro Class 1, offshore repair ships, large chartered motor yachts, large private sailing yachts and ocean racing yachts. In addition to the usual nautical science master mariner qualifications, he also graduated with distinction in a post graduate diploma in applied navigation and holds a certificate in shipping business from Lloyds Maritime Academy. As a Royal Navy specialist navigator and RFA afloat navigation training officer, he is highly experienced in the field of bridge team management and electronic aids to navigation.

Peter is one of three founding directors of ECDIS Ltd. and original author of The ECDIS Manual, a three part book first published by Witherby-Seamanship in 2012. He has written numerous articles and presentations on converting from paper to digital navigation.