Melissa Hertel specializes in marine forensic engineering, maritime investigations, and naval architecture at Thornton Tomasetti. She leads multidisciplinary teams to investigate vessel failures, marine casualties, port and terminal incidents, and other complex maritime losses, helping clients determine the cause, origin, and extent of damage. Her expertise includes vessel accident investigations, root cause analysis, salvage engineering, repair and retrofit design, litigation support, insurance claims consulting, and expert witness services. Melissa works with insurance professionals, legal teams, contractors, and owners and operators of commercial vessels, seaports, terminals, waterfront infrastructure, and marine facilities. She provides engineering analysis and practical repair strategies to support complex claims, disputes, emergency response, and recovery efforts.