International marine specialist Kevin Noonan dies

International marine specialist Kevin John Noonan, who was involved in insuring ferries, submarines, ports and an offshore floating hotel, has died after a short illness, aged 88.

Mr Noonan was National Marine Manager until 2021 at Arthur J Gallagher, which he joined in 2010, continuing a long career in broking and underwriting.

Initially, Mr Noonan, a Bundaberg-born plumber’s son, planned to be an industrial chemist and spent eight years with Shell. He moved to insurer Commercial Union in 1959, where he became Queensland Marine Manager.

Later he moved to Lumley Insurance and then SGIO (now Suncorp) and was general manager of several broking firms from 1986 to 1995.

Mr Noonan returned to underwriting in 1995, first for Suncorp as National Marine Manager and then to QBE Mercantile Mutual, with the same title.

During his career he was responsible for insuring all Australian-built, high-speed vehicle and passenger ferries, was instrumental in placing cover for defence craft, including the Collins Class submarines and placed and led covers for port and terminal authorities in Australia and the South Pacific.

He was Australia’s first underwriter to insure construction of marinas, insured a luxury floating hotel and the nearby Fantasy Island, once both located at John Brewer Reef off Townsville, and insured other marine structures such as aquaculture fish pens.

For more than 50 years, Mr Noonan was an adviser to Lloyd’s of London and many maritime professionals on risks and losses. He represented Australia on the International Union of Marine Insurance.

He was the inaugural president of the Brisbane Insurance Club, an active participant in Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance discussion groups and lectured in marine insurance at TAFE and other institutions.