Blue Vessel Sailing for Brisbane Engineer
Clint Larkin – a Brisbane-based Engineer (Class 1) – took up an opportunity to get away into blue water with Maersk Line aboard the 5905 teu vessel Rio Blanco early in 2019.
In a working embodiment of ‘One Maersk and One Svitzer’, time spent aboard Rio Blanco travelling from New Zealand, to Asia and back to Brisbane, offered Clint a chance to further his training, refresh skills and development.
Svitzer Training Manager, Michaela Moss – who collaborated with Singapore-based Maersk Line Crew Manager, Niels Moldrup, to make the working trip a possible – says the experience has given Clint some further training and development, while giving the Maersk Line crew some good insights into Svitzer towage operations.
“He used this time to experience being an Engineer on a larger container vessel with a very multicultural crew,” says Michaela.
From 18 February to 16 March 2019, Clint volunteered as a supernumerary onboard Rio Blanco.
Prior to joining the vessel, in close collaboration with the Svitzer team in Brisbane, Clint received the required documents to embark a non-Australian flagged vessel, including discharge book, Flag
State endorsements and required medical check-up and vaccinations.
“During his time, he completed an Engineering Task Record and trained and mentored the younger Engineers,” Michaela says.
Overall, we feel this exercise has been a good success, and going forward we hope to offer it to more Svitzer crew members who would like a Maersk vessel training and development experience. – Michaela Moss
If you are interested in gaining blue water experience with Maersk, please contact Michaela Moss or Emma Yabsley to discuss eligibility. Please note that STCW Master/Mate/Watchkeepers and Engineers are eligible.