While the tour had been in the works for several years, the pandemic forced a postponement. However, in May, after meticulous planning, Captain Jan Edvardsen finally got to warmly welcome our clients onboard during the ship's busy port stay in Durban.
After the visit, Captain Jan Edvardsen expressed his enthusiasm:
“During Bow Spring stay in the good port of Durban, it was a great experience to have visitors with shipping knowledge onboard from SASOL and to provide them with a guided tour of the vessel together with our professional colleagues from the Durban office.”
Willy Thorsen, CEO Odfjell OMSA, couldn't agree more:
"It was indeed a great pleasure to have the opportunity to host our clients on board and provide them with an understanding of the immense chain of people and equipment required for the carriage of their products."
In total, 13 personnel from SASOL joined together with four from the local Odfjell (Odfjell Mazibuko South Africa, OMSA) office in Durban. The tour started off at the bridge with Captain Edvardsen holding a safety briefing and providing our guests with a wealth of knowledge on the procedures of running a tight ship and ensuring their products are shipped from point A to B safely, sustainably, and more efficiently than anyone else in the industry.
The SASOL colleagues were then split into two groups and were given a guided tour of the engine room and on deck, before everyone gathered in the conference room for some soft drinks and a question/answer session.
OMSA further took the opportunity to extend their gratitude to Captain Jan Edvardsen and his crew for the utmost professionalism and hospitality rendered onboard towards our client.
The event provided an excellent opportunity for both parties to deepen their understanding of each other's operations and build stronger professional relationships. Darian Ince, SASOL Bulk Marine Trade Specialist, expressed his appreciation, stating:
“On behalf of Sasol we would like to thank OMSA for this initiative. Even though we are working in a shipping environment, most of our time is actually spent behind a desk and hardly ever out to experience the reality of what it takes for the ship’s crew to do all that is necessary to safely stow our valuable commodities; it was really a very good experience to come onboard and learn as much as we did. We got to understand the complexities that come with the job and all the physical work that is involved in the whole process.”
Ince also seized the opportunity to commend Captain Jan Edvardsen and his crew for their outstanding decorum and professionalism:
“We would like to acknowledge the Captain and Crew on board the Bow Spring for their warm welcome, hospitality and the sharing of their knowledge and experiences onboard this fine vessel.”
