September 16, 2021
Fostering learning opportunities and encouraging alignment across both sea and shore with Teekay Tankers’ Shore Secondment Program.
Teekay Tankers’ has developed a Shore Secondment Program that allows selected sea colleagues to trial working in a Teekay office. The Shore Secondment Program encourages a two-way feedback channel between ship and shore where both teams can impart their experience and expertise to improve collaboration across the organization.
Secondment candidates are often sea staff who have demonstrated excellent performance and are ready to move forward in their career. Secondment assignments last for 2-6 months and the program welcomes all nationalities and genders to participate. Seconded colleagues work alongside various departments on shore, ranging from HSEQ, Marine Operations, Ship Management and Technical, and Marine HR. Due to ongoing challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the program has temporarily moved to a remote working experience to support the health and safety of our staff. Despite the lack of in-office interactions, we are pleased to see that the program still provides valuable experiences and development opportunities to candidates.
Through the Shore Secondment Program, sea and shore colleagues are given the opportunity to hear and learn about how their work benefits and affects one another. This creates a mutual bond of understanding and practicality that helps improve our commitment and dedication to maintaining our safety and operational success. A great example of this is when seconded colleagues are asked for feedback on new policies or changes to be implemented on board. Through collaboration, our seconded colleagues’ knowledge and perspective of onboard operations add valuable insight to shore staff spearheading the project. At the same time, our shore colleagues, in conversation with those seconded, can provide greater context about the project to our sea staff.
“As a seafarer we usually do not understand the work involve from office. Through the program I had first-hand experience and understand how management operates the ships and the working relation between ship and shore teams. I have also learnt the vital importance of shore support to the ship to run efficiently and economically.”
1AE Xie Wei, seconded in 2019 as a Technical Coordinator
Aside from learning the ins and outs of office work (and currently, remote work), seconded colleagues gain both personal and professional development throughout the program. When seconded colleagues are chosen, the opportunity comes with a sense of pride and privilege at the chance to collaborate with different departments, expand their professional network, and build their leadership confidence. Colleagues who complete the secondment program have remarked that they enjoyed forging relationships across the organization and building confidence in their own capabilities and knowledge.
“During my Secondment, I was involved in collaborating with various vessel to implement best practices to monitor their progress. The numerous brainstorming sessions with the teams helped nurtured and mould me into a stronger individual and inculcating a level of confidence in myself that I would carry for the rest of my life.”
Chief Officer Bhavya Satija, seconded remotely in 2020 with the HSEQ Department
We are grateful to our colleagues at Teekay Tankers for collaborating to make this program a success. Bringing sea and shore together to create learning opportunities, forge relationships, and create alignment is a great example of #TeekaySpirit.
Read on for more reflections from colleagues who have completed the Secondment Program:
Chief Officer, Shawn Alvares, Seconded Remotely in 2021 with Marine Operations
From working on board the Moscow Spirit, to then working from home during unprecedented times, Shawn rose to the challenge to make the most of his opportunity.
“Working remotely has been challenging especially at the start, but with the effort of the entire Singapore Team this was a smooth sail. The Secondment was a great experience. I got to learn a lot from the shore side, the efforts they put in to achieve the desired results, learning from their experience and knowledge is a great opportunity at hand. Working with different departments, multitasking at times and engaging in meetings and discussions has helped me develop the skill and knowledge required for my future rank. I would definitely take all the learnings and experience with me on board.“
Shawn also commented on the relationships he built with staff in Singapore along the way, noting, the mentorship he received along the way from his manager and other colleagues eased his transition to shore-based work. Shawn reflects, “I thank my Manager for always being very helpful, approachable, patient and appreciable and for taking the time to mentor me. I have got to learn a lot from his vast experience and knowledge. Also for giving me many opportunities to embolden me. I would like to thank all the Marine Managers for their assistance throughout my time. They have been great mentors and I have learnt a lot from the knowledge and experience that they possess. Very patient and always encouraging.“
Chief Officer, Bhavya Satija, Seconded Remotely in 2020 with the HSEQ Department
Chief Officer Satija was called to Singapore for secondment in the HSEQ department. He says that once he found out, his “only focus was on how to make the most of this opportunity.”
He reflects, “It was a completely new exposure of the industry for me, looking at it from a different perspective and an opportunity to broaden my spectrum of knowledge and to get a different insight on how to deal with different situations . . .I was involved in collaborating with each vessel to implement best practices and monitor their progress. Counting the numerous brain storming sessions with the Office team, while we were in process of executing the project, helped me in nurturing and moulding myself into stronger individual and progressed in inculcating a level of confidence in myself that I would carry for the rest of my life. This program helped me in understanding the Importance of Business criticality which I use in my day-to-day life while I am onboard. I utilised this opportunity to carry out interactions with HSEQ Managers and Marine Ops Managers which helped me in gaining knowledge about several Ship operations and Safety related items.“
Chief Engineer, Siji Sebastian Antony, Seconded in 2017 as a Vessel Manager
During his two month Secondment, CE Siji was thankful for new perspectives and added insight on the safety procedures and operations he and his crew take part in every day while on board Teekay Tankers vessels.
“Secondment was an eye opener which made me understand the flip side of the coin in ship operation, priorities and common goals of safely and efficiently operating the vessel . . . the underlying effort and time required for each vessel operation such as supplies- processing & delivery , crew changes etc are very clear to me.“
CE Siji got the opportunity to learn how various departments on shore work toward the operational excellence while caring for colleagues on shore and at sea. He experienced first hand what #TeekaySpirit feels like in our shore offices, especially after a special visitor came to the office: “The most memorable experience during the office training was when my family had a chance to visit the office. My wife was zapped to see the office, our colleagues in office and the friendly nature. The multinational culture all working under one roof for one single goal – ‘SAFE AND EFFICIENT OPERATION’.“
First Assistant Engineer, Xie Wei, Seconded in 2019 as a Technical Coordinator
First Engineer, Xie Wei’s role saw him wearing multiple hats and building his collaboration skills while on secondment. In his own words, “My role was to assist the vessel manager by handing 7-8 ships in the fleet ensuring documents and vessel certificates are in compliance and surveys are arranged. I also communicated with Classification societies and served as the middle man coordinating the ship and shore operations or services required.”
Throughout his secondment, Xie came to understand first-hand the strong relationship needed between ship and shore operations to keep things running smoothly and to keep our colleagues safe. He recounts, “As a seafarer we usually do not understand the work involve from office. Through the program I had first-hand experience and understand how management operates the ships and the working relation between ship and shore teams. I have also learnt the vital importance of shore support to the ship to run efficiently and economically . . . I am glad Teekay office provides shore opportunities for seafaring staff as it is rare for us to work in office. I feel the program allows seafarers to have a glimpse of life on shore and connects both shore and ship personnel, making new friends and colleagues onshore forming bonds. I highly recommend my seafaring colleagues to give it a try. Hope the program continues so subsequently seafarers can apply for a permanent shore position in future.“