Despite a bout of seasickness on his first trip aboard his grandfather’s luzzu as a child, Alan Cassar has overcome this initial hiccup and built an impressive marine curriculum.
With 20 years’ experience in marine surveying, Alan has recently opened the doors to his own company – CSR Ltd
an interview with Alan Cassar; Proprietor, CSR Yachting Services
Alan has built a strong reputation as a surveyor and consultant to the marine industry (including both yachting and shipping), where he also provides consultation to government entities with regards to safety issues, fire and rescue as well as search and rescue operations. “I am proud to be able to offer my contributions on a nationwide level. Safety at sea is an area which is especially close to my heart and in which there is room for improvement.
Over the next 5 years, I would like to see more awareness by boat owners with regards to safety. We need to instil safety into the marine culture,
by targeting the younger generation,” he explained, adding that the traffic at sea, in local waters, has increased dramatically over the past years. “Just take a look at Comino in the peak months of July and August. The number and size of sea vessels there has been steadily rising for years, and this trend is expected to continue for the foreseeable future,” he added.
Over the next 5 years, I would like to see more awareness by boat owners with regards to safety. We need to instil safety into the marine culture,
by targeting the younger generation,” he explained, adding that the traffic at sea, in local waters, has increased dramatically over the past years. “Just take a look at Comino in the peak months of July and August. The number and size of sea vessels there has been steadily rising for years, and this trend is expected to continue for the foreseeable future,” he added.
‘CSR’ is an acronym of Alan’s surname
– the Cassar family name. The company is dedicated to his father who some years ago came up with the idea of starting a business, with the aim of having a close knit family at its helm. “My father’s plan succeeded. While the company is still in its early years, I am now developing it beyond the immediate scope of yachting, and my three brothers, who can all contribute according to their individual areas of expertise, are all involved” Alan stated, adding that he is the third of four brothers.
His oldest brother Robert, is an academic in the field of education and holds a PhD in social gaming. “He is the one I go to when I need a sounding board,” Alan added. Glenn too holds a Phd; in metallurgy engineering
and is the head of the department at the University of Malta. “He is an invaluable asset to me, particularly when it comes to insurance assessments. He is also one of the brightest people I have ever met – and I am not just saying that because he’s my brother!” Alan proudly explained. The youngest brother Sean holds a Masters in IT and works in gaming, while also providing CSR Yachting with IT services, including customer relationship management and project management. Alan himself also holds a Masters in marine surveying (with Middlesex university). He is specialised in surveying and is also a Government appointed surveyor, which offers him a competitive advantage. He worked with the then Malta Maritime Authority, now Transport Malta for 7 years.
Alan himself also
holds a Masters in
marine surveying
… He is specialised
in surveying and is
also a Government
appointed surveyor,
which offers him
a competitive
advantage. He
worked with the
then Malta Maritime
Authority, now
Transport Malta for 7
years
“I started out as a clerk in this field as a happy coincidence. I was not originally a seafaring sort of person and had no idea about boating. Both my grandfathers were fishermen, but when I was young I would get seasick. As it turns out, I was at the right place at the right time,” he explained. Alan admitted to having taken to the maritime sector like a fish to water, immediately developing a passion for the job. “I started reading for a diploma in marine surveying while I was working at MMA. The director there at the time, Lino Vassallo, encouraged me and supported me throughout the process. He identified my potential and mentored me, giving me the opportunity to expand my horizons. I respect him greatly and am glad to say that we are still very much in touch,” he said.
After spending 7 years at MMA, Alan joined a private startup company,
where he remained for 9 years, finding a very different environment and undergoing a steep learning curve. “I started my Masters in 2012, when I joined the company. Both the job experience and the degree really expanded my horizons,” Alan said, explaining that he started out in design work, producing models for local boat builders.
He was quickly exposed to surveying and has amassed a vast array of surveys including offshore, bunkering, cargo and military marine surveys. “My work experiences includes travelling overseas, to Europe as well as Asia to carry out surveys on yachts,” he added, when we asked for examples of his international endeavours.
His client base
consists of the
government,
individual
boatowners,
insurance companies
and brokers as well as
shipyards – which call
him in for supervision
of works ranging
from repairs, to spray
works, paint jobs and
mechanical failures
CSR Yachting
provides full-servicing
for the commercial
sector, including
pre-purchase
survey to evaluate
the feasibility of
buying a particular
vessel, gap analysis
to assess whether
a particular yacht
meets the criteria for
registration under
the Maltese flag and
supporting the client
with daily operations
“I decided to set up my own business, now at the age of 38, as I wanted to
do something with the family name. It was not an easy decision to take as I
was recognised and well positioned. However, I kept a positive outlook,
knowing that the start is always the hardest part. I am blessed to have
the support of family, friends and a professional network of people who
believe in me and encourage me,” he explained. And the rest is history: CSR Yachting today provides a range of surveying services and consultancy as well as yacht and ship management services, including the arrangement of bunkering services and provision of staff.
Alan also carries out certification for insurance purposes, assessing damages and claims as well as liaising between the client and authorities. The authorities also allow him to act on their behalf and carry out certification on yachts, which leads to obtaining a licence to charter a superyacht, which is the main area of Malta flag surveying.
“A large part of my job includes the certification of fishing vessels, local
water sports vessels and commercial vessels. Basically I get to certify marine vessels ranging from jet skis to fishing trawlers, which all need to
meet particular standards for certification”, Alan explained.
CSR Ltd provides a range of surveying services and consultancy as well as
yacht and ship management services
His client base consists of the government, individual boatowners, insurance companies and brokers as well as shipyards – which call him in
for supervision of works ranging from repairs, to spray works, paint jobs and mechanical failures. While the pleasure boating sector is a straightforward one, the commercial sector is more complex. CSR Yachting provides full-servicing for the commercial sector, including pre-purchase survey to evaluate the feasibility of buying a particular vessel, gap analysis to assess whether a particular yacht
meets the criteria for registration under the Maltese flag and supporting the client with daily operations. Alan’s experience in both the public and private sector, as well as his educational background provided fertile ground on which to build CSR Yachting. “Having worked with the public regulatory body for the marine sector, I am very fluent with the local regulations. As a surveyor, I was also involved in the drafting of the updated marine code (published in 2020) where I was able to give input about evolving requirements to Transport Malta.
Having worked with
the public regulatory
body for the marine
sector, I am very
fluent with the local
regulations
The idea is to offer
a single package
from purchasing and
financing, to the legal
side of registering a
yacht on the Maltese
flag, and providing
the crew
The code needed to be revised since yachts are becoming larger and technology is evolving at a very fast pace,” he explained. Alan values having good relationships with the authorities and the yacht captains. “I work hard to earn and keep my clients’ respect and I’m always happy to go the extra mile to support my clients. I see my role as simplifying their lives, without cutting corners or compromising on safety – as I firmly believe that safety of life at sea is a priority,” he stressed. In the future and in alignment with the company’s core value of simplifying customers’ lives, Alan is looking to expand the services CSR Yachting
provides, to a collaboration with various stakeholders on different aspects. “The idea is to offer a single package from purchasing and financing, to the legal side of registering a yacht on the Maltese flag, and providing the crew, which I cannot do single-handedly by law, due to conflict of interests,” he added. Alan’s current focus is consolidating his operation and focusing on the local market. “First, I want to see my country develop its full potential in this sector. There is still work to do, particularly in the areas of safety and environmental protection. I am proud of what we have achieved locally and I am keen to continue to contribute to our marine industry,” he explained.
