Solships - Solstad Offshore ASA Solships 55th edition | Page 23

COMPETENCE and shared experience lately . She is not sailing anymore but working onshore as a Vessel Manager . Her name is Giulia Barbosa and I am a huge fan . If in the need of support from the operations department I know we can count on her .
Tell us about how you came to choose a career on an offshore vessel . After graduating from Maritime School , I embarked as a Deck Cadet on board an LNG ships . Back then I did not know much about the offshore industry but after being promoted to officer I quickly understood that I was not motivated to stay on board for many months in a row . Therefore I sent in my application to some offshore companies and was hired only a few days later . Over time , I learned to like this profession and started to pursue the purpose this career could give to me .
Which vessels have you sailed on and do you have any favorites ? I first started on Far Sailor . As I had no experience within anchor handling , it was a tough challenge . Reminiscing back on those early days make me laugh because it reminds me how much I changed and learned over the years . I have also sailed on Far Senior , Far Supporter , Far Saga , Normand Serenade , Normand Starling ( where I had my first experience as a Captain ), Normand Swift and of course Far Scotsman . The ones that bring me very good memories are definitely Far Sailor and Normand Serenade but I like them all indeed .
What does sustainability mean to you and what do you do at work and / or at home to reduce your environmental footprint ? Sustainability is the future . It is something we need to think about if we want to succeed . It is about green operations , consciousness , marine resource management , pollution prevention and so on . On board we always try to reduce diesel consumption and use as little as possible to save equipment . At work or at home I avoid using disposable cups , have my own cup and encourage the crew to do the same . I also reduce my waste and segregate it properly .
How has Covid-19 affected your workday ? Well , my routine changed dramatically specially as a Captain once I have to ensure the implementation of COVID policies . When on board I pray no one will claim cough , fever or any symptom which might be a COVID indication and possibly jeopardize crew ´ s safety . So I worry about it all the time mainly when I get visitors such as pilots or third party personnel . At meetings all are encouraged to clean and disinfect hands , use face mask and practice social distancing .
What is the most significant thing you have achieved in your career so far and why ? I never thought I would come this far . My God , I am a
MONICA MENEZES COSTA
Age 34 Vessel Far Scotsman Residence Rio de Janeiro , Brazil
Captain now . Some years ago if someone asked me where I would picture myself in the near future I would never say : On board a vessel as a Captain . So , this is unbelievable and I am so proud of it because I know how hard I worked to get this far . But on top of that I really earned people ´ s recognition and this is priceless . Somehow , I managed to inspire some seafarers and became an example for some ones , so I believe that was actually the most significant thing in my career so far .
If you could give any piece of advice to a previous employer / colleague what would it be ? Communication is key to success . The ability to communicate efficiently makes an impact on the results we can achieve as an organization .
How has your perception of the offshore industry changed over the past years ? When first starting I remember the vessels were not that resourceful and high tech and they were basically dedicated for one purpose only . Many vessels now perform more than one kind of operation . For instance , there are anchor handlers that carry out ROV inspections or PSV that perform Fi-fi and oil recovery operations . I believe I went through a transition specially regarding DP , navigation
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