April 8, 2021
Congratulations to Jake Napoli on Receiving Recognition for Your Determination and Dedication to the Profession.
At Teekay, we relish the opportunity to celebrate the achievements of our incredible colleagues. Recently, the prestigious Bevis Minter Award was awarded to Third Assistant Engineer, Jake Napoli. The award recognizes officer trainees who show great determination and overcome significant challenges in the pursuit of a maritime career. Jake joined Teekay Gas as a cross-trainee and has sailed onboard the Arc7 Icebreaking vessels, Eduard Toll and Nikolay Yevgenov, as well as the LNG Carrier Meridian Spirit.
Mr. Napoli was nominated by Glasgow College of Nautical Studies, who stated that “His values and behaviors throughout his cadetship have resulted in him being an exceptional cadet with all the qualities and attributes of a Merchant Navy officer in abundance”. Jake’s mature approach, problem-solving abilities, and hands-on skills have helped him adapt to the Teekay way of working and has proven to be a great addition to our team.
We recently spoke with Jake about his journey to pursuing a life at sea as well as his experiences as a cadet. Read on for Jake’s story.
If someone would have told me that I would be conducting the daily lifeboat checks on an Arc 7 LNG carrier while transiting through thick sea ice in areas where commercial ships have never been before, it’s fair to say I wouldn’t have believed them!
Growing up on the Isle of Skye, Jake developed a love for the sea while spending Summer nights fishing down the pier in Portree or out on his grandfather’s boat. But when asked why he pursued a career in the merchant navy, he noted that a career at sea wasn’t something he knew was a possibility for most of his life. Jake describes having suffered from ‘sea blindness’ – a term which describes the general public’s lack of knowledge of the merchant navy or more broadly, the importance of those who have worked on or even fought on the sea. “If someone would have told me that I would be conducting the daily lifeboat checks on an Arc 7 LNG carrier while transiting through thick sea ice in areas where commercial ships have never been before, it’s fair to say I wouldn’t have believed them!”
Over the years Jake pursued different career paths looking for something that offered rich experience, adventure, and personal development. Throughout his pursuits, he became fascinated by the many ships at anchor on the east coast of Scotland and the idea was planted in his mind to pursue a career at sea. Jake left the Isle of Skye for the city of Glasgow with a newfound focus and determination and discovered a passion for learning as he worked to make his dream a reality.
When reflecting on his cadetship, Jake notes, “One lesson I’ve learned, albeit rather cliché, is that nothing good ever comes easy. They say that if you join a ship for one minute, you’ll work for sixty seconds! But sticking at it gives you a real sense of achievement and another, very important lesson I’ve learned is to maintain your levels of integrity, even on those tough days.”
If I had to write a list of the things I enjoy or feel thankful for because I can work at sea, it would be endless.
Moving forward, Jake aims to obtain further engineering qualifications, broaden his marine engineering knowledge and pay forward his skills and knowledge by volunteering for Mercy Ships – a longtime dream of his. By sharing his story, Jake hopes to encourage others to consider a career at sea, and hopes people will become more aware of the work that goes on at sea.
He adds, “Even on the incredibly difficult days, I am so thankful to be where I am today and hope that I can continue to progress within the industry for as long as possible. If I had to write a list of the things I enjoy or feel thankful for because I can work at sea, it would be endless. Life is short, so why not spend it at sea?”
Congratulations Jake on this prestigious award! We are excited to see how your journey unfolds.
Enjoy some select photos from Jake’s voyages on board the Eduard Toll, Nikolay Yevgenov, and Meridian Spirit.
