Maritime expertise. Scientific rigor.
William H. D. Ostara
🗎 Curriculum Vitae
I have gone to sea professionally for over 20 years.
My experience includes tugs, passenger vessels, the oilfield, private yachts, square-riggers, small open Outward Bound boats, and commercial Alaskan fishing vessels, including some featured on Deadliest Catch, and also amendment 80 fishing trawlers for pollock and the head & gut fleets.
Over my career I found myself increasingly responsible for the wellbeing of not just the ship, its mission and equipment, but the lives of others. I have led internal investigations for failed machinery, operator error, and near-miss incidents. I am now pursuing a PhD in decision-making psychology to better inform the choices we make in high-risk environments in a research and evidence-based manner, combining scientific rigor with lived experience. Bringing this knowledge and discipline to your most complex maritime investigations, legal matters, and expert testimony is the purpose of Sci Maritime.
William H. D. Ostara
Principal Consultant & Founder
Offering
- Vessel risk assessments and compliance reviews.
- Incident investigations and root cause analysis.
- Expert witness services and testimony.
Serving
- Vessel owners, operators, and managers.
- Legal counsel in maritime casualty and compliance.
- Based in Washington State, available to travel world-wide.
Why Sci Maritime?
- Cross functional expertise. I have worked as processor, deckhand, boatswain, mate, captain, chief engineer, and shipyard project management, with the appropriate USCG licenses. This breadth provides holistic understanding of vessel operations beyond compartmentalized technical analysis.
- Human factors insight. I analyze not just what failed, but why. My background enables me to examine crew decision-making, communication breakdowns, training gaps, and the organizational culture that contribute to maritime incidents.
- Current hands-on experience. As a serving chief engineer on commercial fishing vessels, I maintain direct familiarity with modern systems, real-world operational constraints, and the practical challenges crews face under pressure.
- Clear communication. Trained as a maritime instructor, I translate complex engineering into accessible explanations for legal counsel, juries, and stakeholders who need to understand technical causation without engineering degrees.
For more information, see the services page.
Sci Maritime 