Company Magazine for the Odfjell Group - April 2008

Trainees in BahrainBy Gunvor Simonsen Meyer and Hilde BølstadIn January 2008, Odfjell and Det norskeVeritas (DnV) started a trainee exchangeprogramme in which trainees fromthese two companies spend a period ofsix to eight weeks at the other party’soffices. The first trainee “on exchange”has been Surveyor Trainee Hilde Bølstadof DnV, who as from January has beenwith Odfjell to learn more about shipmanagement. After a few weeks workingin the Bergen office and sailing withBow Flower, Hilde and SuperintendentTrainee Gunvor S. Meyer went withSuperintendent Oddvin Ertesvåg toBahrain to take part in the dry-dockingof Bow Clipper at the Arab Shipbuildingand Repair Yard (ASRY).After some days in Bahrain, getting familiarizedwith the yard, the vessel finallyarrived. There were two excited traineesstanding at the dockside, waitingfor the ship to moor. Immediately afterarrival, masses of yard workers rambledon board and various ship parts starteddisappearing in different directionsashore. So what is it like to be a traineeon dry-docking for the first time? In oneword: chaotic! So many things happenat the same time, and there are a lot ofimpressions that need to be absorbed.Fortunately, we were both taken verygood care of. Oddvin, as well as JanBjerkan and Ingvald Larsen from theHilde Bølstad entering a tankTechnical department, have shown animpressing patience and willingness toshare their knowledge through an unknownamount of cargo tanks and cofferdams,and countless rounds throughthe workshops of ASRY.The two trainees in Bahrain send our bigthanks to all that have accommodatedfor our training: the superintendent,officers and crew on Bow Clipper, paintand steel surveyors and the people atASRY, and last but not least to the DnVand Odfjell offices for giving us this opportunity!Hilde’s impressions of the traineeprogramme:Working at DnV, the trainee exchangeprogramme with Odfjell is a great opportunityfor me to see the shippingbusiness from the Owner’s point ofview. It has been really interesting tofollow the steps of “Mr Oddvin” andGunvor during these past few weeksand at the same time to learn from theirskills and experience. I have learned alot about the process of a dry-dockingand the working life of the “Super”.Participating at a dry-docking also providesthe opportunity to get familiarwith a specific type of ship on a deeperlevel and thus, gaining more technicalexperience.Superintendent Trainee Gunvor Simonsen Meyer and Surveyor Trainee HildeBølstad during dry-dockingTo see a shipping company from theinside, with their daily challenges andlong-term perspectives on the business,is a unique and valuable experience fora surveyor trainee. I would like to thankOdfjell for opening their doors to meand for offering such a warm welcome.As the first trainee to this exchange programme,I dare rule this project a success.I wish all the best for the futuretrainees, and hope they will enjoy theirstay with DnV as much as I have enjoyedmy time with Odfjell.Odfjell Quarterly April 2008 7