Lessons from a life in shipping: Bjorn Hojgaard

My worst moment in shipping

The low point for me has been the erosion of decent, even acceptable, conditions for seafarers in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. I’ve been at sea myself, and worked with the people at the coal face of our industry all my life, and perhaps because of that I have a very visceral appreciation of the contribution of these silent key workers to the backbone of shipping. And despite shipping’s ability to grab headlines for all the wrong reasons, the reality is that our industry has been instrumental in the eradication of poverty and in enabling globalisation to thrive, and with that bring prosperity and health to many developing countries. We owe the seafarers of this world so much more, and it’s to me shameful to see countries and port states refusing crew changes, and in some cases even medical assistance.

The funniest moment in shipping

Probably when, 30 years ago, during a fire drill on board a ship at sea, the chief officer instructed a young cadet to discharge the fire powder extinguisher. The new cadet dutifully pulled the safety pin, pressed the handle, and started covering a mooring drum on the poop deck in powder, to which the chief officer shouted “No, boy, over the side!” The cadet looked perplexed at him and threw the entire extinguisher overboard… I’ve never seen a chief officer look so bewildered.

I learnt most from

Capt Knud E Sylvestersen. I had the pleasure of serving under him as a young deck officer on a couple of ships, and his style of work was formative for my commitment to the highest standards in safety and navigation throughout my life. Capt Sylvestersen was a very experienced ’star’ Master, with impeccable integrity and he demanded something special from his team. Not the easiest person to work for, but if you could match his expectations he would share plentifully from a wealth of knowledge and wisdom.

My guilty pleasure

Extraordinary red wine.

My favourite meal

Any meal that is prepared from fresh ingredients and enjoyed outdoors after a strenuous hike in some mountains somewhere. Nothing to whet your appetite as good exercise… and good food just tastes better when you are hungry.

My favourite location

On a boat in azure blue waters, watching the sun set with family and friends.

My one regret:

I’ve made a ton of mistakes in my life. But my regrets are always about the things I didn’t do, rather than those I did. Doing something and failing is a chance to learn and try again. Not doing something is a wasted opportunity from which you learn very little and which may never come back.

My advice for a young person in shipping:

…would be to remain unique. Business schools will teach you that there is a ‘best way’ but the reality is that no situation is the same. Good leadership and management behaviour is incredibly situational – there’s no such thing a single answer for every, or even for each, complex challenge. And the one enduring thing every leader must bring to work everyday is his or her authenticity. In the end of the day, the best thing you can spend your time on is doing what only you can do.

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