James Leo Dolan (1942-2026)

Past President of Martin & Ottaway

While recovering from cancer surgery, Martin & Ottaway President Emeritus and Senior Consultant James L. Dolan passed away at his home in Rumson, NJ, on August 29, 2026.

Jim Dolan was born in Rhode Island and raised in Lynn, Massachusetts, where he met and married his wife Paula in 1966.

Jim Dolan’s long and distinguished career in maritime began with his attendance at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy where he graduated in 1962 with a degree in Marine and Electrical Engineering. He sailed as an engineer for American Export-Isbrandtsen Line and earned his U.S. Coast Guard Chief Engineer’s license while working for this company.

In 1967 Jim joined the American Bureau of Shipping as a surveyor, where he would spend the next 26 years, rising to ever more responsible positions, culminating with the position of Senior Vice President in 1987. In his career at ABS, he was involved in every aspect of ship classification, not just within ABS, but also on the international level with the International Maritime Organization and the International Association of Classification Societies. A large part of his career with ABS was at international postings where Jim would be joined by his wife and children–Gregory, Michael, Heather, and Erin, some of whom were born abroad.

Jim and his family had a truly international outlook and experience, which resulted in a deep understanding of the complexities of cooperating and clashing cultures. While Jim worked for ABS, a sampling of his postings included various US port cities and international assignments in Taiwan, Tokyo, and London.

Jim’s last postings with ABS were in New York City and then Paramus, New Jersey. New Jersey would become Jim and Paula’s home for the next 41 years–first in North Jersey, later along the northern part of the Jersey shore, and ultimately at their waterfront home on the Navesink River.

In 1993, Jim retired from the American Bureau of Shipping and began a second career as an independent marine consultant with Martin & Ottaway in New York City.

When the company moved to Red Bank, New Jersey, in 1995, he became a partner with the firm as it reincorporated as Martin, Ottaway, van Hemmen & Dolan.

With Henk van Hemmen’s retirement as President in 2000, Jim became President and Managing Partner of the firm, a position he held until his retirement in 2011. Jim continued to work with the firm as a Senior consultant and was still active at the time of his death.

In total, Jim spent 33 years with Martin & Ottaway, his longest stint with one company—a period of time that would constitute an entire career for many other people.

Jim’s long tenure with Martin & Ottaway left an indelible effect on the company. When Jim joined Martin & Ottaway, his prior 34 years of maritime experience found ready application with the company’s clients; but, in particular, his regulatory experience drew in many assignments that very significantly added to the company’s range of services.

With regard to regulatory development and application, Jim became a world-renowned expert and not only functioned on ABS’ behalf but also for other classification societies, shipowners, and underwriters.

Jim also introduced other Martin & Ottaway consultants to the international rule-making arena, particularly Pierce Power, who, with Jim, served on many IMO committees as an observer on behalf of the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) and continues to do so.

With the company’s increasing involvement with environmental crimes, Jim functioned not only as an expert for shipowners and underwriters but also for the US Department of Justice, depending on who called first.

There is no greater validation of a consulting expert than to be equally sought by both sides of an argument. This is inherent proof of an expert’s ethics and aptitude for technical truth and is also expressed in the hundreds, if not thousands, of widely varying projects Jim completed during his time at Martin & Ottaway.

Jim’s duties with ABS had brought him in close contact with dozens and dozens of shipowners, but even more significantly with a large number of surveyors all over the world.

This was a great benefit to the Martin & Ottaway family when there were assignments in isolated or strife-torn locations. Often, Jim could provide an introduction to a local surveyor who would provide local assistance, whether in the form of finding translators, local intelligence, or getting access to sites that would be impossible to reach without local assistance.

Jim’s characteristic calm demeanor, patience, and unparalleled life experience made him an excellent mentor to generations of surveyors and colleagues, of all ages and experience levels. He was sage-like in his intertwined combination of knowledge, wisdom, and general humanity. As well as being a great mentor, colleague, and friend, he was a fabulous traveling companion, complete with his trusted pipe, Diet Coke/Diet A&W Root Beer, and sense of adventure.

In contrast to his work at ABS, which was extremely demanding of his time, in the last 33 years of his life Jim was able to develop a work/home balance that he and his family (and the firm) very much enjoyed. Short commutes, interesting but limited travel, and flexible hours and vacation time allowed for great family excursions, family time at their home and on the local waters with their numerous grandchildren, charity work, and personal challenges such as walking the Camino de Santiago (the Compostela) and climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mt. Fuji – all above the age of 70.

Martin & Ottaway and its employees extend our prayers and best wishes for strength and grace in these difficult days to Paula, Gregory, Michael, Heather and Erin, their spouses, and Jim and Paula’s many grandchildren.

At Martin & Ottaway, Jim Dolan will live on in the Firm’s Pantheon of foundational consultants.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations in his memory be made to the Salesian Formation Community c/o Don Bosco Residence, 518 B Valley St., Orange, NJ 07050.

Mass will be held on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, 10:30 AM, at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, 141 Navesink Avenue, Highlands, NJ 07732.