(LONDON) — Tributes have been paid following the death of a leading light at an international maritime service company and consultancy. Capt. George Brook Johnson, who was managing partner and principal at The Maritime Group Ltd (TMG), crossed the bar after a long fight against cancer.
Johnson, who was TMG’s representative for Australasia, spent 49 years at sea after graduating as a cadet from the New Zealand Shipping Co. in 1961.
Brook, as he was known in later years but "Johnny" in earlier years, was born and brought up in Yorkshire, U.K.
He graduated from Warsash Nautical College, in those days part of the University of Southampton but now part of Solent University. He joined M/V Otaio, the New Zealand Shipping Company’s cadet training ship on her second voyage.
He emigrated to Australia in the late 1960s having first married his childhood sweetheart Anne, where they became Australian citizens and parents to two children.
Friends and colleagues at TMG have paid tribute to Brook and have sent their condolences to Anne and family at their home in Brisbane, Australia.
Malcolm Parrott, who is TMG managing director and executive vice president, said, “All at TMG are deeply saddened by Brook’s death and our sincerest sympathies go to his family. Brook was a very old friend of mine dating back to our time together in the New Zealand Shipping Co. in M/V Otaio. All who knew Brook will remember him with great fondness and a smile.”
Capt John M. Cox, TMG president, said, “Brook was an extremely valuable and very popular member of the TMG team. He played a pivotal role in making TMG the success it is today and will be very sorely missed by all and I am deeply upset by his passing.”
Bill Anonsen, managing director of TMG Pacific, added, “Brook was always so pleasant and accommodating. He will be missed by the many people whose lives he touched both professionally and personally."
John W. Bussell, lately TMG representative and managing partner in Singapore but now attached to TMG Europe in London, said, “From my dealings with Brook, he was sincere, had great insight and, this is my perception, a great sense of humor. I am sure he will be deeply missed within the shipping community where he was respected and more especially by his family.”
Johnson, who had dual British and Australian nationality, served on nearly 50 ships during his career at sea. He started as a deck cadet in 1958 and retired as captain on cruise liners in 2006. Apart from cruise vessels, his experience included service in refrigerated vessels, general cargo ships, oil tankers, ro-ro vessels, container vessels and landing craft.
Johnson spent 15 years in the oil offshore Industry, mainly in Australia and Asia as master on offshore support vessels but also as master on a variety of other oil industry vessels. He transferred to a cruise liner as staff captain, was promoted to captain and spent the rest of his sea-going career of 13 years in command of cruise ships.
Johnson was also an author with his works including his autobiography, "A Life on the Ocean’s Wave," and a novel called "Somewhere East of Suez."
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