The Atlantic & Americas Summit took place from September 24 to 26, gathering team members from Houston, São Paulo, Buenos Aires, and Santiago for three days at Odfjell's headquarters in Bergen.
The summit featured a series of presentations covering fleet strategy, upcoming environmental regulations, and how Odfjell plans to tackle future challenges from a corporate perspective.
During her session, Unni Monsvold Mjelde, Operations Manager, posed two important questions for everyone to consider:
“1) What expectations do we have for our colleagues and ourselves in our roles? 2) What actions can we take to support our colleagues in fulfilling those expectations?”
In addition to these presentations, the Operations and Trade Teams gathered to discuss chartering and operational challenges, along with strategic issues. Through these focused sessions, plans and strategies were developed, aiming for improved earnings and a strengthened operational and commercial platform.
An equally valuable part of the summit was the team-building activities that followed the formal meetings. Although the teams collaborate daily, these gatherings offered a unique chance to strengthen the cooperation between offices and gain a clearer understanding of each other’s strengths and challenges, fostering a more efficient and attractive workplace.
The evening events included visits to Fløyen and various restaurants in Bergen’s city center, where the energy and enthusiasm of the daytime meetings carried over into lively evening sessions.
Reflecting on the summit, VP Trade Arild Viste noted:
“The event was a great success overall, and now it is up to the group to implement and execute the new plans and strategies we agreed upon during our seminar”
The Middle East/India/Africa Summit was arranged close to Bergen October 21-23, in the beautiful village of Voss. Team members from Dubai, Durban, Houston, Mumbai, and Bergen gathered to update each other of the situation on the ground in the regions, as well as conducting fruitful discussions about strategies moving forward.
With many new members joining the MEIA team, this year’s in-person meeting was especially valuable for building connections.
The days in Voss were spent discussing which CoA’s and trades to give priority, where to defend and where to possibly let go. Communication was a core topic, and there was an overall understanding that one can always improve and get better.
The possible use of AI as a tool in an ever-increasing information flow was on the agenda, as well as more discipline when it comes to the numerous platforms on which we communicate. To this, Hans Christian Rabben, VP Trade, remarked:
“Making sure information is shared in a structured fashion is one of the key elements to well-funded decision making and by that, our mutual success.”
Additionally, Anette Wik Silden highlighted the importance of setting clear expectations, referencing Unni’s session at the Atlantic & Americas Summit: “We must challenge each other by asking what expectations we hold for our colleagues and roles, and, just as importantly, what we can each do to help our colleagues meet those expectations.”
Reflecting on the summit, VP Trade Hans Christian noted:
“Overall, we had productive days at Voss and enjoyed getting to know our colleagues better.”
