February 4, 2016
“Years at sea and months and months away from your family certainly teach you the importance of communication.”
“Years at sea and months and months away from your family certainly teach you the importance of communication,” says Captain Vinay Akolkar – a man who has sailed around the world to almost every country a vessel can navigate to.
“Whenever I greet a person onboard I make it a point to ask them about their family, any problems where I can be of some help.”
Moving cargo around the world carries an immense responsibility and ensuring the crew arrives home safely is his job. Capt. Akolkar joined Teekay in 2007, and with 37 years of experience in shipping under his belt, he understands that being well connected with his crew is critical for a job well done.
“Whenever I greet a person onboard I make it a point to ask them about their family, any problems where I can be of some help.” He focuses on building trust amongst them and part of that is calling each person by their first name – something he learned from the early days.
“Open communication with my crew builds confidence.”
When it’s dinner time at home, his family eats together. It is the best time for ‘table talk’ to bond and share any ideas or problems. It is similar onboard. He encourages open communication to share feedback and work through challenges together as a team.
Biryani – an Indian rice dish – and a favorite of many onboard!
Master Vinay, like many seafarers do, makes the ship his home – especially when wife Amita Akolkar comes onboard with him. A few plants around the accommodation area are extra touches she adds to make the vessel feel like home. He particularly enjoys when Amita gets her hand in the galley and puts together a delicious Biryani – an Indian rice dish – and a favorite of many onboard!
Captain Vinay is a man who doesn’t believe in shortcuts – things get done by the book, every time.
Captain Vinay is a man who doesn’t believe in shortcuts – things get done by the book, every time. That’s his key to success. His open-communication mindset and commitment to safety are essential in achieving Teekay Tankers’ vision. Over the next few months we will be sharing stories of individuals within and across the #OneTankerTeam: Commercial, Operations, Finance and Technical, at sea and ashore. Each of them has a unique story and experience, but share a common sense of working together to be the best of the best.
For more #OneTankerTeam stories, check out: