NET WORK - Norwegian Hull Club › assets › Network-magazines › Network... · 2017-07-18 · net work nuMber 1, May 2011 net work nuMber 1, May 2011 2 3 ”Our future depends

NET WORK

H i g H l i g H t s a n d M a r k e t n e w s f r o M n o r w e g i a n H u l l c l u b

M a y 2 0 1 11The value of human capital

The value of human capital

n e t w o r k n u M b e r 1 , M a y 2 0 1 1 n e t w o r k n u M b e r 1 , M a y 2 0 1 1

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”Our future depends largely on people's unique qualities and personalities”

hat is the purpose of Network? We wish to primarily use our

magazine to communicate the core values of Norwegian Hull

Club, which means less space for specific professional information. The reason for this is that the latter is extensively published on our website www.norclub.no.

The recent catastrophe in Japan clearly indicates the importance of communicating with our members and clients online. All relevant information, mostly from an insurance point of view, on how to handle and react to this massive event, was in this instance basically communicated via the Web.The need for speedy and accurate information important to the situation at hand, simply makes the Web the most convenient and practical way of communicating.Therefore we would encourage all our contacts to visit our homepage more often and use it actively. We believe you will experience that the webpage has relevant and useful information for your company.

Turning to this current edition of Network you will quickly realize that the basic value concept we focus on is human capital.

This is quite simply due to us seeing time and time again, in our professional life, that the importance of Human Capital is overwhelmingly the most important factor influencing the outcome of a specific event.

WCONTENTs maNagiNg d iRECTOR

3 Managing Director’s Column

5 Human horsepower

8 Man and machine

13 Safety climate under the microscope

14 When the earthquake hit

16 Web-based contingency team

17 Maritime Labour Convention

18 New perspectives on Offshore Energy

20 The forgotten human capital

25 Jacqueline Smith - A modern seawoman

26 Bringing Farinelli to life

29 Biggest and first in Scandinavia

30 From arch rivals to partners

32 Scua Hamburg 40 years

34 A culinary revolutionary

38 Became Chef of the year with Salima on the menu

40 The importance of Human Resources

The Tsunami in Japan, when seen from a shipping perspective, was again a case where the outcome, to the extent humans can at all influence it, to a large degree was dependent on the acts and decisions by some brave people on board the vessels. The seamanship that was put to the test in Japan saved lives, the environment and vessels.

The management of human capital is also an area of increasing importance and priority for Norwegian Hull Club. We are investing in people and systems that can manage our human resources in the best way possible. Our future largely depends on people’s unique qualities and personalities.

We must not forget Oscar Wilde’s famous statement;

"It is personalities not principals that move the age".

Have a nice summer.

John Wiik


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B y A N N E i L E E N D . N y g å R D , B E R g E N

Supreme Court lawyer Haakon Stang Lund loves sushi. He has also gobbled up his share

of opponents in the courtroom during a law career spanning over 40 years. Norwegian Hull Club is happy to have Stang Lund on its side.

As an employee in the company’s legal department, Stang Lund represents a tremendous

source of professional human capital.

he experienced maritime lawyer serves us hot chocolate and cookies when we visit him one busy afternoon at his office in Bergen. Haakon Stang Lund is a polite man of the old school – who knows

how to “treat” guests, clients and not least opponents in the manner they deserve. With seven cases behind him in the Norwegian Supreme Court, most of which were victories, Stang Lund is hardly a guy you want to have as your opponent in court. His area of expertise is marine insurance law, and he has had many cases – first as a lawyer and partner in the law firm of Wikborg Rein & Co during many years, and now as a corporate attorney for Norwegian Hull Club.

It was not by coincidence that Haakon Stang Lund became a lawyer. It was actually quite natural with over 100 years of family tradition on his shoulders. It is also no coincidence that his name is Haakon. “I was born during the war (WWII) and was child No. 7. My parents’ silent demonstration about the occupying powers, similar to that of many other parents, was to name me after Norwegian King Haakon the 7th. He retained his Danish manner of writing the name with ‘aa’ and I therefore chose to do the same. I even had the privilege of presenting King Haakon a small gift when he was on an official visit to my hometown of Tønsberg in 1952, specifically because I was also ‘Haakon 7.’ It probably helped that my father was the mayor of Tønsberg that year and therefore served as host to the King during that visit,” smiles Haakon Stang Lund.

“It is true that the judicial background of my family is strong, actually through generations, on both the Stang and Lund sides of the family. It started with Prime Minister Frederik Stang around the 1850s, as he was also a lawyer,” says the NHC lawyer.

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Since then a long list of Stang Lunds have taken that path, and not surprisingly, so has the eldest daughter of proud father Haakon. “Lawyers’ children often become lawyers themselves, it would appear. Perhaps it is the defective genes at work,” chuckles the lawyer. Tidy and orderly as he is, his law studies were completed in the normal amount of time and with good results during the period from 1961-1968. No girlfriend was allowed to “disturb” his studies and Stang Lund along with a number of other students received excellent care and grooming at Blindern Student Residence in the capital city of Oslo.“Both breakfast and dinner was served. All regions of the country and all subjects of study were represented at the student residence, but you basically needed a ‘connection’ in order to get in there,” remembers Stang Lund. He willingly admits that there were some “happy days” even back during his busy time as a student.“Yes, but not all that many all the same…”“But yes, I did have a very nice time as a student. Lots of fun and partying. Well, in addition to the academic challenges,” he is quick to add.After completing his studies and exams in 1968, Haakon Stang Lund phoned the legal department of the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Justice and the Police and announced: Here I am!“And I was allowed to start as a temporary employee. In the beginning, I was a first level secretary, but eventually got up-graded to second level consultant and received a slight increase in pay. However, the work was too sedentary for me. I wanted to see what it was like as a deputy judge and had that position for about one year before being contacted by Wikborg Rein who wanted me to come for an interview. I was hired on 1 April 1970, and was a partner in the firm from 1978 onward,” says Stang Lund.Rumour has it that there was an eyebrow or two that raised upon learning that young Stang Lund did not in fact have insurance law or maritime law as his special field of study – but rather something as “vague” as the philosophy of justice.Regardless of his “questionable” field of study, Stang Lund has over the years become one of Norway’s leading lawyers within the area of maritime law with a particularly solid grasp of marine insurance law and thus a man Norwegian Hull Club often chose to contact when seeking external help.

In 2008, after 30 years as a partner at Wikborg Rein, Stang Lund chose to make the move to the legal department of Norwegian Hull Club. “We are a small and tight department that works well together and in close contact with each other. We exchange opinions and have discussions and give advice and assistance to anyone in the

4 FOR THE ROADMost recent book you read: i’m currently reading a series of world literature and just finished goethe’s Faust. i’m not sure whether i would recommend it, but otherwise i’m getting much enjoyment out of this book series.

A cultural event you remember well: A concert with Mariss Jansons & Concertgebouw in the Opera in February. And i must mention the performance of Don Carlos at the Norwegian National Opera & Ballet – where we experienced major forces in action – absolutely magnificent!

Most recent travel destination: it was a trip to Naples, italy at an iUMi meeting. i got to visit sights such as Pompeii. i always try to make time for some new experiences when i’m out travelling.

Favorite web site: i do not spend that much time on the internet, but i like to stay updated by visiting CNN’s web site via my iPad.

association who might want it. This pertains to everything from special terms and contracts to implementation of framework conditions for the company. The breadth is itself huge even if the cases themselves are highly specialised,” says Stang Lund.He provides the association with a high level of professional expertise and experience from which not only the members, but also the younger employees draw much benefit. Stang Lund gladly shares his experience and brings his perspective on minor and major cases to the table. Sometimes this includes an ample portion of fervent temperament. To put it mildly. But, it is to be expected that some sparks will fly from a dedicated Supreme Court advocate.Not everyone is meant to appear before the Supreme Court. Some people manage to do it on one occasion – and are extremely satisfied at such an accomplishment. Haakon Stang Lund has had the pleasure of doing it seven times. But, it is a demanding manoeuvre.“You have to be very, very focused. There are extremely competent judges sitting there and asking you questions. Sometimes they really‘grill’ you. I once had the pleasure of a negotiation lead by Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Ryssdal – a highly skilled man. It was a great challenge,” says the NHC lawyer.even if Stang Lund is a talented lawyer who knows how to conduct negotiations, it does not mean he always wins. The purchase of a hamster can attest to that fact. It was actually bought on the way to spending summer holiday at the family cabin.

“The car was already full of dogs and rabbits and who knows what else, but I let myself get talked into buying a hamster by my little daughter. My wife, Lill, did not approve. But, I sur-vived it all without a scratch. And of course my daughter was very content,” remembers Haakon with a smile. The zoo on wheels made it to the cabin in Southern Norway and peace eventually reigned in their summer home.“Rumour also has it that you have purchased much larger animals than

hamsters?”

“A horse. That is what happens when you have a little girl born a number of years after her siblings. She turned out to be very fond of animals even at an early age. She has been around horses since she was 9 years old, but she eventually started wishing for her own horse so I had to learn a bit about horse trading.”“And what did you end up learning?”

“That it is a very sketchy business. There is a lot of wheeling and dealing. Rookie horse-buyers can make a lot of mistakes – and that is exactly what we did. But, we did learn along the way.” Daughter Cathrine (25) currently owns a fine dressage horse which she rides competitively in between her studies abroad.

Haakon Stang Lund is naturally on the go abroad as well. A job in international marine insurance demands it. He meets a lot of people during his travels and has mastered the fine art of conversation.It is noticeably easy for Stang Lund to carry on a conversation with a new acquaintance. He was once observed in a bar in germany late one evening – engaged in an intense conversation with the Swedish-Norwegian pop artist, Karin Park. He: Attired in a grey suit and shiny Alden dress shoes. She: Dark and mysterious and with a certain “star aura”.“What were you talking about, anyway?”

“You know what; it was a very pleasant meeting! We shared some of our experiences and stories with each other,” Stang Lund informs us.We would not generally expect that a Supreme Court lawyer and a pop artist would have that much in common, but they turned out to have just that.“Sure, it turned out that we have both lived in Japan.” During the period from 1973-1976, Stang Lund lived and worked in Japan while at Wikborg Rein’s office in Kobe. It was there that the Stang Lund family learned to appreciate raw seafood, and ate sushi long before it became trendy food in Norway and world wide.“We also very much like sashimi. If we get our hands on a nice bit of Tuna fish, we are always happy to get set up in our kitchen at home. I often choose to eat at Japanese restaurants while out travelling,” says the lawyer. He has visited Japan subsequently on numerous occasions in connection with business matters.

“It is now a couple of months since the major earthquake. What are your

thoughts on that?”

“First and foremost, I feel enormous compassion for thecountry. Watching the TV images showing the massive destruct-ion had a particularly intense effect on those of us who have lived there. But, Japan will get back on its feet again. They are a hardy people. Not only are they regularly plagued by earth-quakes, but they also get many tropical storms. I have experi-enced them first hand – and they are powerful forces,” says Stang Lund.There are also many powerful forces in the opera hall. Haakon Stang Lund and his wife, Lill, are dedicated opera fans – with season tickets to the Norwegian National Opera & Ballet, and many opera experiences from the international scene under their belt.“I can thank my wife for that interest, as I very much appreciate both classical music and great operatic performances. Opera music is fantastic and the singing performances are often truly amazing. The ballet is also something I enjoy,” Stang Lund adds. Proud grandfather, Haakon, has a 7 year-old grandchild who dances at the ballet school in the Norwegian National Opera & Ballet.As for Haakon Stang Lund, he shall continue his “dance” at Norwegian Hull Club and will continue to share his great capacity as human capital within the association.

“Rookie horse-buyers can make a lot of mistakes – and that is exactly what we did.”Haakon Stang Lund

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in charge of today’s huge-hulled vessels are people with a tremendous responsibility. ‘Safety begins with me’, is the new slogan adopted by the Norwegian shipping company Utkilen.

B y K R i S T i N E g A B R i E L S E N , P H O T O : H E L g E S K O D v i N

The human factor: Randolfo Mamaril (left), Clody Fuentes, Salvador Francisco Jr. and Melvin Domingo are part of the crew on board "MT Straum".

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he NHC-insured chemicals tanker “MT Straum” docked at Skålevik near Bergen, Norway, this morning. The weather is grey and overcast, and on board people are hard at work loading and unload-

ing. Time is short. The ship will resume its journey in just a few hours. Work at the pumps is completed and the red-uniformed crewmen take a well-deserved break. We are being shown round the newly acquired ship, whose loading pipes lie exposed on the open deck, in the Japanese style of construction. New routines must be practiced since the bulk of the company’s ships have the pipes enclosed below deck. “I have been a marine engineer for 20 years, mostly for Nor-wegian shipping companies. I was untrained when I started, now I have a lot of experience under my belt. I’ve been working for utkilen for 14 years,” says pump operator Salvador Francisco. “We get to see the world for free and make new friends,” adds Melvin Domingo, who has worked for utkilen for six years and has been at sea for 30. Salvador and his colleague Melvin have become good friends on board. They are both from the Philip-pines, and have spent their whole working lives at sea. And they are not alone. Figures from the Norwegian Shipowners’ Asso-ciation show that around 60,000 men and women are employed on Norwegian-owned ships and rigs. Around 70 per cent of these are not Norwegian citizens, with Filipinos making up the bulk of the total number. growth in world trade, and therefore in international shipping, as well as increased oil production, has prompted a steady rise in the need for seagoing staff over the past few years. The growing demand for qualified sailors means that shipping companies must work hard to recruit and retain the best people. And the pool from which such qualified personnel can be drawn is now global.

A sharper focus on safety also means that companies are under pressure to ensure their crews have good attitudes, since statis-tics show that most accidents are caused by human error. Figures from the National Maritime Occupational Health and Safety Committee show that 96 per cent of maritime accidents are the result of human error. “When something goes wrong it is not because people make mistakes, but because nobody corrects them,” says Client Services Director geir Skoglund. After many years’ experience with ISM exercises he sees a general trend with respect to safety and accidents on board. The human aspect is a complex issue for shipping companies due to the physical distance between management on land and the captain at sea. There is also the distance between the captain and the crew which, says Skoglund, may be caused by attitude, leadership, communication and culture. “The most important thing a shipping company can do is make sure management onshore wants to do something about it. Commitment from the top is needed. unless top management is actively engaged and wants to improve the communications, culture and leadership on board, nothing will change,” he continues. On board, the person in overall charge must take the employees’ welfare into consideration and comply with strict safety standards. For most companies the dialogue and colla-boration between sailors, officers and onshore management is crucial for maintaining crew stability and generating a good health and safety climate on board. Headquartered in Bergen, the shipping company utkilen employs around 370 Norwegian and international seagoing personnel. The company maintains a strong focus on recruiting qualified and motivated crewmembers.

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“Our focus on safety means we have to try and maintain a stable crew complement. Having people on board who know the ship, the company and the cargo being transported is obviously a major advantage for us. The companies we ship for also want long-serving crews. If we give something to our staff we get an awful lot back. When people are looked after, they feel moti-vated in their work,” says Åsne Namtvedt Leiknes, Maritime Personnel Consultant at utkilen AS.utkilen currently has a mix of Scandinavian, Baltic and Filipino crew members on staff. Crews normally sail on a 6+2-month contract, depending somewhat on the type of cargo. Namtvedt Leiknes believes that utkilen is a competitive employer. “externally it’s obviously important to be able to offer competitive terms and conditions. Having stable crews is something that makes us attractive. One way to achieve that is to provide good health insurance,” she says. The NHC product Marine Benefits offers year-round insurance for crew members and their families, also when they are ashore. When the ILO’s Marine Labour Convention comes into force next year, crews will be entitled to demand a minimum of rights, regardless of whether they are working on contract or are employed through an agency (see separate article). For

utkilen, the new legislation will not lead to any major changes. “So far we are waiting to see what the national standards say when they are eventually published. We think there will be changes, but more in terms of requiring that things be codified in written procedures. We already focus on this issue, so we believe we have already secured our position. Nevertheless, we will be conducting a gap analysis during the autumn to find out if there are some areas in which we may fall short.”

On the bridge we find Captain Reidar e. Andreassen. He has been a ship’s captain since 1984, and joined utkilen in 2006. He comes from a long line of seafarers. His father, grandfather and great-grandfather were all seamen, so the choice of career was easy for him. “You used to earn good money before, but that’s no longer an argument for working at sea. For me it’s been a family tradition as well as providing a livelihood.” Communication with the crew can be something of a challenge, he says, and there are clear expectations from on shore that the ship be run in accordance with the company’s quality systems and procedures. Certificates of competence are one thing, but people still need thorough training on the equipment and

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and”i don’t join in the ball games. i leave that to the crew. i prefer a good book and a cup of tea when i want to relax.”Captain Andreassen

”As captain it’s important to be fair and

have the courage to take unpopular decisions, while

respecting the crew’s culture.”

Captain Andreassen

OFFSiDE: Melvin Domingo (left) and Salvador Francisco enjoy playing football below deck when they are off duty.


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esearch fellow Kjersti Bergheim is working out of NHC’s offices

in Bergen, while her colleague Hanne Borgersen is located at grieg Shipping’s offices. Together they are working full-time on a study of shipboard health and safety. Through questionnaires and inter-views with crews and officers on all grieg’s 23 vessels, the two academics are testing the hypothesis that there is a connection between the psychological factors, and safety climate and the level of safety on board. They have already uncovered a link between leadership and the health and safety climate: results which are useful in grieg Shipping’s management development efforts.Bergheim, who has carried out quanti-tative studies, has focus on something called positive psychological capital (PsyCap), i.e. a measure of psychological processes. She hopes to identify what can help to create a better safety climate, by looking at four personal capacities: efficacy, hope, optimism and resiliency. “The greater the PsyCap, the more secure, loyal and happy the crew. And the more they feel they can influence HSe issues, the less they feel that pro-duction is given priority over HSe,” she explains.In other words, PsyCap is a factor that should be addressed in management programmes and training. Captains and officers can affect the health and safety climate through their leadership abilities and their conduct.

NHC has been collaborating with and supporting the University of Bergen and grieg Shipping on a project to analyse the company’s shipboard safety climate and the attitudes of captains and crews.

“We are using the results of this research actively in the development of a manage-ment programme. good leadership will create good attitudes on board,” says grieg Shipping’s HR Manager Ole Steinar Mjell.“We are very good at procedures, regu-lations and communication between ship and shore, but we have some challenges on the attitudes side. Some bad attitudes still prevail. Crews know they are not supposed to do something, but do it anyway. They cut corners because they are pushed for time, or they don’t bother with protective equipment. If we have good leadership on board, we can create healthy attitudes that will, hope-fully, strengthen our safety culture,” he continues.Both Ole Steinar Mjell and Kjersti Bergheim note that officers and crews have welcomed the study. “Officers are happy to play an active role in the development of the management programme. They appreciate having the opportunity to give their input and advice,” says Mjell.But Bergheim adds a cautionary note: “Sometimes the answers crew members give are what they think the company or the captain want them to say, what they feel obliged to say, or are rooted in cultural differences. For many, their sense of honour plays an important role. Saying something negative about a superior officer does not come easy.”

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Safety climate under the microscope

”Figures from the National Maritime Occupational Health and Safety Committee show that 96 per cent of maritime accidents are the result of human error.”

machinery installed on each individual vessel. Crew members can react ex-tremely negatively to correction from superiors, because it touches their pride. “All officers have approved certificates, but some have a rather lax attitude to such things as CDI/OCIMF inspections, for example. It’s never very popular when I have to stand there with a checklist testing what people know. Some people have a hard time with that. But I expect the crew to act at all times in accordance with the company’s quality system, in the same way that they expect the captain to make sure everything is working the way it should.”There are certain qualities Captain Andreassen feels are important to create a positive culture on board. “As captain it’s important to be fair and not be afraid to take unpopular decisions, while respecting the crew’s culture. I also think it is important not to micromanage, but to focus instead on keeping constantly updated.” In the view of the captain a positive health and safety climate depends on having good officers. The captain gives his instructions at safety meetings, and expects them to be complied with.“But constant nagging doesn’t do any good,” he adds.

“For us at utkilen communication with the ships’ officers is extremely important. That is why we hold an annual officers’ conference where they can learn about the latest developments from the company, attend training courses and participate in a debate forum. We also visit the ships as often as we can. It is an advantage that our vessels regularly call at ports in Norway,” explains Åsne Namtvedt Leiknes.

On board “MT Straum” the crew has marked out a football pitch inside the engine room. The floor is painted green and the walls are decorated with the logos of the Norwegian football clubs VIF and Brann. On deck they have hung up a basketball hoop, which is used time and weather permitting. Because the ship’s onboard social life is another aspect of the job. Captain Andreassen points to mealtimes as a factor in creating a good atmosphere. “I don’t join in the ball games. I leave that to the crew. I prefer a good book and a cup of tea when I want to relax,” he says.But for pump operator Salvador Francisco and assistant Melvin Domingo playing basketball or football is a good way to spend their off-duty time.“Management have now promised us weights, which we are looking forward to having on board. Then we can pump some iron,” they say. They have become accustomed to a life at sea. That is the normal state of affairs. What utkilen offers them as employees makes them stay with the company. They feel that they are treated well. But Melvin admits that he will soon want to go ashore. go back home to his family and start doing something else.“I don’t know what yet, just do some-thing different – and go back to my family. From time to time they get homesick. When the feeling gets too strong, it is good to have a cook, a television channel and fellow crewmates from the Philip-pines on board. “However, this job is very important for us. We do it for our families,” say Melvin and Salvador in parting.


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hen the earthquake occurred a strong vibration shook our vessel for a minute.

We could neither walk nor stand on board. We could feel the cranes shaking. Then we

received an earthquake warning broadcast via P/A; stand-by”, Captain Zhu describes. “From sea we saw the dock and the road crack and sink down and we saw a building collapse. All small boats, fishing boats, barges and tugs sailed out of the port because of the tsunami warning broadcasted via VHF Coast guard and police cars.

Frightened longshoreman evacuated quickly by boat.” About 20 minutes after the earthquake, an outside breakwater was seen being submerged by a heavy swell of approximately 8 meters. At the same time they experienced the vessel coming up alongside the pier to a level where the dock was submerged by two meters. The vessel came up so fast so that 4 mooring lines parted. When the swell came down, the strong current pushed the vessel off berth and astern. engine and steering were used for about 18 hours to maneuver the vessel to keep her at berth with the unloader in hold 4. The vessel was held by

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just 2 mooring lines (of a total of 12). The Master describes that the crew was focused and managed to keep calm during the tsunami. His objective was the crew’s safety. “Keep the crew safe, was what went through my mind at that time. A safe crew will run a safe ship.” The “Port Pegasus” crew had no previous experience with tsunamis or earthquake, and in the present situation, there was no one to contact. All available communication was down. The solution was to call the Coast guard via VHF. HeLP – was their message. “NOTHINg We CAN DO”, was the answer on the

other line. No support from the port, no tugs, no pilot, no port control, no linesman. “It was up to us to save ourselves”, the Master states.The Master tells how they had not done any drills or training prior to this, but that they have carried out some drills/training before aimed at improving crew skills and enhancing tight teamwork ability. He is relatively young, so he could not rely on many years of experience in this situation. “Personally I tried to focus on calmness. If I got nervous or showed nervousness, I would have frightened everybody. It

Whenthe earthquake hit

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11 March 2011 the Captain and his crew of 22 were discharging cargo in Onahama with the NHC-inured vessel “Port Pegasus” when they suddenly felt the whole vessel was trembling. We have asked the Master, Zhu Qianchun, to describe how he experienced the day the earth did not stand still.

This Chinese fishing vessel swept nearly one kilometer inland by tsunami in the coastal city of Kesennuma, 11 March 2011. Remarkably, “Port Pegasus” only suffered minor hull damages and is now back in business loading cargo in Asia.


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Maritime Labour Convention

investing in the Human Capital within shipping has for some time proven to pay dividends for those willing to do so. With the new Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) comprehensive rights and protection at work will now become obligatory for the world's more than 1.3 million seafarers. B y C A S P E R M E L A N D , D i R E C T O R M A R i N E B E N E F i T S

FActs: JApAn EArthquAkE And tsunAMi

n The quake had its epicenter in the ocean 380 kilometers north east of Tokyo.n Japan’s Meteorological Agency measured the quake as measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale. in comparison, the 2010 Haiti earthquake measured 7.0 and Chile 2010 measured 8.8. n The Japanese government estimates the cost could reach 25 trillion yen (USD 309 billion). This would make it the most expensive natural disaster in the world. n The costs for the insurance industry are estimated to be about USD 10 billion. Historically, the most costly event ever for the industry is Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans in 2005 at USD 71 billion. n Tradewinds has reported bluewater hull losses from the tsunami are tentatively expected to run to around USD 300 million.

would also affect the crew. I knew that I had 22 lives in my hands. You have been given a risk assessment where all deci-sions must be correct, no errors can be made.” After the 10 mooring lines parted, the Master made a 3-point plan: 1. To keep the crew safe. give attention to FWD & AFT stations. give clear instructions so that no one will act like superman. everybody must obey orders and give information to each other about the situation. 2. Technical operations, and 3. Waiting for the tsunami to subside and then send the crew onto the jetty to make fast mooring lines. “None of this was done on instinct. But it required strong bodies and teamwork– the crew had to remain standing on portside wing deck for 18 hours without moving.” For that reason he decided to split the crew into shifts to ensure that they would get some rest. He could not know for how long they would have to fight the tsunami. He gives credit for his brave and correct handling of the situation to the teamwork and dialogue he had with the company office in Hong Kong. “These two factors made me confident and strong.” Remarkably, “Port Pegasus” suffered only minor hull damages which did not affect her seaworthiness. The vessel owned by Pacific Basin is back in business loading cargo in Canada and Asia. The Master believes that the crew will manage to forget and look ahead. They will continue to do drills and training regarding safety strictly to improve the skills of the crew. At the same time, tight teamwork is the most important factor.“I think the earthquake/tsunami has made the team stronger. We know that we work well as a team and that we can depend on each other. We are looking ahead and trying to forget the experiences of this tragic event bit by bit. We had really bad luck – the last time such an earthquake and tsunami occurred was 400 years ago, and our boat was the one that happened to encounter it. On the other hand, we were lucky, we are safe and the ship is safe.”

The Japanese tsunami came as a shock, but within a short time the NHC contingency team had a fully equipped web based platform up and running, distributing relevant information to those who needed it.

Web-based contingency team

or a while now NHC has been putting efforts into placing useful information on the web which is available for every-

one in cases like the earthquake incident. “The Internet has revolutionized the work of our contingency group. When the earthquake hit Japan our team managed in relatively short time to narrow down the number of ships at risk to 55 among a total of 1600 of our ships placed in Japan/ the tsunami area. For the first time we managed to link up AIS Live with our own data warehouse. This made the work considerably easier,” says Director Claims Handling Åge Solberg. “Relevant information was immediately distributed via our web-page. Our close cooperation with meteorologists gave us the opportunity to present time estimates for when the wave would hit different ports in the Pacific Basin within a short period of time. Some of our ships managed to leave port because of the predictions we issued,” says Åge Solberg. In light of this event NHC will develop a contingency plan for natural catastrophes based on the experiences from Chile and Japan. Our objective is to put out a fully web-based plan which makes the geographical location of team members irrelevant if and when a similar catastrophe should strike.Solberg states that based on the experience gained and shared, NHC internally will be in a better position to rapidly handle similar major events in the future.

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Safeguarding human capital

y safeguarding the minimum rights of the seafarer the MLC also secures the economic interest in fair competition for shipowners by offering the seafarers a

level playing field. The spotlight of the legislators has now widened from safety and environment to include the seafarers and their role as contributors in the shipping arena.The decision by the ILO to move forward to create the Convention was the result of an industry initiative support-ed by various governments. It was adopted by a record vote of 314 in favour and none against, after nearly two weeks of detailed review by over 1,000 participants drawn from 106 countries. This almost unprecedented level of support reflects the lengthy tripartite consultation exercise and the unswerving support that has been shown for it by the governments, workers and employers who have worked together since 2001 to develop the Convention text. The Convention intends to bring the system of protection con-tained in existing labour standards closer to the workers, in a form consistent with the rapidly developing, globalised sector. It also intends to improve the applicability of the system so that shipowners and governments interested in providing decent conditions of work do not have to bear an unequal burden in ensuring protection through unified rules within the Convent-ion. As with any legal document the final meaning of the Con-vention is subject to interpretation. This entails an obligation for each member state to incorporate what they construe to be adequate measures to ensure the minimum rights of the seafarer.

As for many european countries the social security rights of seafarers under the Convention does not impose an additional burden on the shipowners or recruitments agencies. It is mainly the nations with no similar national social security legislation where changes will have to be made. How these nations will construe the Convention is yet to be seen, but it seems somewhat unlikely that they will introduce a new national scheme for social security for sea-

farers and their dependents. It is therefore more likely that the obligations will be met by introducing a compulsory insurance requirement for the seafarers. In the Philippines a similar requirement was made into law with the Amended Migrant Workers Act (AMWA R.A. 10022) in 2010. Due to the ambiguity and thus unpredictable risk imposed by the AMWA the insurance requirements of the AMWA have proven to be hard to place outside of the Philippines. For that exact reason the subsidiary of Norwegian Hull Club – Marine Benefits AS, has just recently been able to find a solution avail-able for shipowners outside of the Philippines. To our know-ledge this is one of very few – if any AMWA insurances available from a european insurer. If the shipping industry is faced with similar challenges for insurance requirements imposed by law under various jurisdict-ions, there may be further implications than intended as a result of the Convention.The exact outcome will not be known until all states have implemented their interpretation of the Convention. At this stage a proactive approach and analyzing the possible solutions within the requirements of the Convention is the best way to prepare for the new course within shipping.

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HEROES: The "Port Pegasus"-crew did a brilliant job under extreme conditions.


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in the contractor segment, the market has absorbed a number of major incidents in 2010 and 2011. The largest, the "Deepwater Horizon" accident, consequences

of which have been many and varied, including changes in the regulatory framework governing deepwater drilling in US waters.

B y H A N S C H R i S T i A N S E i M , D i R E C T O R O F F S H O R E E N E R g y

& S P E C i A L R i S K S

New perspectives on Offshore Energy Trends in the offshore segment post "Deepwater Horizon", natural disasters in Japan and iran sanctions

”Other major incidents in the deepwater segment

show that complexity increases at the same rate as the

depth of water.”Hans Christian Seim

n September 2010, Det Norske Veritas published a report comparing the regulatory framework for drilling opera-tions in Norway and the uSA/gulf of Mexico. The report showed many similarities, but also significant differences

in the regulations. The main difference is that the Norwegian regulations are primarily performance and risk-based, while the uS regulations are mainly prescriptive and do not require systematic risk management. In Norway, it is clear to whom the

Health, Safety and environmental requirements are addressed – the liable party – while in the uSA there is no explicit definition of who the regulations apply to. Furthermore, the insurance market, parti-cularly in the Liabilities segment, has tightened up its terms and conditions and pricing of this kind of risk as a consequence of the accident.

Deeper Water - increased complexityOther major incidents in the deepwater segment show that complexity increases at the same rate as the depth of water, as do the cost-drivers associated with installation and damage repair. We are not sure whether the insurance market has necessarily succeeded in balancing this kind of risk with the insurance terms being offered to the market. Another challenge posed by innovations in deepwater techno-logy derives from a lack of experience and, therefore, a lack of “stringent” regulations that are enforced and verified by third-party certification bodies. Procedural non-compliance aboard Mobile Floating units also seems to be a cause of damage and loss within this segment. As a classification company, it is DNV’s opinion that this is a necessary area of focus, and a news bulletin has been issued to customers pointing out the importance of ensuring that hatches and openings in watertight bulkheads are kept closed at all times. Despite the challenges experienced in this segment, insurance capacity for Offshore energy business is larger than ever. In addition to new niche players, we see so-called Cross Class Insurance companies establishing themselves, offering more or less “carte-blanche” capacity to the broking community. This puts pressure on the market at a time when the technology associated with operations in deeper waters is developing fast – again, a matter of the balance between risk and terms.

Iran SanctionsSince the wording of the sanctions is relatively loose, with no clear boundaries, companies must take responsibility themselves when clarifying where the limits lie. The challenge is that the market’s practice varies with respect to inclusion of limitation and exclusion clauses in the policies being taken out. We see a much more uniform practice in marine hull insurance, where such clauses are consistently included.

Natural disasters The tsunami in Japan has already had an impact on the market, even though an overview of the total costs covered by the insurance market has yet to be drawn up. Despite earthquake exclusion clauses in many types of insurance cover, the signals from the market are that the major reinsurance companies will suffer substantial losses in connection with the incident. As an insurance company, we must expect higher reinsurance costs in the wake of major incidents like this. Finally, we should also mention the annual hurricane season in the gulf of Mexico as a source of uncertainty for both operators and insurers. The losses in 2005 and since 2008 have resulted in capacity in the market being in short supply or offered on terms that result in rig owners opting to bear this risk themselves. Offshore & Special Risks is a significant business segment for the Club, second only to our Marine Hull core business. The segment’s history can be traced back to the 1970s when we were involved in the first Norwegian semi-submersible drilling units, and later in the 1980s with our engagement in the FPSO segment. Today, we insure around 450 Mobile Offshore units, and are Claims Leader for several fleets. Our claims capacity and competence is considerable. We draw on both our own claims resources and those of Marine Hull, since we see that our customers are moving from traditional supply to complex well intervention and workover operations, LNg support for SRV units and more recent LNg FPSOs. We have deliberately recruited staff with a variety of backgrounds from underwriting, technical and loss-adjustment positions in order to create a multi-disciplinary environment. We believe that the growth and competence-enhancement taking place within the Offshore energy segment will also enable NHC to continue growing alongside our existing members and customers.

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The forgotten human capital

Women’s efforts at sea have historically not received much attention.

The same is true for the seafarer’s wife back home – the person who took care of house and home while her husband was at sea.

B y A N N E i L E E N D . N y g å R D , B E R g E N

ith her book, Sjøens kvinner – ute og hjemme (“Women of the Sea – outbound and at home”), elisabeth Lønnå, PhD, has done something about it. The seawomen of Norway

have had their story told. It was perhaps about time. “Sjøens kvinner - ute og hjemme” was selected as one of the best non-fiction publications in Norway last year by “Prosa” – the

Norwegian Journal of Non-Fiction publications. For the first time ever, we are presented the unique story of Norwegian seawomen from the end of the 1880s and forward to the present day. She was an employee who in the early years was not even listed on the ship’s register as an employed member of the crew – on a par with her colleagues, the seamen. “Due to the fact that the women who worked with food preparation and on board lodging – so-called “restaurateur activities” – and were not directly employed by the shipping companies, they were thus not considered as crew members on the ships and ended up in the category for “Others” together with ships pilots and passengers. “The women were the ones who had the very lowest status and the lowest pay,” says author elisabeth Lønnå to Network. This has resulted in the seawomen becoming a forgotten group of workers in Norwegian history – until now. “How important were the women on board – as human capital, you might say?”

“Women were absolutely vital for operations ever since passenger shipping along the coast of Norway and in the North Sea began some decades prior to the last turn of the century. They were in charge of food preparation, cleaning, serving passengers, and made sure that the officers on board received the service they expected – both in terms of serving coffee and food and caring for their uniforms. And this is the way it has continued. Women have entered into other positions on board during the post-war period, and they have done an extremely good job in those areas as well.

WwartiMe seawoMen: karen skretsvig and solveig lunde, engaged in one of their on board duties – doing laundry. the picture was contributed to the book “sjøens kvinner” by bergen Maritime Museum.

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elisabeth Lønnå received the assignment from Oslo Sjømannsforening (Oslo Seamen's Associ-ation) of dealing with this forgotten piece of Norwegian, maritime history, and many people have supported her work, from both the organisational and ship owning side of the industry. Those providing assistance include Wilh.Wilhelmsen, the Thorvald Klaveness group and Den Norske Krigsforsikring for skib and Bergesen Allmennyttige Fond.“I thought that this sounded very exciting, but was a bit overwhelmed at first. I was actually afraid that it might be difficult to find sources. I very quickly discovered that there was very little written about this topic,” says Lønnå of the first beginnings of the project some three years ago.An extremely interesting research interview with a female, former radiotelegraphist nevertheless inspired Lønnå to carry on with the compre-hensive research – both in the form of old, written sources as well as oral sources who can still give accounts of the life of seawoman outat sea and at home on land.

“There was actually a good deal of statistical material once you started to look thoroughly for it, even if female seafaring was not registered as “seafarers”. Such was the case all the way up until the 1950s,” says Lønnå. One of the most import-ant sources in the beginning phase was the Norwegian census of 3 December 1900. There were 25,865 persons on board 2,628 ships on this date. Of these, 849 were women, distributed among 323 ships. 473 of those women were

engaged in salaried labour on board, while 134 were along as family members. The salaried women were among the servants on board and did the work that men preferred not to do – making beds, serving food and taking care of its preparation for passengers and crew. The term “maritime women” is quite broad and can encompass a great deal, not least the term “fisherman's wife” – the coast’s toiler who had huge responsibility and heavy burdens to carry while her husband was away fishing much of the year. Lønnå therefore was forced to limit the scope of the project such that the fishing segment is omitted.

Many strong impressions“Was it about time for the history of the seawomen

to be told?”

“Absolutely, they played an important role in various aspects of the shipping industry,” says Lønnå and refers specifically to the abovementioned passenger shipping along the Norwegian coast and across the North Sea – where it all started. Most people came into contact with these women while on board as they were the ones caring for others. Women also went to sea with the Norwegian merchant fleet during the Second World War – both abroad and in Norwegian coastal waters. unfortunately, they

were often unnoticed among the statistics – there as well. Lønnå has nevertheless found out that there were around 250 wartime seawomen – including both Norwegians and foreign nationals – in the merchant fleet abroad. 10 seawomen lost their lives in Nortraship’s fleet during the period 1939-1945. (See facts on Nortraship on next page). A total of 60 women died while on duty on board ships transporting goods and passengers along the Norwegian coastline during wartime. Here there were also more women who were employed on the ships; an estimated 400 in total.“What made the greatest impression on you during your work on the

book?” “That would be speaking with the children of wartime seamen and seawomen and their families in general. When the grown children are telling their stories, they cannot hold back the tears. It has been very tough for many of them. Take as an example, the children of war widows and the way they were treated and what little support they received,” replies Lønnå. The memories have been intense for many of the family mem-bers; memories of fathers they never got to know; parents who entered their children’s lives late; adults who bore psychological baggage and society’s treatment of the people closest to these children.“even after reading story upon story of ships that went down, it has still been an intense experience for me,” Lønna adds.“What is your impression of the seawomen who stayed at home with

whom you have spoken? How were their lives – with their husbands

at sea during long periods?”

“My first impression is one of an extraordinary effort with all the practical matters of the home and a considerable willingness to serve the needs of both their children and their seamen husbands. Being married to a man who was away so much had its price. Fortunately, there were also some positive aspects: seamen’s wives and children became independent and self-sufficient. And nearly all of the seamen’s wives got to go along on adventurous sea journeys. They were always extremely loyal to the ship owners that their husbands were connected to – perhaps too loyal sometimes. It took some time before the ship owners began to appreciate the efforts they put forth. “Is there anything you would have liked to put even more focus on in the

book?” “Yes, I wish there could have been even more about the sea-men’s families after the war. There were approximately 60,000 Norwegian seafarers at sea at any given time, and I would very much have liked to have more details – in specific terms – about how these families on land were dealing with that situation. Additionally, it would have been nice to have more space dedi-cated to how things are for the seawoman of the present day,” says elisabeth Lønnå.“How is the situation for modern seawomen; could you say a bit about

that?”

“More women are going to sea now – both in terms of service professions and in the more traditional male jobs on board. They often complete educations as mates at vocational schools, university colleges or at the Royal Norwegian Naval Academy. Some make their careers at sea while others eventually enter

“Women were absolutely vital for operations ever since passenger shipping along the coast of Norway and in the North Sea began.” elisabeth Lønnå, author

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WAR HERO: Mess hall girl, Margit Johnsen from ålesund, was awarded the St. Olav's Medal with Oak Branch in 1942 for her contribution to the war effort.

1930: a so called ”trise” on coastal express ship d/s kong Harald – around 1930. these seawomen took care of passengers and crew on board.

steward: brynhild Hansen served as steward on board M/s santos. the picture is taken i baltimore, 1969.

deck girl: olaug braa was employed as a deck girl at onstad shipping in the end of the 1960s. onstad shipping was the only norwegian shipping company at that time which consciously recruited females, something which the ship owner’s wife – world famous figure skater, sonja Henie – probably encouraged.

caPtain: oslo girl, ingerid bjercke “grew up” on the norwegian full rigged ship, “christian radich” as well as on “skibladner” and made a conscious decision early on to take a maritime education and become a captain. and that is just what she served as on board “skibladner”.

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She is a woman who has been to sea and is now the trade union leader for 10,000 Norwegian seafarers. Jacqueline Smith (40) is a modern seawoman.

FActs: nortrAship

n The Norwegian Shipping and Trade Mission (Nortraship) was an organisation that was established by the Norwegian authori-ties in London in April 1940 in order to administrate the large Norwegian merchant fleet outside german-controlled areas. n Nortraship operated over 1,000 vessels and was the largest shipping company in the world. it is credited for making a major contribution to the Allied war effort during the Second World War. n Nortraship had its main offices in London and New york, and was active during and after the World War. n Around 3,000 of Nortraship’s 30,000 seamen died. Approximately 500 ships were lost for a total of 1.9 million gross registered tons. n The requisitioned ships were returned to their owners after Norway was liberated in May 1945. The various insurance settlements following the handing back of the vessels were complicated and took considerable time; the settlements were not fully concluded until 1964.

Source: Wikipedia

4 FOR THE ROADMost recent book you read: Last book read was En dåre fri by Beate grimsrud. it provides wa totally unique insight into having to live with serious mental illness.

A cultural event you remember well: A cultural experience i remember particularly well was the Bruce Springsteen concert at valle Hovin a couple of years ago. Springsteen still gives his all, and both the music and the atmosphere were absolutely fantastic.

Most recent travel destination: The last trip was to Skinnarbu in Telemark, including a visit to Rjukan and the industrial Workers Museum at vemork, which also features a lot of interesting information about the heavy water sabotage missions and the race to develop the atom bomb.

Favorite web site: My favourite web site is Warsailors.com, Siri Lawson’s web site about the Second World War. Here you find everything about ships and seamen in Nortraship’s merchant fleet and the home fleet.

into land based maritime professions. Here practical experience at sea naturally makes for a splendid background. A positive development during recent years has in fact been that more women have entered into leading and high profile positions in the industry – both as businesswomen and within the key organisations. This sends out a positive message concerning women’s career opportunities,” says Lønnå to Network.

Back to the starting pointThe Norwegian seawoman disappeared from overseas shipping the end of the 1980s with the development of an ever more globalised shipping industry. Technological advances made the radio officers redundant, and women in the mess hall were replaced by foreign men who often came from Asia. The ship owners were hesitant to engage women in officer positions for fear that they would not be respected by the foreign crew members on board.The circle was thus closed in many respects for the Norwegian seawoman. At present, it is offshore activities, passenger ship-ping and other traffic along the coast and in the North Sea which represent the most important workplace for Norwegian seawomen. “The difference between those days and now is the fact that the industry now also happens to have the greatest economic significance and is experiencing rapid growth. These represent the most attractive jobs for both men and women.” The author has received much response and attention in the wake of the book. “In the beginning, I thought that I had cast myself out into a rather narrow and academic subject field. During the start phase, there were also a number of people who wondered whether this was worth writing about at all. Now people instead ask me why it had not been done long ago. The book has received more attention that I would have expected,” answers Lønnå.

ersonally, she prefers the gender neutral term “seafarer”, and this was the term Smith and her female colleagues used about themselves when she went to sea in the 1990s. It was a matter of circum-

stances that got her out to sea. Her job as croupier on board the Colorline vessel, “Jupiter”, was actually meant to be a short break from Smith’s law studies.But her summer job ended up becoming eight years at sea, and her commission as employee representative on board eventually lead her back to a land-based job – in the Norwegian Seafarer’s union. Smith initially worked as an employee at the organi-sation’s special unit for Cruise Ships at offices based in Miami, and later as union Secretary and from 2006 as the elected union President for all of Norway’s organised seafarers.“Life at sea for me involved two weeks on duty and one week at home. You have to adapt to the social environment on board a ship because there exists a separate little community on the ship. It is like being in a family – you have to get along with everyone,” says Jacqueline Smith of her experiences from living and working at sea.“In general, I would say that there are good relations among the seafarers on board, but it is also true that you quickly find “your” spot in the mess hall,” Smith adds. “How was it being a female employee on board?”

“It was not a problem. It is really not difficult being a woman at sea in the Norwegian seafaring sector. If you do your job and show respect to others, they will respect you,” replies Smith.“We croupier employees naturally had to learn fire and eva-cuation routines just like everyone else, and the women among us on board were just as skilled at lowering lifeboats as our male colleagues. We also had a lot of dealings with the passengers on board and women often do a better job, in my opinion, at handling situations involving passengers without having things escalate,” Smith adds. “Seafarers are very practical-minded and they are good about making their opinions known. They do not “embellish” the

“truth”. When I was unanimously elected as union president at the national congress in 2006, there were 20 per cent women and 80 per cent men present, and this made me feel that I was being given extreme confidence,” says Smith. She was 35 years old at the time and the first woman in history to become the leader of Norwegian seafarers.This confidence was reaffirmed four years later and Jacqueline Smith was re-elected as union president. She travels frequently and meets seafarers all the time. Her objective is to secure jobs for Norwegian seafarers and improve working and pay condit-ions for members. “The shipping sector is perhaps the fastest growing industry in the world, and it is important to stay well abreast of develop-ments. The job becomes a lifestyle, and it is intended that my efforts will benefit all seafarers,” emphasises Smith. “What is your advice to girls who wish to join the seafarer profession?

“I definitely think they should do it. Women are well suited to this profession, but it might present some challenges in terms of family life. You are often away, and it is nice to have a partner you can rely on. As concerns the job itself, women can do all sorts of work on board a vessel. Here I would like to put forth Argentina as an example. This is a country that has made con-siderable progress concerning recruitment of women to the seafaring profession. They have many female officers on ships as well as some captains too. This is the result of a conscious recruitment policy – after the country experienced a lack of qualified officers for its shipping sector. In collaboration with industry, Argentina paved the way for recruitment of women and it has as mentioned provided results,” says Jacqueline Smith.

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Jacqueline Smith- a modern seawoman


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Conductor christophe rousset has yet to make members of the audience faint, but is sure to have both film and early music fans swooning when he and his Les Talens Lyriques finally go on tour with the music of Farinelli.

Bringing Farinellitolife

t’s like pop music, says Christophe Rousset, founder and conductor of the orchestra Les Talens Lyriques, which will perform at Bergen International Festival this year with NHC as sponsors. On their first visit to Norway, Les Talens Lyriques will perform music from the album that made them into a household name. The baroque ensemble provided the musical backdrop for the charismatic castrato Farinelli (1705–1782) in the movie of the same name. The film tells the story of one of history’s most famous castrato singers, a true superstar in his own time. With more than one million copies sold, the recording of the score from the 1994 movie is one of the world’s best-selling classical records.“The magic that happens in the movie is created by the combination of a human, powerful story supported by very powerful music”, says Rousset, who acted as musical director and conductor in the production. “When I became involved, the producers already had their own ideas about pieces to use in the movie, so my job became to make this music interesting and alive for modern audiences. The score really has a strong impact on people, and reached much wider than your ‘normal’, classical audience – a very interesting experience for us”.

The composers’ best work While the Farinelli film shows members of the audience fainting and having extreme emotional reactions to the music, Rousset says that he and Les Talens Lyriques are not expecting a similar reception when touring with the Farinelli music for the first time. “The big difference is that we don’t have the castrato with us on stage. The castrati had strange, almost not human voices. Also, the overdevel-oped thorax meant increased vocal power, and the castrato could sustain notes seemingly forever. These incredible skills were what provoked such reactions”, says Rousset.

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Most recent book you read: Mann ohne Eigenschaft by Robert Musil.

A cultural event you remember well: Exhibition Caravaggio in Rome.

Most recent travel destination: Cracow, Poland

Favorite web site: youTube

“My first time conducting was a

complete disaster. The orchestra basically told me they didn’t want to

play with me.”Christophe Rousset

In the film, the voice of Farinelli was achieved by mixing a male and a female voice. On stage at the Bergen International Festival the role of the castrato will be played by mezzosoprano Ann Hallenberg. Händel, too, preferred to use female singers when no castrato was available. “In Händel’s time the countertenor was not considered noble or technically skilled enough. Though falsetto singers today have great technical skills, I find women’s flexibility superior; their voices have more color, more power. And after all, having a man playing a man is just a convention”, says Rousset.

Farinelli, or Carlo Maria Broschi, was a real star and toured europe, giving acclaimed performances for royalty and adoring audiences. “For such an exceptional singer the composers would always do their very best – partly because the power of a singer was great at that time: If he or she did not like an aria, the singer would e are the largest and most important festival

for music and the performing arts, not just in Norway, but in Scandinavia. Our vision is to leave

our mark on the cultural scene, be an active contributor and a workshop for new ideas. We have ambitions of giving the development of theatre and the musical scene in Norway a direction”, says Per Boye Hansen to Network.

This year the festival consists of 140 events with a mix of both old and new, traditional artistic forms of expression and the fully modern. A special aspect of this year’s program is the emphasis on a meeting of various generations. Work on original productions is important and this year that will include a special new opera for the grand opening – Oedipus Rex by Stravinsky. But, he has some difficulty picking out his top three events this year:“This means I have to leave out so many, but Cirkus Cirkör, En

Nordisk Sommernatt and the magnificent grand finale featuring Verdi’s Requiem do stand out”.

NHC has been a partner of the Bergen International Festival for a long time – both because it is a serious and important institution of Bergen’s and the international cultural scene, and based on shared goals and values.“We both represent a combination of awareness of tradition and innovation; we both have deep roots in local and national history and we are both active players in Bergen society. The financial contributions provide us with the elbowroom we need to take chances and explore exciting artistic projects.

This year’s NHC sponsored event is Farinelli, which will be performed on 26 May in grieghallen. “Fortunately there are no longer castrato singers such as Farinelli, who was the last known castrato singer. Farinelli was his era’s great pop star who had a large and dedicated audience. Many composers adapted their music to this singer and the music that was created for him had very special characteristics”, says Boye Hansen to Network.

Biggest and first in Scandinavia The ambitions of Bergen International Festival's Director, Per Boye Hansen, are not modest.

simply refuse it, or have it rewritten. Our intention is not to make the audience hysterical and faint – we wish but to play this wonderful, partly unknown repertoire”, says Rousset with a smile.

An archeologist in the world of music In 1991 he created Les Talens Lyriques (“the lyrical talents”) to investigate such unknown repertoires, concentrating especially on Neopolitan music which influenced the whole of europe. Together with Les Talens Lyriques Christophe Rousset has searched for – and found – works by forgotten composers from the 17th and 18th centuries – contemporaries of Mozart and Händel who often experienced great success and fame in their own time. “I like going to libraries, opening old books and – if I’m lucky, finding incredible music that no-one has heard in modern times. In some ways, I suppose it’s like going to an archeological site in the country and finding a greek vase. It’s very exciting”, says Rousset, who through his expeditions into musical history has achieved his childhood ambition of becoming an architect. In contrast to old writings, paintings and artefacts, music must be performed to be experienced. Of all the achievements of Les Talens Lyriques, Christophe Rousset is perhaps most proud of their many recordings of music previously unheard after the 18th century. “A piece on paper is just dead. A recording makes it available and alive”.

Making life more beautiful Christophe Rousset’s path to becoming a musician and a con-ductor was not straightforward. There were no musicians in the family, but his grandmother had a piano and later, there happened to be a harpsichord class in his home town in the south of France. “I found it incredible that people could do something so wonderful out of these pieces of wood, and fell in love with the instrument right away. The harpsichord became my time machine, taking me back to the court of Versailles”, says Rousset. even after becoming a professional musician, he had no ambition to conduct until his teachers pushed him in front of an ensemble.

“My first time conducting was a complete disaster. The orchestra basically told me they didn’t want to play with me”. But what could have been just a really bad day at work, devel-oped into a life-long passion: “As a musician, your palette of sound is quite narrow. And I felt that discovering the orchestra was like going from black and white to technicolour”, says Rousset. Today the founder of Les Talens Lyriques is renowned for his technical skills and passionate expertise. He describes himself as very sincere and hard-working – to the extent of making the life of his musicians so hard that his conscience bugs him. “But when we achieve real beauty, I stop feeling so guilty. It is a big privilege to get to make life more beautiful for others”, says Rousset.

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he history of Sjøassurandørenes Centralforening (CeFOR - Central union of Marine underwriters) begins in 1911, 100 years ago the marine insurance companies and the general agents determined that there were advantages to forming an interest organi-

sation. At this point in time, the marine insurance companies had taken a significant market share from the mutual associations which had had hegemony since the beginnings of the marine insurance industry in Norway in the 1840s.

However, a larger market had opened up for commercial insurers when the steamships appeared at the same time as it was necessary for Norwegian companies to assert their position in competition with german insurance companies. The colla-borative environment would prove to be a source of strength and a competitive advantage. An effective and precise tariff system was developed and the “Christiania Tariff ” captured 45 per cent of the hull market in Norway around 1914. The mutual marine insurance companies united in 1918 in

De gjensidige Dampskibsassuranceforeningers Komité – gSK (The Mutual Steamship Insurers Association Committee), in which all the NHC predecessors were members. The collaboration concerning the tariff collapsed in 1919, but was replaced some years later by a voluntary arrangement (Hull Agreement) from 1928. The Norwegian fleet was growing at this time. Norwegian ship owners obtained modern tanker ships and the Norwegian insurers were underbid by the Lloyd’s syndicates and the Liverpool market in 1932. From this point, the market was divided among three key players: Lloyd’s and Liverpool companies as by far the largest; then the Cefor companies and the mutual associations with equal shares. Following the war, the British insurers were quick to secure coverage of the Norwegian fleet based on terms that imme-diately proved to be costly. When London and Liverpool were forced to raise their rates in order to cover considerable losses, this paved the way for the Norwegian marine insurance compa-nies which united in the Ocean Hull Committee (“Storkaskokomiteen”), which negotiated individual terms.

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The Norwegian companies took back their hegemony thanks to realistic tariffs at the same time as the mutual associations were establishing themselves at Leading underwriters carrying out the settlement for claims. This three-way distribution of the market was sustained for many years to come. The 1970s were characterised by the shipping crisis and took a heavy toll on the entire marine insurance industry – both companies and associations alike. After a peak in the claims cycle around 1987-91, a new consolidation phase followed. The number of members in the Ocean Hull Committee therefore dropped from 25 to four in 1996 when the Ocean Hull Pool was phased out.

A further consolidation of the Norwegian marine insurance market occurred around 1990, which made it timely for a radical reorganisation of Cefor. The remaining mutual associations now joined Cefor along with the Norwegian Shipowners’ Mutual War Risks Insurance Association (DNK), the P&I clubs and Nordic, thereby uniting the entire Norwegian marine insurance sector. Cefor has also been transformed into a Nordic organisation; the Nordic Association of Marine Insurers, which covers all aspects of marine insurance; P&I, hull and war-risk.

Cefor has succeeded in the dual tasks of regulating competitive conditions and constantly adapting to the market. They succeed through use of more precise claims figures and statistics in addi-tion to the Norwegian Marine Insurance Plan and the confidence which Leading underwriters provided as competitive advan-tages. expertise has also ensured that the Nordic countries are world leaders within marine insurance – 100 years after Cefor was founded.We extend our sincere congratulations with the jubilee!

The Nordic Association of Marine insurers (Cefor) has been celebrating its 100th Jubilee these past days. We are taking a look back at its history as an important and central player within marine insurance. What began as an interest organisation for marine insurance companies was essentially the arch rival of the mutual associations in those early years of its existence.

B y K R i S T i N E g A B R i E L S E N A N D D A g B A K K A

FActs: cEFor

n The Nordic Association of Marine insurers (Cefor) was founded 15 August 1911 under the name of Sjøassurandørenes Centralforening (Central Union of Marine Underwriters). n in 2009 the Annual general Meeting adopted a new name to reflect the pan-Nordic members of the association. n Cefor’s objective is to strengthen and develop the basic concepts of the Nordic marine insurance mar-ket and promote the members’ common interests on key issues for the marine insurance industry. n The members engage in: H&M insurance, P&i in-surance, Cargo insurance, Legal defence, War risks insurance and Energy and Offshore insurance. n The anniversary was celebrated with a Centennial conference 7th April, followed by a gala dinner at Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel, Oslo.

partnersFrom arch rivals to “Cooperation is our strength”The current Cefor director, Helle Hammer, points out that mergers and Nordic cooperation are two important milestones in the recent history of the organisation.

he fact that Cefor includes both companies and asso-ciations today has strengthened the organisation. With all parts of marine insurance currently united in one

common organisation, makes a particular benefit to discussions in our forums. This also provides Cefor with a more solid basis when we are speaking on behalf of the industry in matters con-cerning policy that affects our business. The topics we focus on have also taken on a somewhat broader scope”. What is Cefor for its current members?

“Today’s Cefor has a role as the industry’s rallying point for the exchange of knowledge and experiences, and safeguards the common interests of its members in matters of importance for Nordic marine insurance. Our claims database is now recognised as the leading source within international marine insurance. This provides our members an important source of data which serves as the basis for their respective risk assessments. Additionally, we

currently enjoy owner’s rights to the Norwegian Marine Insurance Plan, and are representing the insurance sector in work on the Nordic Plan in 2013. During recent years, the development of competence has also been an important task for Cefor as a response to the needs of our own members and the industry with regard to strengt-hening recruitment and the practical knowledge

among industry experts”.What do you believe will be important for Cefor in the future? “The important thing for Cefor will be that which is important for our members. As long as Cefor can safeguard the needs of its members, the organisation will also have an important role to play in the future. For now we have wide support of our main focus areas”.

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he agency was established in 1971 based on a coop-erative agreement between the german insurance broker Heinrich Pentzien, Norwegian Hull Club (then called Bergen Skibsassuranseforening) and Swedish Club. The original name of the agency

was in fact “Norwegian underwriters Agency,” however, colla-boration with other Scandinavian players grew rapidly over just a few years and in 1974 the name was changed to Scandinavian underwriters Agency (SCuA).

Hubert glindemann (64) has been involved in the agency for a total of 26 of the 40 years that SCuA has existed, and he is currently the owner and general manager of SCuA Hamburg.“In 2003 the owners of SCuA Holding in Rotterdam (NHC And gard) arranged a management buyout, and the individual SCuA offices are today independent and private companies,” says glindemann to Network.

After many years of solid cooperation, a number of major cases and not least personal familiarity with many of the NHC employees, it was natural for SCuA Hamburg to invite numer-ous guests from NHC’s offices when celebrating their jubilee on 13 April at the International Maritime Museum of Hamburg.“The cooperation with NHC is excellent due to the very compe-tent people NHC have. They teach their young staff members

TScandinavian Underwriters Agency in Hamburg has been assisting its partners and clients in international shipping for 40 years. They celebrated their jubilee this spring.B y A N N E i L E E N D . N y g å R D , B E R g E N

40 yEaRsScua Hamburg

“Our relations with Norwegian Hull Club have in fact been very strong and good over the years,” Hubert glindemann (right) says. Here together with Norwegian Hull Club CEO, John Wiik, at the event in Hamburg this spring.

very well and fast, and it is a pleasure for us to work with them. NHC know how to instruct us and give us the relevant inform-ation which we need in the beginning to start to prepare for the survey,” says glindemann.The former captain is proud of the service that his company is able to provide its clients, and hopes to be even better prepared continuing to do so in the near future.“We wish to improve even more in the Baltic area, and we also intend to improve our technical capability. During the course of 2011 we will be engaging an additional surveyor which will enable us to provide our products more effectively and faster on a worldwide basis. Asia is also on our target list for improve-ment,” says glindemann. Around 180 to 200 guests, mainly from europe, took part in the celebration in Hamburg in April. “After 40 years of cooperation, we wanted to show our appre-ciation to our many partners in this special way,” says glinde-mann. A lot of people have made a contribution to what has now become an independent, successful company. One key man in SCuA’s history, who glindemann would like to give special thanks, is Norwegian engineer, erling Sommerin.“He began his career with SCuA Hamburg in 1979 and became general manager in 1991. He did an excellent job until retiring in 2003. From NHC’s own ranks, I can of course mention Karl Hystad (Offshore and Special Risks department, NHC). He was employed at SCuA Hamburg as technical surveyor before his time at NHC. The same applies to øystein Lundeby (Claims and technical department at NHC) – he worked for us from 1993 to 2003 when he began at NHC,” says glindemann.“So our relations with Norwegian Hull Club have in fact been very strong and good over the years,” he concludes.

Norwegian Hull Club congratulates SCUA on its 40th jubilee and wishes them many prosperous years to come.

FActs: scuA hAMburg

n The Scandinavian Underwriters Agency gmbH was founded in the year 1971. n Starting with its foundation and until the year 2003, the company was a member of the worldwide SCUA group. n Due to re-organisation within the SCUA group, the individual offices became independent and the Scandinavian Underwrit-ers Agency gmbH has been a private company since 2003. n SCUA Hamburg is serving the worldwide market on Hull & Machinery and P&i insurance. n The main areas of operation are worldwide and, of course, the bordering regions of the Baltic Sea – including Russia – due to the location germany. n Services include a wide range of assistance within all kinds of Hull & Machinery surveys, as well as P&i-services.

“After 40 years of cooperation, we wanted to show our appreciation to our many partners in this special way”

Hubert glindemann, SCuA


34 35

Eyvind hellstrøm is

the “godfather” among

Norwegian chefs, has

been decorated with

Michelin stars and is

absolutely determined

to conduct a culinary

revolution.

He is the man who is

determined to make

Europe love Salma

salmon and wants a

majority of Norwegians

to like gourmet food.

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“ The trimmed salmon filet is virtually free of bacteria, and has an absolutely fantastic texture.”eyvind Hellstrøm

37

yvind Hellstrøm is Norway’s answer to gordon Ramsey. Quite literally. He has made restaurant employees weep in frustration on Norwegian television screens – when he and his accompan-ying TV crew have shown up to straighten out restaurant kitchens across the country. He looks angry on the TV screen – and often has good reason to be so: Many people just do not handle

their fresh produce correctly or make the most out of ingredients.As a seafood nation, Norway is blessed with many riches from the sea. This is something many others appreciate – a fact to which Norwegian export statistics clearly bear witness. Record amounts of seafood were exported from Norway last year, worth a mind-boggling NOK 54 billion. More than 140 countries around the world are importers of Norwegian seafood.Salma is a very special seafood product. A unique raw material from Norway. This is salmon – Norway’s largest export success in terms of seafood.The niche product, Salma, is unique in the way it takes less than four hours from the time the salmon leaves the ocean until it is ready in its package. “The trimmed salmon filet is virtually free of bacteria, and has an absolutely fantastic texture because one avoids rigor mortis in the fish,” says an enthusiastic Hellstrøm to Network.

Hellstrøm set out with samples of this treat like a Norwegian version of Johnny Appleseed, as he puts it himself, and persu-aded chef friends across europe to prepare their own variation using Salma salmon. The end result was a magnificent collection of recipes and portraits of Salma and chefs from various restaurant kitchens around europe. This was naturally the makings of a book, entitled The World’s Best – Eyvind Hellstrøm

with the world’s best chefs and the world’s best salmon.

47 chefs from nine countries have contributed their respective recipes and preparation methods for achieving the best possible result when making their particular salmon dish. And these are dishes which – besides a few exceptions – you and I can success-fully prepare. Hellstrøm believes this, at any rate.

“I often prepare simple dishes at home so that I do not have to spend three days in the kitchen making food. As an example, my own recipes in this book are incredibly simple, and this goes for most of the recipes in the book. Many of them are based on raw salmon, Salma, which is also a fine fish when cooked, but tastes exceptionally good when served raw. We have generally encouraged the chefs we visited to create simple dishes,” says Hellstrøm.

And if you are a rookie in the kitchen in terms of dealing with salmon, it is a good idea to start out with the raw variety. That is Hellstrøm’s advice. You can go far on your path towards culinary highlights in life with a good olive oil, sugar and salt. Or you might want to get inspiration from French Chef, Jean-Pierre Vigato, who according to Hellstrøm prepares shining examples of perfect-tasting dishes, in a simple way. Vigato has marinated the Salma salmon in olive oil over night, together with onion, carrots, juniper berry, thyme and laurel. This is then sliced into appropriate portions and served together with boiled potatoes and fresh salad with vinaigrette. So simple. If you give this one a try, just remember that you are eating like a French film star or fashion designer. Such persons are among the clientele at Vigato in Paris.This is just one of the recipes that Hellstrøm picks out as a highlight from his extensive “Salmon Journey” throughout europe. When we insist that he choose just one recipe, it is Pierre Troisgros’ salmon cutlet with sorrel that comes to mind. A simple dish that was created by accident when Troisgros’ grandmother happened to plant the wrong type of seed in her garden, and ended up with a huge weed. The sorrel leaves ended up right in the pot. As it turned out, this “weed” resulted in fantastic taste experiences in sauces – an acidulous taste – perfect for salmon. Just the right amount of Sancerre, cream and a good butter also do their part.“even if the dishes in the book look fancy and impressive, the principles behind are very simple. If you do not have a specific herb or spice on hand, you can still follow the basic principle in the recipes,” says eyvind Hellstrøm.

The goal, in the opinion of the TV chef, must be to make such good products in Norway so that we are just as proud of them as, for example, the French are of their Bresse Chicken. And the star chef believes that the Salma salmon has potential. He felt proud of the gold which he brought in a thermos bag to his good friends and colleagues throughout europe.

E “I often prepare simple dishes at home so that I do not have to spend three days in the kitchen making food.”eyvind Hellstrøm

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uring the “Smak” Norwegian Hospitality Industry exhibition 2011 in February, Ørjan Johannesen was selected “Chef of the Year 2011”. And this happened with help from Salma on the menu.

Based on his Salma salmon – flavoured with leek, fresh ginger, soya and chilli – the 26 year-old walked away victorious and thus became Norway’s participant in the next Bocuse d'Or europe in Brussels next year. If he does well there, he will have an opportunity to become a participant in the prestigious Bocuse dÓr in Lyon 2013.ørjan Johannesen is from the proud fishing municipality of Austevoll in the Vestlandet region of (Western) Norway. There he spent his childhood years at his parents’ inn, Bekkjarvik guest House, and consequently got to observe much of what was happening in the kitchen.“My background has definitely influenced me and was a determining factor in my becoming a chef. But, I had to start off doing dishes,” emphasises the 26 year-old.“And then I got to start preparing some food at the inn when I became a teenager, so you might say that I have worked my way up through the ranks,” says Chef of the Year to Network.

ørjan is currently associated with the gastronomic Institute in Stavanger, and assisted as “commis” for Chef geir Skeie when the latter was victorious in the Bocuse dÓr europe in 2008.

became chef of the year with salma on the menu

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“You might put it this way, the book’s title ‘The World’s Best – eyvind Hellstrøm with the world’s best chefs and the world’s best salmon’, ed.) fit perfectly,” says Hellstrøm, and he adds: “It is a matter of pride. This is a Norwegian product we can truly be proud of.”For anyone wondering whether Hellstrøm is always as angry as he appears to be on TV: The answer is ‘no’. He is very pleasant to interview. But, TV is TV... “It is true that the TV program has got a bit intense, in that sense. And it might seem somewhat brutal when we come in to straighten things out. I attempt to come to the rescue, and this can lead to a good deal of friction and frustration on the part of both rescuer and rescuees. Sometimes the medicine required can have a bitter taste, but many of the facilities are successful afterwards. What we are seeing is real dedication, at any rate,” Hellstrøm points out.“It is sort of fashionable to be a chef these days; we see rather cool guys

on TV and in the newspapers. What do you make of all this?”

“Indeed, it is fashionable to present this industry as fashion-able. Many people are doing it. Remember that it is a manual industry, and a lot has to happen on time. Team work is crucial, and tempers can easily flare up. You must enjoy being part of a team,” Hellstrøm concludes. And now the star chef is casting

FActs: sALMA

n SALMA is a guaranteed fresh, skinless and boneless salmon loin, produced at one of the world’s most modern aquaculture facilities at Bømlo, in Western Norway. n SALMA is of superior sashimi-grade quality and is interntion-ally acclaimed by chefs. n From the moment the salmon is still swimming in the ocean until it has been vacuum packed takes a maximum of 4 hours. SALMA has scientifically documentable quality advantages relating to colour, salmon meat, consistency and taste.

FActs: Eyvind hELLstrøM (62)

n is considered to be one of the best chefs in Norway.

n He is best known for running the gourmet restau-rant, Bagatelle, which he started in 1982. After only three years of operation, the restaurant achieved its first Michelin Star in 1986, and earned its second in 1992 – as the only restaurant in Norway to have done so thus far. Hellstrøm is currently not involved in the operation of this restaurant following disagreements with the principal owner.

n Eyvind Hellstrøm has presided in the Bocuse d'Or jury in Lyon since 1993. Hellstrøm is also the author of a number of cookbooks and has been the host of numerous Tv programs in which food had the “lead role”.

n Hellstrøm has received a number of awards and distinctions for his work related to the culinary arts. These include the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav, as well as the second highest order of France: Knight of the National Order of Merit.

VERDENS BESTE

EYVIND HELLSTRØM

MED VERDENS BESTE KOKKER OG VERDENS BESTE LAKS

FOTOGRAF TRYGVE INDRELID

EYVIND HELLSTRØM dro ut til verdens beste kokker for

å la dem smake verdens beste laks. Èn etter èn måtte kok-

kene bare si seg enig: Verdens beste laks er norsk.

Med på reisen hadde Eyvind med seg stjernefotograf Trygve

Indrelid. Hans bilder åpner dørene til fascinerende verdener.

Han kommer tett på bokens Chefer, en makeløs stjerne-

rekke fra Paul Bocuse, Michel Troisgros, Mathias Dahlgren til

vår egen Bent Stiansen og Geir Skeie. Og mange flere. Kok-

kene er nærmest folkehelter i egne land.

HOVEDPERSONEN ER LIKEVEL DEN NORSKE LAKSEN.

Oppskriftene er enkle, inspirerende og får deg til å tenke i

helt nye baner. Først gjennom denne boken vil derfor lak-

sens smak, egenskaper og variasjonsmuligheter kunne nytes

og verdsettes til det fulle.

TRYGVE INDRELID er til

daglig fotograf i Aftenposten.

I tillegg til reportasjer, sport

og feature, har han også mat

som spesialfelt i avisen.

Han har tidligere fotografert

fem matbøker, og samarbeidet

med Hellstrøm på fire av de.

Sammen utgjør de

et «dreamteam».

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Eyvind Hellstrøm har vært sjef

på Bagatelle i 27 år, den eneste

restauranten i Norge som har

oppnådd 2 Michelin stjerner.

Cover.indd 1

16.12.09 13.15

Skeie additionally won the Bocuse dÓr Lyon the following year. Norway has never achieved lower than 4th place in the Bocuse since 1987. In other words, ørjan Johannesen has a lot to live up to.“Yes, there is a bit of pressure, but that is okay,” says Johannesen to Network. His clear objective is to advance from the Bocuse dÓr europe 2012 to the Bocuse dÓr Lyon 2013. A feat Norwegian star Chef, eyvind Hellstrøm, has stated that he considers a given fact that Johannesen will manage to do.“A lot of things will have to go wrong for Norway not to succeed”, is also the opinion of Johannesen. Norway has always done extremely well in this prestigious branch of the culinary arts. Winning “Chef of the Year” has been a great experience for the 26 year-old.“It means a lot career-wise and opens many doors for me,” he points out. And on his way to this accomplishment, he used Norwegian Salma salmon.“I decided to go with a bit of Asian inspiration on it and used soya, ginger, chilli and coconut. I am very fond of Asian food and also wanted to try out a twist that not everyone else was likely to do. It is good to do something that stands out a bit,” believes Johannesen. And he managed to do just that in an extreme way.“Do you have a favourite seafood dish?”

“Hum, that would have to be Norwegian Lobster, from Austevoll, of course! Fried in its shell with lemon and tarragon. And you can serve it alone,” remarks Johannesen.

his attention upon Norwegian housewives and families when he begins taping of his new television program about conditions in the kitchens of Norway’s proverbial “thousand homes”.“Norwegians are not as ‘French’ in the kitchen as Frenchmen. Will this

be intense TV viewing with lots of tears over the kitchen countertop?”

“The new concept, ‘Clean up at Home’, will not be a horror movie,” the TV chef assures Network.“But rather an aid for people who perceive mealtime as drudgery, conflict and failure, or just basically are experiencing a lack of time, financial difficulties or laziness,” Hellstrøm adds. We are probably safe in betting that Norway’s top star chef will make sure there is plenty of seafood on the dinner tables in the new series.

Ørjan Johannesen

PANTAgRueL FORLAg

Salma winner by Ørjan Johannesen


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B y K R i S T i N E g A B R i E L S E N

uch is the case at NHC as well, and this spring NHC decided to strengthen its HR department.

The association has around 100 employees and focus will now be put on enhancing professional compe-tence internally. Lene Jordan will be working as HR Manager in close cooperation with HR Director, Finn Melby. What does Human Resource Management (HRM) mean for the people who deal with this term on a daily basis? “’HRM is a broader term as compared to the traditional “personnel office”. greater efforts are made nowadays towards ensuring the well-being and personal and professional development of the people in an organisation. Developing the human resources in the organisation is paramount in order to make the company sustainable in a constantly changing and competitive environment,” says Lene Jordan.“I am accustomed to working with quantifiable units from my previous jobs in finance. The main charac-teristic of figures is that they tell us more about what has happened than what the future will bring. If you want to take a look into the crystal ball, then you have to take a closer look at the human element. A com-pany with dedicated, proactive and enthusiastic people is a future-oriented organisation,” explains Finn Melby. Lene supports Finn’s view: “HR shall aim towards facilitating conditions which create the dedication that will help make us all winners – in the long run. The goal is to provide and maintain a secure framework for the employees, which is something we achieve by giving them effective training and follow-up and by ensuring that our people enjoy their jobs.

What do you consider as important in your job as

HR Manager?

“I think it is important that I am visible and available for all employees and that I facilitate conditions that will enable them to do the best job possible. In speci-fic terms, I would like to be used as a resource and as a conversation partner as a way of developing a good collaborative environment and skilled managers – thereby creating a future-oriented organisation.” Recruitment will also be an important aspect of Lene’s responsibilities. “I’m looking for something I call the ‘umph’.” “Lene explained the concept behind this term, and I think it is a fitting expression. It describes something you cannot quite put into standard terms – that little extra in a person that makes him or her enthusiastic and dedicated,” says Finn. “Our vision ‘expect more’ is a key idea in our new recruitment efforts. We are seeking the people with the best professional competence who also have good social skills and the ones who have a spark – the people who will make that extra little effort both internally and externally,” Lene adds. What is your main focus area, Finn?

“I have been in this position for six years and one of my main objectives has been to establish a common sense of identity within the organisation. Who is NHC? Do we believe in our vision; are we ‘true’ to our values? Are we working towards the same objec-tives? I consider it to be of importance that we create a common platform with a fairly ambitious vision that allows for growth and development.” “As newly employed in the organisation, I have noticed that ‘expect more’ is deeply rooted in the consciousness of the employees. The core values and

“Human resources”, or HR, is a term often put forth in speeches

at company banquets - not without reason. Only 27% of Norway’s national

wealth can be said to come from oil and gas, roads, construction

and goods, etc., whereas fully 73 % can be attributed

to human capital, according to Statistics Norway.

The importance of Human Resources

”it is the people that are NHC’s strength and the key element which gives us our vitality over time”Finn Melby

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company vision are firmly in place and we will now put the ideas behind them into action”, says Lene.What are some of the main HR tasks that lie ahead?

“It will become increasingly important to distinguish ourselves from our competitors. One of the challenges will therefore be to attract the best heads to our company. Competence is and will remain the determining factor for success,” explains Finn. “Additionally, the job market has changed and the new gene-ration of employees has different attitude and expectation towards an employer than previously. We must therefore also look inwards and consider what we can do to get talented people to view NHC as an exciting and attractive place to work,” Lene adds. “And how to do this is a topic that we discuss frequently. A main point is that all NHC employees are ambassadors for our organisation. Much of our work is done if we maintain a workplace where people enjoy well-being and the opportunity to develop under fair conditions,” says Finn. “Yes, I believe that NHC already has a good reputation extern-ally; it is an international organisation that can make certain demands. It is also a relatively small company which makes our decision makers all the more accessible. employees are involved in the decision-making process and there are opportunities for further development. I believe this is a selling point in our recruitment efforts,” affirms Lene. How will clients and members notice the enhanced HR efforts?

“Trustworthiness creates confidence. Thus, our clients can be confident that we have competent employees on the job who are providing quality services where the starting point is the idea that things can always be improved. In meetings with clients, the focus is put on relational competence and mutual trust. Our associates can be sure that we deliver on our promises. NHC makes its living on sharing knowledge. By enhancing our level of competence and knowledge, we ensure that the organisation will grow. We have set the bar high based on our vision – it serves as a promise that we have the right competence at the right place at any given time,” says Finn. “At the same time, it is very important that what we are representing corresponds with what our organisation is doing internally. We as employees must have the same impression of our company as that which we are giving our clients,” adds Lene. What expectations do you have for the future, Lene?

“I have great expectations and hope to be able to utilise my skills and experience to the best for the company. I am looking forward to work with Finn and to further develop HR in line with company objectives. I hope to be able to do my part by attracting the best people and developing the people we have, while I also have a desire to grow on the personal level.”

What makes HR work exciting? “We have a lot of fun together at work because we share many of the same ideas and ambitions. We work in an international industry with many interesting work tasks. The employees are dedicated and full of enthusiasm, and there is something new happening all the time. NHC is an organisation in growth, however it is important to keep in mind that we are in a cyclical industry that require us to be quick to adapt to new situations,” conclude the two HR chiefs.

4 FOR THE ROAD

Most recent book you read: For the moment i’m into Jo Nesbø’s crime fiction; Kakerlakkene first (Cockroaches), and now Snømannen (Snowman).

A cultural event you remember well: No Christmas without Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker at the National Opera in Oslo.

Most recent travel destination: Last summer we spent on the lush Lesvos greek, an island with more than 11 million olive trees. Each meal we ate liters of delicious olive oil

Favorite web site: finn.no!

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4 FOR THE ROAD

Most recent book you read: A spot of bother by Mark Haddon; funny and sad at the same time.

A cultural event you remember well: Henrik ibsen’s Ghosts – the tango version - at the National Theatre in Oslo made quite an impression.A fantastic play!

Most recent travel destination: i spent Easter holiday in Skåne, Sweden. The town has a peaceful and relaxing atmosphere with long beaches, cows and a lot of fresh air

Favorite web site: www.Finn.no/reise and www.arbeidstilsynet.no


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bergenOlav Kyrres gate 11P. O. Box 75 SentrumNO - 5803 Bergen, Norway

TELEPHONE: + 47 55 55 95 00TELEFAx: + 47 55 55 95 55E-MAiL: [email protected] www.norclub.no

osloRådhusgaten 25P. O. Box 1290 vikaNO - 0111 Oslo, Norway

TELEPHONE: + 47 55 55 95 00 TELEFAx: + 47 22 42 38 67 E-MAiL: [email protected] www.norclub.no

kristiansand Rådhusgaten 3P. O. Box 489NO - 4664 Kristiansand, Norway

TELEPHONE: + 47 55 55 95 00 TELEFAx: + 47 38 10 71 21 E-MAiL: [email protected] www.norclub.no

NETWORKEDiTOR: Kristine gabrielsen

EDiTORiAL ADviSOR/JOURNALiST: Ann Eileen D. Nygård

gRAPHiC DESigN: Konvoi as, Bergen

TRANSLATiONS: McLean.no Oversetting, BolgaSamtext Norway AS

PRiNTED By Molvik grafisk as

Network is published by Norwegian Hull Club,

Bergen, Oslo and Kristiansand, Norway.

Every care has been taken to ensure the

accuracy and quality of the information

provided in Network. The opinions expressed

in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the

view of Norwegian Hull Club. No responsibility

whatsoever can be accepted by Norwegian

Hull Club in respect of any loss or damage

which may arise from reliance on information

contained in Network, regardless of the source

of the information.

All rights reserved 2010.

“Because things are the way they are, things will not stay the way they are” - Bertolt Brecht

Adapting to present day communication, and saving paper, Norwegian Hull Club chose to publish its Annual Report for 2010 digitally. We also chose a more suitable format than the traditional PDF file – a customized website, easy to navigate and adapted to Ipad format.Norwegian Hull Club believes strongly that the web is the platform for specific professional information relevant our clients and costumers. The Annual Report is only the beginning!

Visit our website www.norclub.no or go directly to Annual Report at: www.norclub.no/annualreport2010

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NET WORK - Norwegian Hull Club › assets › Network-magazines › Network... · 2017-07-18 · net work nuMber 1, May 2011 net work nuMber 1, May 2011 2 3 ”Our future depends