HEROES AT THE FRONTIER OF ENERGY, MARINE & RENEWABLES
2019/2020 SURVEY & ROV EDITION ISSUE 7
Mohd Firdaus Ramlan, ROV Supervisor & Sub Engineer
Living the dream
Simon Hird, Regional Director Asia-Pacific // i-Teh 7 - Subsea 7
Raising the company’s profile in the APAC region Paul Hampton, Business Manager Survey & ROV // Atlas Professionals
Embracing the challenges of a rising subsea industry -
Karolina Kwiatkowska, Hydographic Surveyor
The story of a biologist at sea HEROES
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Welcome to the first Survey & ROV Edition of Atlas Professionals’ HEROES Magazine. This magazine is filled with flagship stories of Heroes, from Atlas’ professionals to clients that operate and innovate at the frontier of the offshore industry. Atlas Professionals would like to become the number one choice for our clients and professionals by being committed to provide a safe, reliable, competent and happy workforce in all niches we operate in at the frontier of Energy, Marine and Renewables. A mission embodied in this magazine, featuring among others an experienced Senior Data Processor and an ambitious ROV Pilot Technician who loves solving technical challenges. Next to this, we put a special focus on the rising importance of competence management and how Atlas tackles this with the Atlas Competence Programme. We hope you enjoy reading the exciting stories outlined in Heroes and would very much like to thank our clients, partners and professionals for their contribution. We look forward to supporting you in the years ahead. Atlas Professionals
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ERWIN LANDMAN Insights in the changing work field
DINGENA PEDDIE- THEUNISSE Making waves in 2020 and beyond
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ERWIN LANDMAN // VAN OORD SURVEY OPERATION MANAGER OFFSHORE WIND AND NETHERLANDS
On changing techniques and finding the right survey personnel
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PAUL HAMPTON // ATLAS PROFESSIONALS BUSINESS MANAGER SURVEY & ROV
Embracing the challenges of a rising subsea industry
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SIMON HIRD // I-TECH 7 - SUBSEA 7 REGIONAL DIRECTOR ASIA-PACIFIC
Raising the company’s profile in the APAC region
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ADAM GOM ROV PILOT TECHNICIAN
The perfect career for a team spirited professional
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DINGENA PEDDIE-THEUNISSE // ATLAS PROFESSIONALS ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
Catching the wave of successful competence management
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JASON DAVIES SENIOR HYDROGRAPHIC SURVEYOR/DATA PROCESSOR
Relishing challenges and boosting his career
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ROB MCCALLUM // EYOS EXPEDITIONS EXPEDITION LEADER & FOUNDER
Leading the first human visit to the RMS Titanic in 14 years
22 JASON DAVIES Processing data around the world
Table of Contents
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MOHD FIRDAUS RAMLAN ROV SUPERVISOR & SUB ENGINEER
Operating ROVs in a safe way wherever needed
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MELISSA TROCH // JAN DE NUL GROUP CREW MANAGER OFFSHORE
Finding skilled personnel for the company’s globally marine operations
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KAROLINA KWIATKOWSKA HYDROGRAPHIC SURVEYOR
Biologist at sea on the Survey and ROV work that fascinates her
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CHRIS LAWRENCE // ATLAS PROFESSIONALS BUSINESS MANAGER
The team is currently looking into organising software and hardware trainings
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FABRICE SANDERS SURVEY ENGINEER
Swapping jobs for an exciting around-the-world career in Survey
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SJOERD VAN DEN BROM // BOSKALIS GENERAL MANAGER SURVEY
Pushing at the boundaries of innovation and creativity
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VINCENT DROULEZ SENIOR PILOT TECHNICIAN
Looking after his family, both onshore and offshore
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ALEC & ANNA // ZERO HARM ATLAS PROFESSIONALS CARTOON CHARACTERS
Taking the right steps to ensure professionals return home injury free
N NDS, VAN OORD A A L R M E H D T E N N D A N L MANAGER OFFSHORE WIND A ERWIN PERATIONS SURVEY O
A different approach
Erwin Landman, Survey Operations Manager at maritime contractor Van Oord provides insight in the changing work field.
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For Erwin Landman – Survey Operations Manager at Dutch maritime contracting company, Van Oord – the most satisfying part of any project is the finished result. “I like the fact that you start with nothing, but end with something,” he says. “For example, in Malaysia, we built the Port of Tanjung Pelepas. When I arrived, there was no infrastructure at all; by the time I left, the four-kilometre quay wall was ready. This achievement was a team effort, of course; and I felt as though I helped make it a reality, alongside my colleagues. That makes me proud.” Van Oord operates in four specific markets: dredging, oil and gas, offshore wind and the Netherlands. The company began its journey into offshore wind 15 years ago and, among other installations, is the builder of the Gemini Offshore Wind Park off the coast of the Netherlands, with 150 wind turbines supplying 600 MW of renewable energy to 785,000 households. In February 2019, the company set a record when its Belgian offshore wind farm, Norther, delivered power to the grid only seven months after Van Oord began the installation of the first foundation. ‘Working in this field requires ingenious minds, because developments are happening fast.’
Changing techniques Survey techniques alter depending on the project that’s being executed: ‘There are still new tools and software being developed, such as using a drone for surveying purposes,’ says Erwin. The relatively new offshore wind sector requires a different survey approach. “Working in offshore wind is different to working in oil and gas and dredging,” explains Erwin. “For instance, in dredging, the survey vessel operates separately from the dredger itself; whereas, in offshore wind, surveyors often work onboard the installation vessel.” “Also when executing dredging projects, we are often measuring and covering a huge area that has been reclaimed. In offshore wind dimension control concentrates at one foundation at the time, with the highest accuracy down to the millimetre.” When installing foundations for an
offshore wind park, Erwin’s team uses a laser scanner to help measure and monitor the piling process, and to ensure monopiles are placed in exactly the right position during the installation of the turbine’s foundations.
Finding skilled personnel Surveying clearly requires high levels of precise technical skill, so one of Erwin’s challenges is not simply finding personnel – it’s finding the right personnel. “These highly qualified people can be difficult to get hold of in Europe, and throughout the rest of the world,” he says. “But Atlas Professionals is doing a good job of finding them for us. With all these different type of projects in execution we would like to welcome a constant supply of new talent. Atlas has also set up a system so that companies like ourselves can give feedback about a person’s skills, which works well.” Erwin joined Van Oord in 1992 and has worked as a surveyor on various projects around the world. Apart from Malaysia, he’s been to Guatemala, Brazil, Algeria, Germany and the UK. “Then I got the opportunity to work back home in the Netherlands,” he says. “Since then I’ve been involved with a range of projects, including a railway speed link between Schiphol and Belgium. Then there was Maasvlakte 2, part of the Rotterdam Mainport Development Project, which included a 11-kilometre seawall. That required a lot of innovation. It was also a lot of fun.” He has been Van Oord’s Survey Operations Manager OWP & NL since 2012. Erwin is confident that Van Oord can provide challenging and rewarding job opportunities in a fast developing market. ‘New survey tools will emerge and the renewable energy market is very interesting to work in,” he says. “In my opinion, we have to do something about global warming and embrace renewable energy. I feel that when we build a wind farm, we’re taking action and helping to make this world a little bit greener. When you finish, look back and see the wind turbines turning, you think: ‘Hey – I was part of that – and it’s making the planet a little bit better.’”
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PTOYN& ROV, ATLAS PROFESSIONALS PAUSLS MHANAAGM ER SURVE BUSINE
Subsea rising
Originally focussing on academia, Paul Hampton now embraces the challenges of the rising subsea industry as Business Manager Survey & ROV at Atlas Professionals.
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As an industry on the rise, the question if we should we dedicate an entire Heroes Magazine to Survey and ROV, Diving & Inspection was definitely a leading one for Paul Hampton. Based in the UK, Paul oversees Atlas’s Newquay and Banbury offices, whilst staying in close contact with other ROV & Survey hubs across the globe such as the Atlas Singapore office. Where the company’s Newquay office services the survey industry and assists on related environmental projects, the Banbury team serves the needs of not only the ROV sector, including trencher, plough systems and inspection, but also those of the dive sector and specialized riggers. “The Survey and the ROV, Diving & Inspection business lines are two very important entities in Atlas,” Paul says, “and ever developing. With new technologies and methodologies emerging fast, allowing to dive deeper and survey more accurately, we as an offshore personnel provider are continuously challenged to stay on top of our game.” A challenge he doesn’t mind facing, though. “I like to keep moving forward and being challenged – as well as being challenging! It’s how we grow.”
Innovative subsea world Walking around industry exhibitions such as Ocean Business you can’t avoid the obvious rise of automation and remote operations in the sector. “A number of companies are working really hard to make remote operations feasible. And with this rise of remote operations and AUVs we may see the roles in the ROV and Survey departments change dramatically,” says Paul. “In time – however contradictory it may sound – the future of offshore ROV & Survey may well be more land-based!” Professionals shouldn’t be alarmed, however, according to Paul. “In the foreseeable future there will continue to be a need for the current level of offshore personnel – if not more due to the surge in renewables projects, raised activity in the APAC region and the potential rebound of the Oil & Gas industry. Next to this, our teams are always on top of the latest developments so we can advise our professionals about relevant training courses and certifications.” Paul is pleased to read that professionals such as Hydrographic Surveyor Karolina Kwiatkowska and ROV Sub Engineer Mohd Firdaus Ramlan – both featured in this edition of Heroes – are keen to further develop their skill sets and embrace the challenges that come with ongoing innovation in the subsea industry. “The willingness to embrace ongoing training, and to adapt to the changing face of the Offshore sector that is shown by our professionals demonstrates that it is not only about ability or skill, but also about attitude; a trait highly valued by clients and fellow professionals.”
Experience curve
Erwin Landman, Paul spent a good deal off his career offshore as a surveyor himself. “I originally focused on academia. However, I soon found out that the Oil & Gas industry offered ‘big toys’ and often awe-inspiring technology, so I couldn’t resist moving across to the commercial sector as a surveyor.” Over time Paul rose to the position of Party Chief and then Offshore Manager working with several high-profile companies. During this time, he had the opportunity to work on umbilicals and cables, which naturally let to the renewables market. Followed by different onshore roles within the sector, including as an Operations Manager for a Marine consultancy company, Paul’s experience has enabled him to add a better understanding and empathy of not only the various aspects of the industry that Atlas operates in, but also of the perspective of both the clients and professionals. A particular understanding Paul has developed on both sides of the equation relates to competence management. Referring to Senior Hydrographic Surveyor/Data Processor Jason Davies’ interview in this magazine, Paul says: “I know from experience that, as a freelance professional, you always have to be one step ahead, thinking about your next assignment, and as such you want to show prospective clients your competence, qualifications and experience in a clear and straightforward manner. But I also know the importance of this from a client perspective, having experienced both the highs and lows of individuals capabilities!” Being able to represent both sides of the industry with the online Atlas Competence Programme is something that really pleases him.
Future proof Ask Paul to give you one career highlight, and he gives you many: “From working with the British Antarctic Survey to large-scale Oil & Gas production projects, or wreck hunting to being involved in the early largescale Offshore Windfarms! And now having the opportunity of working with the motivated, knowledgeable and fun teams in Banbury and Newquay.” Paul says he looks forward to further enhancing the synergies between the offices and is committed to keep the quality, service and commitment of the teams a priority. “The investment in offshore renewables has kept our sector afloat and looks to continue well into the future. The Oil & Gas sector has been really hit hard in recent years and I believe Atlas came out strong due to the versatility of our teams. We’re really happy to have the opportunity to work with motivated, competent professionals and to collaborate with well-established or new clients. Every day offers new opportunities and we look forward to continuing to support them in the years ahead.”
Next to some of our professionals, Atlas also speaks to different clients in this edition of Heroes. Just like Van Oord’s Survey Operations Manager
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D ACIFIC, I-TECH 7 - SUBSEA 7 N HITR SIMO SIA-P AL DIREC OR A REGION
Full circle
Simon Hird from offshore service provider, i-Tech 7, is busy raising the company’s profile in the APAC region – while building a team around him who love what they do.
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Simon Hird’s curriculum vitae is as impressive as it is long. Across four decades, he’s been at the centre of the subsea oil and gas industry, working for (among others) UTEC Survey as business unit director responsible for managing activity in the Asia-Pacific region. In February of this year, he joined i-Tech 7 –Subsea 7’s Life of Field business unit – as its Regional Director Asia-Pacific. “It’s fitting that I’m doing this job,” muses Simon. “That’s because in the mid-1980s I worked for diving company Wharton Williams which, after various iterations and mergers, effectively became Subsea 7. So after all of the companies I’ve worked for all around the world, I’m essentially back with the same company I joined in 1985! It’s been a long career journey for me, and I’m proud that I’ve come full circle.” While Subsea 7 takes care of design and construction in the subsea sector, i-Tech 7 provides clients worldwide with a full range of Inspection, Repair, Maintenance (IRM) and Life of Field services, and has access to over 175 ROVs and a fleet of Remotely Operated Vehicle Support Vessels (ROVSVs) and Diving Support Vessels (DSVs). Simon – who’s based in i-Tech 7’s office in a suburb of Perth, Australia – is charged with strengthening the company’s operations and presence in the Asia-Pacific region.
Changing mindsets “Ours is a long-established business, but it doesn’t yet have the developed footprint in APAC that it does elsewhere in the world,” he admits. “We’re the number one or number two inspection, repair and maintenance services company in every major offshore oil and gas province on the planet. Everywhere, that is, except APAC, where i-Tech 7 is still primarily perceived as an ROV/robotics company. I was brought in to change that view, raise our profile and bring our global inspection, repair and maintenance capability to clients in the Asia-Pacific region.” In order to do this effectively, i-Tech 7 chartered a purpose-built inspection, repair and maintenance vessel, owned by Australian company MMA (called the MMA Pinnacle), to work in the APAC region from May 2018. This has been fitted with a range of equipment for specialised subsea inspection and field support projects, including two 3,000m rated Centurion SP Work Class ROV systems, specifically designed to service deepwater projects. “We’ve taken the MMA Pinnacle on a long-term charter,” says Simon. “It’s important to have because it gives us credibility with oil and gas operators in the APAC region. We can say to them: ‘We have the track record, we have the personnel, we have the systems, resources and technology – and we now have the vessel to be able go out into the field and deliver inspection, repair and maintenance services for you.’”
Specific personnel needs Working in Asia-Pacific isn’t without its challenges, however. One problem is that it’s a large geographical area. “Our vessel might be working in Taiwan on a wind farm – but if the next job is for a client in Tasmania, then getting down there is a logistical challenge,” notes Simon. “Plus there’s a cultural challenge because we’ll have an Asian crew in Asia; but because of union rules we need an Australian crew in Australia. That chopping, changing and general lack of continuity can be difficult to manage.” In this scenario, working with experienced personnel providers such as Atlas Professionals – which has supplied surveyors and ROV technicians for the MMA Pinnacle via its Perth and Singapore offices – is critical. “The reality is we have one major vessel, and don’t have the resources to employ an entire team of people from Australia and an entire team of people from Indonesia,” says Simon. “We need the flexibility to quickly change the profile of our crews, which is why we lean on organisations such as Atlas that have a pool of local talent and can supply personnel for specific needs.”
Competence programme Naturally, Simon needs to ensure that the professionals operating under the i-Tech 7 name are properly trained and experienced. “When we use a labour provider, we have to know that the individuals they send us meet International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) competency requirements,” says Simon. “So another thing we like about Atlas is that they’ve put in place a competence programme – in line with IMCA guidelines – to prove that its personnel are competent, properly trained and fully experienced, be they an ROV pilot, ROV supervisor, survey party chief or any other role. That’s incredibly valuable to us.” When we ask Simon what he enjoys about his job, his response is immediate. “People,” he says simply. “I love working with them! I love organisational challenges, too. Ultimately, it’s my job to create a team who function well and enjoy coming to work every day.” Indeed, ‘enjoyment’ is the operative word for him. “I like to sit in my office and hear laughter and a bit of banter,” he says. “In some organisations, it’s so quiet it’s like a library – which, to my mind, means the staff aren’t having much fun. So if I can help people get the best out of themselves and their careers while actively enjoying what they do, then that’s really gratifying.”
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GOM ADAOM T TECHNICIAN ROV PIL
Team spirit
For anyone who loves meeting and working with new people, the Energy, Marine and Renewables industries offers the perfect career, says ROV Pilot Technician, Adam Gom.
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Adam Gom describes himself as a “team player” and a “people person” who gets a big kick out “fixing things”. For those reasons, he couldn’t imagine being part of a better industry than marine, oil and gas. “I love to meet and work alongside new people,” he says. “Their friendship can be a humbling experience.”
location where the nodes have to be positioned. Laying nodes is a difficult task – more complicated than retrieving them, anyway – because we have to land the ROV on the seabed which is often muddy, and the nodes have to be laid in a precise and specific way. We’ll also recover the nodes and inspect them later.”
For the last five years, Malaysian-born Adam has been working onboard survey vessels as an ROV Pilot Technician. He started his offshore career as trainee ROV pilot with a local firm in Manila, and is now working with global subsea engineering and applied technology company, Oceaneering International. In between he’s worked onboard the MMA Pinnacle as an ROV Pilot, and the Nor Australis as an ROV Pilot Technician. “Those were fun crews to be with,” remembers Adam. He laughs. “And the food was very good, too!”
Adam agrees that being an ROV Pilot Technician is skilled work; but he doesn’t personally see it as ‘pressurised’. Then again, it helps that he’s a supremely laid-back person who persistently projects an aura of calm. “That’s another reason why I like my job, because I find that the people I work with – and for – are generally very calm too, even in challenging times,” he says. “Yes, it can be tough to be at sea and away from our families; but after we’ve completed our work for the day we can always see and chat to them over the internet. And for someone like me who enjoys travelling, this industry is ideal. So far I’ve been to Australia, Vietnam, Thailand, Saudi Arabia and Singapore.”
Technical troubleshooting Essentially, Adam is never happier than when he’s solving a technical challenge. “If there’s something wrong with an ROV – if the thruster is faulty, for example – then it’s my job to check the wiring and the hydraulics and get it going again,” he explains. “I love that! You have to be good with hydraulics in this line of work; but, more importantly, you must also be good with electronics. That’s an important requirement for anyone maintaining ROVs.” But that’s just one part of his job, he says. “When it comes to the other – the operational part – I’m one of the pilots guiding the ROV beneath the water to work on various tasks, such as laying nodes on the seabed and then retrieving them.”
Planning objectives His day on board a vessel starts early. “Currently I work the 6am to 6pm shift, so I wake around 5pm, take a shower, have breakfast, chat with the crew and head to the morning meetings,” he says. “That finishes around 6am; so then I go to the ROV station to talk to my supervisor about the work ahead and our main objectives for the day. For example, I might be using the ROV to lay nodes on the seabed for an oil and gas client in Malaysia. That means launching the vehicle and flying it to the exact
Importance of health and safety In October of last year, Adam contacted Atlas Professionals, which is how he came to be working on the Nor Australis and MMA Pinnacle. “If there are any suitable projects that need an ROV pilot, Atlas will get in touch to ask if I’m available,” he says. “They’re good to work with because they arrange everything and do it very well. Take travelling, for example. They book tickets for you and make sure your bags are transferred if you need to take a connecting flight; and they ensure people pick you up at the airport and take you to where you need to go. You’re always well looked after.” Adam is also impressed with Atlas Professionals’ Zero Harm policy, to increase safety presence and awareness for all personnel. “That’s very important in our working environment,” he says. “We want every crew member to get back home safe and well to their families.” Adam may be laid-back, but he’s still ambitious. “I do have plans to further my career,” he admits. “One day I’d like to be a bridge superintendent, running ROV teams. But, for now, I want to consolidate my contribution to the oil and gas industry, and achieve my aim to be successful as an ROV Pilot Technician. It’s my goal to do the best in every task assigned to me.”
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SE SIONALS S I N U E H T E I D D E ENT MANAGER, ATLAS PROFES DINGETIONNAAL DP EVELOPM ORGANISA
Competence assured
Successful competence management is crucial in 2020 and beyond. Dingena Peddie-Theunisse of Atlas Professionals, helps professionals and (sub)contractors catching this wave.
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With almost a decade of her time dedicated to competence management, Dingena Peddie-Theunisse is a true competence expert. Next to Organisational Development Manager at Atlas Professionals, she also is member of the Competence & Training Committee of the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA). The ideal person to give an insider view on the increased importance of offshore competence management. “Essentially, competence is about having the ability, skills and knowledge to be able to do the job in a competent and thus safe, efficient and compliant manner,” Dingena says. “In any job competence is important, but especially in the offshore environment this is vital for safe and efficient operations.” According to Dingena, the what - titles and years of experience - are no longer the industry’s only currency. The focus now also lies on how you have been doing something instead of only on what: did you supervise, carry out or assist? Did you receive on the job training or provided training to someone? What conditions did you work in? Successfully documenting this is where Competence Management Programmes, such as the Atlas Competence Programme (ACP), come into the conversation. The ACP is created to assure, in a structured and integrated manner, the competence of Atlas’ professionals. This is crucial, as the offshore industry has become even more reliant on freelance crew since the downturn in Oil & Gas. “This pool of professionals generally has experience working for a range of companies, using different technologies and in varying teams. Combined with the much more intense skill set required per professional, this poses serious demands on proven competence,” says Dingena. “With the ACP we’re identifying the gaps, which in turn enables better development of people.”
Online Competence Profiles In order to make the process as smooth as possible for the professionals seeking verification and certification of competence, Atlas uses a digital and automated solution for the ACP. “To enhance the user experience on this journey, to better enable assessments and significantly improve privacy and data protection, we chose a more advanced solution,” says Dingena. She continues to explain that professionals have access to their online competence profiles in their so called My Atlas account. “They are the ones in charge of this practical, workable, safe and smart solution and have the support of our Competence team.” Providing a technology-based solution like the ACP requires a fair bit of investment, she admits, but makes the company ready for the future. “The continuing move towards digitalisation in the offshore energy sector is something we fully embrace at Atlas.” Hence, she looks forward to taking an active role in the digitalisation committee of IMCA.
Operational feasibility “Competence management is there to create a safe environment for all. The requirements clients ask do not come out of nowhere: they need to assure that all personnel, including third party contractor personnel involved, are competent for the proposed work.” This contradicts a misconception some professionals might have, she notes, that competence management is ‘just making the life of a professional difficult’. Dingena does admit that the competence requirements can get a bit out of control. “With so many different stakeholders, the number of requirements soon becomes impractical, making it very difficult to actually assess competence on the work floor. This is why guidelines such as those of IMCA are so important.” Not only the feasibility of assessments is an issue offshore, however. Yet another specific challenge for freelance professionals is to get assessed. “We very often don’t get appraisals in when our professionals have performed well because there simply isn’t enough time. This requires continuous dialogue with our clients.”
Constant state of flux Over the years, Atlas has responded to the practical and technical challenges faced within the field of competence in an efficient way. “To tackle the shortage of assessors, for example, we train up to 32 professionals to become an assessor. This means carrying out assessments becomes an integral part of their job and, consequently, we can give more professionals the opportunity to raise their competence levels.” There are still some challenges left, though, such as the feasibility of completing profiles for more senior professionals with extensive experience and a large track record. “Communication of the benefits of competence management and taking them along in the journey are key in this respect,” says Dingena. “We’ll never be a hundred per cent done and have a final solution. Competence requirements will be ever-changing and evolving with so many target groups and parties involved, let alone digital developments,” she says. “You can never please everybody, but at Atlas we aim to offer the best possible solution, covering the needs of our professionals and clients while lowering costs and maintaining the high standards the global energy industries have come to expect from us. We’re committed to mitigating risk – achieving Zero Harm – through attaining and maintaining industry competence management system criteria and ensuring the continual development of our workforce.”
The Atlas Competence Programme (ACP) allows Atlas Professionals’ energy industry professionals worldwide to access, carry out assignments and upload documentation relating to their assessment, verification and certifications of competence. To participate in the ACP or to obtain more information, contact competence@atlasprofessionals.com
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IES VEYOR/DATA PROCESSOR N DAAV JASO SUR HYDROGR PHIC SENIOR
Relishing challenges
Having no regrets about becoming a freelance surveyor, Atlas’ professional Jason Davies loves to collect, process and analyse data in challenging environments around the globe.
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After 24 years with the Royal Navy where he visited nearly 90 countries as a hydrographic surveyor, Jason Davies joined the Atlas Professionals team in 2015. Although he has experience as both an offline and online surveyor he is now largely deployed on projects worldwide as a Senior Data Processor. Jason admits that coming from Shrewsbury – a British town nowhere near the coast - may well be the very reason he was drawn to an oceangoing career. Despite very much enjoying his time with the Navy, Jason decided to embark on a new challenge in 2012 and he took a position with an Aberdeen-based survey company for three years. He then joined Atlas Professionals and has no regrets about his decision to become a freelance surveyor. Jason is attached to the Atlas office in Newquay, Cornwall, and has close contact with the team there. “I know all the staff very well and phone in regularly to see what’s coming up. There are always new opportunities.”
From wind farms to pipelines During his time with Atlas, Jason has worked on several interesting projects. One particular highlight was a project for the Swedish marine surveying company MMT in Gothenburg, which had a great working environment. This was one of the rare occasions when Jason was more office based as most of his work is usually offshore. Here he was responsible for the data processing for the 3D surveys of the inter-array/export cables for several wind farms in the German sector of the North Sea. Data, collected using Kongsberg SIS, was sent from the vessel to the MMT office. “Then I processed, cleaned and performed the quality control on the data using CARIS and created all the final deliverables in EIVA NaviModel.” Jason then went to Egypt on behalf of Subsea 7 in 2017, where he was carrying out cable touchdown monitoring with an Automated Surface Vehicle. He recently returned to Egypt for another client, this time performing data processing for a gas pipeline in the West Nile Delta. In 2018, Jason worked as a Data Processor in the Baltic Sea for Next Geosolutions. This was largely surveying to perform UXO (unexploded ordnance) clearance of World War 2 ordnance in a 30-metre corridor in the Swedish sector. This project took place in three phases. “The first phase was a gradiometer survey of the proposed route. My role was create the survey grid and to process the online navigation data using QINSy. The second phase was to conduct a visual inspection on any potential targets. My role was to replay all the data using VisualEdit and correlate it into a shared system. The last phase was to use multibeam sonar, TSS Pipetracker and visual inspections to carry out the pipeline crossing survey. I cleaned and edited the multibeam data using QINSy.”
Experienced multinational team In the first quarter of this year his data processing work has taken him to yet another corner of the globe. Jason was deployed to perform preinstallation surveys for the Liza oil pipeline project between Guyana and
Trinidad by Atlas’s client, DOF Subsea. “This involved preparatory work in AutoCAD/AutoChart. An MBES pre-lay survey was carried out on all the routes.” He returned to the project in July for the next phase. “I am definitely happy working for DOF and it was nice to see that they wanted me back for the next phase of the project. We have a very experienced, multinational team on the Skandi Neptune and a great crew.” Jason is also relishing the challenging environment. “We have actually had some pretty heavy weather. There is a considerable current sweep in the area, which means there are quite some changes in the salinity levels. Being a coastal area, where currents meet with a lot of fresh water runouts and the rapid changes in the weather conditions mean it is a very interesting job.”
Career opportunities Jason has enrolled on the Atlas Competence Programme (ACP) and believes it is beneficial for boosting his career opportunities. “The Atlas Competence Programme is a great way of putting all my competences, qualifications and experience in one place, making it very easy for the client to access this information. They can immediately see if I have the exact skills for their project and which systems I am familiar with. They have everything in front of them.” Although Jason’s role was impacted by the slump in oil prices as projects started to dry up in 2015, he is confident that the industry seems to have turned a corner. “There are opportunities coming along in both oil & gas and renewables. I am happy being a freelance and wouldn’t be keen to work full-time for a company again. Atlas offers very competitive packages and it is nice to be able to pick and choose which projects I want to work on. Usually I have one contract lasting most of the year but also some short-term projects too.” Jason is always keen to learn new skills and develop his career. For some of the most recent projects, he was asked to carry out the charting work, which is not typically part of his responsibilities. “I really enjoyed this and it is another skill to add to my CV.” Additionally, Jason aims to broaden his experience with autonomous underwater vehicles, which he finds fascinating. “That is where the future is!”
Atlas Competence Programme In the ACP, Atlas’ professionals are asked to outline their core competences such as leadership, supervisory roles, managerial skills, what type of equipment they have used, what sort of projects they have been involved in, what (client) specific software they have used, how many times, and if they can train other people etc. Further to the online technical selfassessments, which Atlas introduced in Survey a few years ago, the company has added function-specific self-assessment tools. These match the IMCA framework guidelines where applicable (Survey, ROV, Marine). This is in addition to interviews, appraisals, and supporting work evidence such as operational days, ROV logging hours, DP awareness etc.
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NS CCA&LFLOUUNDM ROBITIOM EYOS EXPEDITIO , R E N LEADER EXPED
Diving to the RMS Titanic
Rob McCallum, Expedition Leader and Founder at EYOS Expeditions, headed another successful dive to the RMS Titanic in 2019, marking the first human to visit the wreck in 14 years.
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Deploying the submersible Triton 36000/2 named ‘Limiting Factor’, EYOS Expeditions staff have again led a successful expedition to the RMS Titanic to conduct several dives on the wreck over a 10-day period in August 2019. The vehicle is the first commercially certified full ocean depth submersible and set the Mariana Trench deep-diving record at 10,928 meters in May 2019. The latter record was part of the company’s Five Deeps Expedition, one of the century’s most ambitious exploration expeditions coordinated by McCallum. The RMS Titanic wreck, which sank on 14th/15th April 1912, lies in 3,800 meters/12,500 feet of water approximately 380 miles SE of St John’s, Newfoundland. “It is a privilege to be back and to enable clients to revisit the famed shipwreck,” says Seattle based New Zealander Rob McCallum. “This is the first dive that anyone has done since our last dive in 2005. No one has seen the Titanic since and so we were anxious to check in and to monitor her condition, work with scientists who have monitoring stations onsite and to assist with the filming of a new documentary.” The expedition was based aboard DSSV Pressure Drop, which is equipped with the world’s only unlimited depth (11,000m) submersible. In addition to the submersible, the ship is equipped with four tender boats and three deep water ‘landers’, or devices that are used for communication, tracking and transporting material to/from the surface.
Deep sea currents The dive sequence began on 29th July 2019 when DSSV Pressure Drop arrived above the site of the wreck. Before the sub was launched, the crew held a memorial service on deck and laid a wreath over the side in honour of the more than 1,500 people who died in the tragedy in 1912. Over the next week on site, five dives were made to the wreck to extensively document its current condition and appearance. Lying almost 4,000 meters down in bitterly cold -1°C water, the wreck has become vulnerable from sweeping eddies and subjected to ever-changing sea currents. It is being slowly consumed by the strong, deep currents that flow through the Atlantic here, along with natural corrosion and metal eating bacteria. Rob is an acknowledged expert in deep water submersible operations and has led multiple expeditions to the RMS Titanic and battleship Bismarck (5000m depth). He has a diverse background ranging from helping guide
a complete Antarctic circumnavigation by an icebreaker to extensive deepocean exploration and has spent decades mounting complex logistical operations in remote and often hostile locations. McCallum also led the 2005 expedition to the Titanic, which was the last time a human dived and physically saw the wreck. “In 2005, 20 dives were undertaken using twin Mir Russian submersibles, which were rated to 6,000m and carried a pilot and two guests. Until now, only 157 clients have had the opportunity to dive on the Titanic, but many films and documentaries have been produced for a variety of international broadcasters.”
Metallurgical samples In 2010, the Titanic was scanned with high-resolution sonar using a Remotely Operated Vehicle. In addition to assessing her condition, researchers were able to place scientific experiments near the wreck and to conduct scientific research. Many of the experiments centre around metallurgical samples, which are sacrificial pieces of metal that researchers use to track the breakdown of metal at these depths. The information is useful in predicting how shipwrecks break down over time. In addition, scientists monitored the biology around the wreck, which serves as a large artificial reef. During the latest expedition, following established U.S. legal protocols and under the observation of an on-board NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) representative, the team of experts and scientists examined the remains of the ship, capturing 4K footage for the first time and using photogrammetry to assess the wreck’s current condition and project its future. The scientists of the expedition will publish the full results and a documentary film is being made by BAFTA and Emmy award-winning Atlantic Productions. McCallum added, “I think the Titanic is one of the most iconic and exclusive destinations on Earth. She is very difficult to reach because the logistics of working at 12,500ft while 370 miles offshore are challenging. A lot of people would like to do it, but diving on the Titanic is a complex and difficult undertaking, with currents up to 4 knots. Even though our onboard team has over 200 Titanic dives to their credit, we cannot take anything for granted. We plan every dive from scratch, and it is an immense honour and responsibility to have returned to the Titanic after so many years.”
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AN L M A R S U A D R I MOHDRVISFOR & SUB ENGINEER ROV SUPE
Living the dream
ROV Supervisor and Sub Engineer Mohd Firdaus Ramlan can’t believe his luck. He gets to do his dream job in exciting countries around the world, while constantly learning new skills.
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Firdaus – an ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicles) Supervisor and Sub Engineer based in Selangor, Malaysia – loves the freelance life and the flexibility it gives him. He has an unusual analogy for what he does. “I’m a bit like a taxi driver, really,” he says. “That’s because I go wherever the client asks me to go – but I always make sure I do so safely.”
as an ROV Sub Engineer. “It’s not easy to choose a good recruitment agency,” he admits. “I talked to three of my friends who had worked with Atlas Professionals in the past. They gave me a good impression of the company, so I sent in my CV and things happened from there. They treat you well at Atlas – like a friend – and they’re easy to work with and to trust.”
Firdaus had wanted to work in the marine industry for years. “My uncle – Zainal Abidin – is my inspiration,” he says. “He was the person who introduced me to the ROV world in 1998 and, ever since then, it has been my dream job.” It’s one that has taken him to numerous countries around the world including United Arab Emirates, Scotland, Myanmar, Thailand and Indonesia.
He also enjoyed working with Atlas on the photoshoot for this article. “I’ve never had an experience like that in my whole career!” he says. “But I thought: ‘Why not try something different?’ Although, if truth be told, I was sweating a lot because I was wearing an Atlas winter overall in hot Malaysian weather!”
Constantly learning new skills After studying electric and electronic engineering at Malaysia’s Terengganu Advanced Technical Institute (TATI), Firdaus began his career in 2005 with Subsea Explore Services (SES), the integrated support service provider for the offshore industry. “I started in the SES workshop servicing ROVs, and getting involved with the manufacture of launch and recovery systems (LARS) and Control Van Systems,” he says. “By 2008, I was going offshore to work as an ROV Observer with the Saab Seaeye Falcon.” Leaving SES at the end of 2009, Firdaus became a freelance ROV operative, working with companies such as Singapore-based ROV operator Alam Subsea, Neptune Marine Services, IKM, Horizon Survey, AOS Offshore and many others. “To be a freelance engineer in this business is tough because you need to learn a lot of skills,” he says. “You need mechanical, electrical, electronic and mechatronic skills in order to repair and maintain ROV systems. And because manufacturers are constantly updating and improving their ROV systems to make life easier for their clients, people in my line of work will never stop learning new things!”
Working well with Atlas Professionals It was Atlas Professionals who found Firdaus his most recent assignment on the Nor Australis offshore supply vessel, working for Subsea 7
Looking back over his career, Firdaus finds it difficult to pick out individual highlights, mainly because there have been so many. “I’ve enjoyed all the projects I’ve worked on,” he says. “But perhaps my first job as a freelance for AME (Allied Marine Equipment) was the one that helped me most, because that was where I learnt a lot of my ROV operating skills. From that point on, I knew I could be an ROV pilot anywhere. I’ll always be grateful to Wan Safuan who taught me.”
Always rising to a challenge Firdaus prefers working at home in Malaysia. “It’s easy to find halal food here, and it’s where a lot of my friends are,” he says. “That said, I like to challenge myself and have new experiences, so it’s good to work outside of Malaysia, too.” In fact, Firdaus thrives on a challenge and is constantly aiming high. “I always like to improve myself so I can move up to the next level,” he agrees. “Ambition-wise, who knows? Maybe I can become an ROV Superintendent, or diversify to become an ROV Auditor or ROV Assessor.” If anyone can do it, it’s Firdaus, whose favourite motto is: ‘You only fail when you stop trying.’ “That’s an important rule for me,” he explains. “Basically, it means I will not quit, no matter how hard things get. Whatever the problem, I will face it head on – and I won’t stop until I solve it in safe manner,” he concludes.
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OCHAN DE NUL GROUP SA TFFR MELMIAS RE, J NAGER O SHO CREW
Looking for the best
Melissa Troch, Crew Manager Offshore for Jan De Nul Group, relishes the challenge of finding skilled personnel for the company’s busy global marine operations.
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“Good people can be hard to find,” admits Melissa Troch, Crew Manager Offshore for Jan De Nul Group, a global provider of specialised services for the maritime and offshore industry. Yet it’s her role to find skilled personnel for the many and varied marine projects that Jan De Nul Group is working on around the world. That challenge is one of the things she loves about her job. “To be fair, finding the right people – particularly when it comes to filling technical positions – is difficult for any company,” says Melissa. “But it’s even more challenging for a company like ours, because we need personnel who are willing to work at sea and leave everything behind for at least six weeks at a time. They also need to prove they have the right experience, qualifications and competencies. So, it’s our responsibility to check that every crew member on every project has the right skills and training certificates, and that they are compliant with international regulations with regards to working at sea.” In recent years, Jan De Nul Group has significantly expanded its fleet and is now involved in numerous international construction and maintenance activities. These include dredging and marine works, installing, stabilising and ballasting all kinds of offshore structures, and lifting and salvage projects. Melissa is charged with allocating the right crew to different projects at different cycles and, at the moment, has around 500 people on her books.
Rigorous attitude to safety To find the best possible personnel, Melissa works closely with Atlas Professionals. She is particularly impressed with the company’s Zero Harm initiative which aims to boost safety presence and awareness for all crew members working offshore. “For Jan De Nul Group, safety is the beginning and end of everything,” says Melissa. “You can be a very good ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) operator, for example; but if you don’t comply with safety standards then, frankly, everything stops. It’s the number one rule for us which is why we have our own in-house programme, focussing on creating awareness of the fact that a good preparation and operational control are crucial for realising successful and thus also safe projects. We know that Atlas Professionals supports our rigorous attitude to safety because of their own approach to Zero Harm and safety awareness.” Atlas supplies a variety of offshore personnel to Jan De Nul Group, including highly skilled ROV pilots and technicians via its dedicated ROV, Diving and Inspection office in Banbury, UK. Having supported several Jan De Nul projects throughout the years, the companies have built up a strong working relationship.
So which qualities is Melissa looking for in the people she engages? “Experience is important,” she says. “every ROV has its own specifications, it’s crucial to find people who have specific experience with it. But we’re also looking for people who are willing to work as part of one team. Most of the operators involved with ROVs on our vessels are contractors; but we also have permanent crew on board, and we ask them to learn about the equipment in order to support the ROV pilots. So, we want contractors who will co-operate with marine crews, because we believe everyone benefits from sharing knowledge.”
Growing with the company Melissa’s career path has been relatively straightforward. After graduating in 2006 with a degree in economics she started her HR career at Jan De Nul Group within the Crew Department. “As an economics graduate, I had no experience of the marine business, so this industry was new to me and it was fascinating to learn about it,” she remembers. “Since I began here, the company expanded. It designed and built lots of new vessels, which meant the Crew Department had to adjust, too, because we were getting so big. That’s how I came to work in the Offshore department.” Offshore continues to be a growing part of Jan De Nul’s portfolio. “For me, every day is a learning process,” says Melissa. “I’m always discovering new things about our projects and vessels, but that’s an important part of my job. In the Crew Department we need to have a good knowledge of the projects the company is involved with, to enable us to understand the specific requirements of a particular job and the specific needs of the crew.”
Ambitious and motivated Melissa is office-based, but tries to visit Jan De Nul’s vessels when possible. “That’s good for personal communication with the vessel’s management and demonstrates to the crew that I’m available for any questions they might have regarding their position, training, salary, etc. It’s also good for me because it’s interesting to see the vessel, learn more about it, and find out how a job is going. I always find crew members are an interesting group of people to work with. They’re passionate about what they do – and it’s always nice to work with passionate, motivated people.” Jan De Nul Group is passionate and motivated too, says Melissa. “As a company it’s ambitious and always on the look-out for new challenges. That’s exciting and comforting for us as staff, because we know it will never stand still – and we’ll never get bored here!”
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A K S W O K T A I W K KAROLHIICNSA URVEYOR HYDROGRAP
Biologist at sea
Despite her family’s initial reservations about a life at sea, Karolina Kwiatkowska has no regrets about becoming a Hydrographic Surveyor.
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Karolina had always wanted to become a marine officer but originally studied biology because her father didn’t think a maritime career was suitable for a girl. Now an experienced Hydrographic Surveyor, she has no regrets about her chosen career path and neither does her father!
very different from any of my previous jobs, and I have no regrets that I made the move. The beauty of this job is that I am very unlikely to work in the same place twice and I get to meet fantastic people.”
Becoming a surveyor
She is now experienced in a variety of survey types including geophysical and geotechnical, as well as construction support and pipelay/cable operations. “In recent years I have mainly been working on wind farm projects performing pre-lay, UXO (unexploded ordnance) and boulder clearance surveys. I really enjoy UXO investigations because you never know what you could find out there. When there is something suspicious we handover part of the job to the Explosive Ordnance Disposal technician onboard who is responsible for identifying the potential danger. It is always interesting to see what we are dealing with - whether the munitions are from the Second or First World War or even earlier. Some of them are real ancient artefacts that have been laying there for over 100 years.
Living in the UK for more than a decade, Karolina was born in Poland and studied a Masters in Biology following her father’s advice. She explains: “During my studies I still had the ambition to become an Officer of the Watch and I decided to enrol myself in the Maritime Academy in Poland. I ended up getting two degrees, the first one is approved by my parents and a second one, which was finally my choice!” The Maritime Academy had an exchange programme with the Liverpool John Moores University, so Karolina also decided to make the move to the UK. “I was awarded my degree in ‘Navigation and Marine Technology’ in 2008 and never went back home.” While Karolina was at the John Moores University, her lecturer suggested that she could still work at sea but as a scientist instead of a marine officer. In light of this she focused on a hydrographic surveying module as well, and this sparked off her current career. She laughs, saying that even though her dad had initial reservations about her choice, he couldn’t be prouder of her now. “My parents can’t believe what I am doing. Dad thought it would be too difficult for me, but I proved him wrong! When I send them photos of me on deck wearing my orange PPE, they are so proud.”
Fascinating Survey & ROV work Karolina’s hydrography module proved invaluable and she managed to get a summer placement with surveying company Gardline. “My first job offshore was a wreck investigation project, which was really interesting and I eventually did my dissertation on the set of data we gathered during that time.” Karolina then went on to work for the company for three years. She then moved on to a deep seismic company for two years, which she mostly spent working in Africa on large-scale exploration projects. Later her career took a diversion when she joined UTEC, which was her first introduction to construction surveying. “The vessels were great and I did a lot of exciting work with ROVs. During my time there I was mainly working in the North Sea - in the UK, German, Danish and Norwegian sectors - performing cable laying, trenching and a variety of surveys as well as dive jobs and ROV inspection surveys. It was
UXO investigations
“I also enjoy cable lay operations, as there is always lots going on and it is usually a multi-vessel operation that keeps everyone busy and on their toes.” Karolina’s latest project was a cable repair job for the Western Link project with Prysmian. Like many others in the industry, Karolina was hit by the crisis, so decided to go freelance. She joined Atlas Professionals in 2015 and has worked with the Newquay branch ever since.
Bright future ahead Although Karolina is one of very few female hydrographic surveyors, she is unfazed by this. “Most of the time I am the only female onboard with around 50-70 men. I think I have only met two female hydrographic surveyors over the years. I would be happy to see more women out there and statistics show that the number is increasing. In this male dominant industry, you can’t be too fragile and you have to have tough skin to deal with the banter and jokes and to be seen as part of the team,” she says. Karolina is pretty confident that the worst days of 2015 are behind the industry and that the future looks bright. She is mulling over the idea of studying to get the CSWIP 3.4U - Underwater Inspection Controller certification. “Perhaps that is something for the future!” Karolina is pictured at Ocean Business 2019, where she won Atlas’ Kahoot Quiz and a LEGO Ocean Explorer Vessel, which she is absolutely delighted with. “Once the busy summer period is over I will get onto it and update Atlas with the picture of the assembled model,” she says.
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E C N E R W A L S I CHRSS MANAGER, ATLAS PROFESSIONALS BUSINE
Shifting resources
“We’re moving more towards Permanent Recruitment and Executive Search business for Singaporeans including our Singaporean Permanent Residents,” says Chris Lawrence, Business Manager at Atlas Professionals Singapore.
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With the drastic changes in the employment direction locally in Singapore for the year 2020, the Ministry of Manpower have implemented various strategies such as (but not limited to) the “Extended Fair Consideration Practice” on job applications and the “increased salary criteria for work passes”. The intention for these strategies is to promote the employment of Singaporeans and / or Singaporean Permanent Residents as the core workforce. This core workforce will then be complemented by a diverse foreign workforce. Chris Lawrence, Business Manager at Atlas Professionals Singapore, elaborates: “In addition, with increased travel restrictions imposed due to the COVID pandemic, the risks involved in bringing in foreign talents are much higher. Hence, we at Atlas Professionals Singapore are shifting resources more and more towards Permanent Recruitment and Executive Search business for Singaporeans as well as our Singaporean Permanent Residents.” Even though the focus is on the local workforce, he stresses that the office does welcome any foreign professionals with relevant and extensive work experience who are interested to work in Singapore, to also apply. “Moreover, we will maintain as the hub for recruitment in Energy, Marine and Renewables in the APAC region,” says Lawrence.
Contributing to regional business Chris is an experienced Operations Manager with demonstrated history in the maritime industry and sees working at a recruitment company as an excellent way of contributing to society. “With a dedicated Renewables team to focus on recruitment across all organisational layers of offshore wind to support the development of the Renewables sector in Asia-Pacific, we are also contributing to a greener future,” he says. Atlas’ Singapore office has evolved in recent years. While it was largely focused on the provision of marine professionals in the past, its services now have expanded substantially. “Currently we provide regional Renewables, Survey and ROV, Diving & Inspection professionals, as well as Drilling and Catering teams. In addition, we provide multiple onshore roles in Project Management and HSEQ. As such, we support other Atlas
offices with regional expertise from our network,” says Chris. “For example, we have offices in the UK focusing on Renewables, ROV, Diving and Inspection and Survey. Working as a team, we make certain our clients get access to the largest pool of professionals globally within a 24-hour time frame.” “With the renewables market developing in the region, we also see an increase in the survey market associated with it. There have been a lot of geophysical and geotechnical surveys taking place, mainly in Taiwan, over the last few months,” he says. This is set to increase further in the next year or two according to Chris, creating not only a demand for additional professionals but also, assets within the Asia Pacific region.
Building a talent pool The team in Singapore is equipped to tackle the increased local requirements in the Asia-Pacific region. They often organise local recruitment events to meet the demand for local, skilled professionals. For example, they had organised a recruitment day in Sabah which attracted more than 350 offshore professionals. The team is currently looking into organising software and hardware trainings. Chris explains that, in Indonesia, for example, there will be an increased demand for professionals with a particular cable-laying software knowledge. This is due to the growing requirement of subsea cables that need to be installed over the next few years to connect all the islands. As such, these trainings facilitate the development of local expertise. Ensuring that the team has the right expertise and knowledge in understanding the wide range of disciplines the office supports, has been a key focus. Hence the team is made up of individuals with relevant experience from the different business lines. “For example, the individual managing the Marine division has prior relevant experience in different operational and managerial roles within that industry,” says Chris. Next to this, he sees the local knowledge of the team as a key advantage. “Local Permanent Recruitment and Executive Search is only possible when your team has the knowledge of the market and familiarity of the local talent pool,” he concludes.
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S R E D N A S E C I R FABY ENGINEER SURVE
Career switch to Survey
Fabrice Sanders swapped his job in accountancy for an exciting around-the-world life as an offshore engineer and technician. It’s a career that’s always full of surprises, he explains.
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“At the beginning of my working life I was an accountant at the Government,” remembers Belgium-born Fabrice Sanders. “But, as a job, it didn’t really appeal to me.” What definitely did appeal to Fabrice was travel which, ironically, put him on the path to a new career as a senior technician and engineer on board seismic survey vessels around the world. “I visited Thailand and heard lots of people talking about the offshore oil and gas industry,” he says. “Until that point, I didn’t know anything about oil and gas because you go to the petrol station, you fill up your car... and that’s it. You don’t give it a second thought.”
Atlas because they have offices across the world,” he says. “For instance, my very first Atlas assignment was on the seismic vessel Geowave Voyager, via the company’s Vic office. Atlas in Spain has found me seismic technician projects; while the UK office has found me work on European wind farm projects. And lately I received an assignment in Taiwan as a survey engineer through Atlas Professionals’ Singapore office.”
Yet the more he found out about the sector, the more it intrigued him; and he certainly imagined it would be more rewarding than accountancy. So Fabrice gave up his Government job and later, in 2001, began studying electromechanical engineering at Haute École Roi Baudouin (HERB) in Belgium, graduating in 2004. In 2005, he finally achieved his ambition of entering the oil and gas industry, working offshore worldwide as a senior technician with geophysical services company, CGG.
Another recent Atlas assignment was in Malaysia as an OBC/OBN (Ocean Bottom Cable/Ocean Bottom Node) Observer on board the offshore support vessel, Surf Allamanda. This was a career highlight for Fabrice because it was the first time he’d worked with innovative ocean bottom node technology. It was challenging, however, because it meant deploying hundreds of nodes (autonomous recording devices which produce better seismic information) on the seafloor – and then recovering them to acquire their data. “After recovering the nodes we cleaned, checked and made sure they were working properly,” he says. “I really enjoyed it. Previously the seismic surveys I’ve worked on had deployed streamers (cables) – but that’s expensive technology. I believe OBN is the future.” He continues: “I’d like it to be my future, anyway.”
Perks of the job
High safety standards
After being made redundant in 2014, Fabrice became a freelance contractor, working for – among others – Boskalis as an electronic and instrumentation technician on dredging operations in Portsmouth, UK; VBW Vermessungsbüro Weigt, as a hydrographic surveyor detecting unexploded ordnance (UXO) in the North Sea; and SeaOwl Energy Services as a seismic surveyor, providing UXO detection and 3D seismic data acquisition for an offshore wind farm project. It’s been an exciting and enjoyable career. “I love my job,” he says enthusiastically. “In offshore, it’s a different life. I work with major companies, get good benefits, a good salary and I visit many places: Mexico, Australia, Europe, etc. In fact, so far I’ve been to 42 countries around the world! And on board survey vessels I work with people of all nationalities. That’s interesting because we’re together 24/7 for around five weeks at sea; and, although we are all different, we become a team – a family.”
But whatever the job he’s doing, and whoever he’s doing it for, Fabrice stresses how important it is to maintain the highest health and safety standards at all times. This is why he works in accordance with Atlas Professionals’ ‘Zero Harm’ policy, an initiative that aims to boost safety presence and awareness for all Atlas personnel. “For example, as technicians, we need to use the proper tools and proper equipment and be totally focussed on our jobs,” he says. “If we don’t use the proper tools, we can have a big problem; and if we lose focus, accidents can happen very easily.” Fabrice recognises that oil and gas industry has been good to him over the last 14 years. He’s comfortable and familiar with it, which is one reason why, given the choice, he would prefer to keep working in the sector; although, of course, surveyors are also essential for the growing number of wind farm projects around the world. “In this type of work, you never know what can happen next, or where it will be!” he concludes.
Global footprint Since 2017, Fabrice has been busy filling international seismic technician and survey engineer roles for Atlas Professionals. “It’s easy working with
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M O R B N E D N A V SJOEMRAD , BOSKALIS NAGER SURVEY GENERAL
Seizing the day
Sjoerd van den Brom, General Manager Survey with Royal Boskalis, is passionate about his work and devoted to pushing at the boundaries of innovation and creativity.
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Sjoerd van den Brom can’t imagine what it must be like to turn up for work in the morning without enthusiasm or passion for the day ahead. He doesn’t know what it’s like to be bored by his job and only excited by a paycheck at the end of the month. Lack of dedication to the task in hand is simply not his style – and never has been. “I couldn’t live like that,” he says, sounding utterly bewildered that anyone would. “I’d have to find a different occupation. Because how do you motivate yourself if it’s only about the paycheck? That doesn’t work in my view. When it comes to doing your job well, your primary motivation should come from within..”
Driven by commitment Sjoerd loves what he does. As General Manager Survey at leading global dredging and offshore contractor and marine services provider Royal Boskalis Westminster NV, he’s based at the company’s head office in the Netherlands, and is responsible for all in-house survey work. This puts him in charge of a team of 10 people in the office, 40 in the Netherlands, 110 worldwide and around 80 freelancers. Co-ordinating lots of different people and projects makes him a busy man, but that’s just how he likes it. “Passion runs through my career,” he explains. “I’m passionate about survey work and have a genuine interest in wanting to understand the science behind it. I don’t want to do my job mechanically. I’m not here to push a button. I’m here to make sure the process goes well – and if I see a possibility to make it better or more efficient, I want to grasp it.” At the start of his career, Sjoerd worked as a field surveyor on various international projects, including Chek Lap Kok Airport in Hong Kong. In 1995, he took a job as a surveyor for Boskalis Netherlands and was the first surveyor to have a permanent desk within the organisation. Over the years, he’s taken on increasingly senior roles until, in 2014, he was given his current position heading up the (inhouse) Survey team. “It was decided that Survey was so important to the company that it should become a department on its own,” says Sjoerd. “And I was the lucky one chosen to lead it.”
Empowering safety at work When Sjoerd needs to find competent and experienced survey personnel, Atlas Professionals is one of the agencies he contacts. “They fulfil our needs and we have a good relationship with them,” he says. “Atlas is an important supplier for us. There are a number of competences that survey personnel need in order to operate on projects – and Atlas makes sure those boxes are ticked for us.” While Atlas Professionals operates its Zero Harm policy to boost safety presence and awareness for all personnel, Royal Boskalis has developed its own safety initiative called NINA (No Injuries, No Accidents). “Traditionally safety is about following rules,” explains Sjoerd. “But in our world that doesn’t always give you the required outcome. NINA is different in that it makes people responsible for their own safety and their colleagues’ safety. It makes them think before they do something and observe others around them; and if they see something that isn’t safe, it helps them feel empowered to do something about it.”
Well-aligned philosophies NINA is a good example of Royal Boskalis’s focus on innovative thinking. Indeed, the company often talks about ‘creating new horizons’. Is this what Sjoerd is trying to do in his job, too? “To me, ‘creating new horizons’ means we undertake challenging initiatives and projects that haven’t been done before,” he says. “We do that by doing things in a different way or with innovative new solutions.” The success Sjoerd has enjoyed over the years has simply been a byproduct of his love for Survey work and wanting Boskalis to advance. “On a number of occasions I’ve been at the right place at the right time, and had discussions with the right people. Luck plays a part in that. Of course, it’s hard work, too – although hard work isn’t really hard if you’re passionate about it, because then it becomes fun. And I’ve been lucky to work with a company that has the same philosophy as mine. I like that we’re all trying to do something on the edge of what is technologically possible, while keeping innovative and creative.”
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Z E L U O R D T N E C VIN OT TECHNICIAN SENIOR PIL
Looking after his family
Working for Atlas Professionals for more than a decade, Senior Pilot Technician Vincent Droulez shares his career story and offshore experience.
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Once a Republican Guard in France, Vincent Droulez nowadays is a trusted professional for the ROV, Diving and Inspection team of Atlas Professionals in Banbury, UK. Explaining his move from the Military Forces to the ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) industry, Vincent says: “In the Special Forces I was a diver, and back then there was no diving work in France. So, 25 years ago I moved to England where there was diving work.” Easier said than done, though, as his French diving qualifications were not recognised in the UK. “I had to redo them all,” Vincent recalls. “Once I had the required qualifications I started diving and doing some ROV work and inspections.” From there, he began working for the agency Subserv Pro, which was acquired by Atlas Professionals in 2015, working all around the world. As such, Vincent is very familiar with the Atlas staff in Banbury and knows he can count on them, even calling Team Leader and Account Manager Claire Freestone his mentor. “She’s always been there for me. Every time I came back to her, she was very open and got me a job straight away,” says Vincent. “Three years ago – when the oil industry went down – I had no work and Atlas was there for me.” Since 2017, Vincent has been working as a Senior Pilot Technician through Atlas. It is his job to make sure the ROV is ready for any operation at any time. “My sole purpose is to have the ROV fully operational when it goes in the water. And I get my satisfaction every single day,” he laughs, “because it does work! Of course, if there is any problem, I need to fix it in the quickest way possible.”
Family first The first thing Vincent does when he wakes up offshore, is check on his family and loved ones, calling them once a day. “My first thought is my family, and my last thought is my first, regardless of my hours. I tell them I’m OK and make sure they are OK. I need that for my piece of mind, because I love them, and I care for them.” When he is offshore Vincent focusses on having the best relationship possible with his colleagues. “I’m working six to seven months in the year offshore. So, I need to make sure I have good relationships with my colleagues because this is my family offshore.” He tries to prove himself, giving not only himself but also Atlas a good name. He laughs: “I believe my colleagues love me – not in the same way as my partner – but they love me for my work and my personality.”
Safety Award It is no surprise that ‘family always has your back’ also applies to Vincent’s offshore family. “Imagine,” he says, “that one day you have an accident, and you cannot work anymore. How are you going to provide for your family? That’s what we remind each other every single day. You need to be careful; you need to take care. Because if you don’t have that job, you will not able to support your family. Safety is dealt with daily, from the moment you wake up until the moment you go to sleep. Work is very important, but the safety of people is also very important.” Strongly identifying with Atlas Professionals’ Zero Harm goal, he concludes that incidents or accidents also can cost a lot of money and it is unnecessary to have casualties offshore. Underlining this safety mindset, Vincent was recognised as the SHOC (Safety Hazard Observation Card) Winner for his good observation and immediate action on board in August 2019. “In the ROV industry we operate machinery that could be very dangerous. One danger is heavy load – you’re talking about 8 or 10 tonnes – and another is high voltage, about 4150 volts. If somebody would touch that…” he says. “So, if people enter an area without knowing it’s dangerous, we’ll politely tell them. We all look after each other over there, not only the ROV professionals but all the departments.”
Tips and Training Talking about the importance of ‘on the job’ training and competence management, Vincent says this can be a very rewarding part of the job. “You take somebody under your wings and teach them what you know, until you are satisfied and confident they can do the job.” For Vincent, the real reward then is to see his training in action when they perform the task. “I teach them one way to do the job, knowing it will be safer for them in that particular way. When they understand that, comply and they do it that way – that’s the reward for me.” Sharing a final piece of advice with people that want to go into the industry, Vincent says it is very important to be open-minded, be committed and be passionate. “Every day is a learning day,” he says. Next to this, those interested in working offshore should understand that it is not easy. “I’m very happy with what I’m doing, but it can be difficult. For example, I just came back onshore yesterday and need to get on with the routine of daily life after a month of night shifts,” he says, gently closing of the conversation and heading to his bed.
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ALEACRM& ANNA ZERO H
Safe Behaviour Program | The 7Cs To help ensure safe and efficient work is conducted, Atlas Professionals has produced a safe behaviour program. Following the 7Cs will help ensure safe and efficient work is conducted. No paperwork is required to follow the 7Cs – it is all in the mindset. Correct Prioritisation Planning tasks prior to commencing and replanning according to new developments.
Safety Cartoons From holiday safety to risk assessments, you may have seen Atlas Professionals cartoon characters Alec and Anna in some comically exaggerated, yet often very recognisable situations. The main purpose of the safety cartoons, though, is not to amuse you. Their aim is to persuade you to live by Zero Harm too, as there are many ways to get hurt in our industry. Our Zero Harm goal, humorously conveyed by Alec and Anna in the safety cartoons, ensures we are taking the rights steps so that our employees and customers return home in the same condition they arrived – injury free. This also encompasses Zero Harm to the natural environments in which we work and operate. Safety is something we do well, and it is a contributing factor to our business success. Our safety culture framework is designed for future prevention and our people align themselves with our core safety beliefs. By providing our professionals with the understanding that all injuries are preventable, we believe that they will, in turn, be empowered to deliver safety leadership throughout the business. Zero Harm states that knowing safety is not enough; practice it.
Stay alert, don’t get hurt.
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Compliance Following procedures and using management of change when required. Communication Talking and listening to each other. Continuous Risk Assessment Thinking ‘What if?’ and having the correct mindset prior to conducting any task. Caring for each other Having the courage to intervene on an unsafe act or omission at any given time. Coaching / Mentoring Using your competence to help and guide others. Competence The ability, skills and knowledge to do something successfully and efficiently. Live by these 7Cs and together we will make the Energy, Marine and Renewables industry a safer working environment.
Would you like to have a Zero Harm calendar at your workplace? Request a free copy with our marketing team (subject to availability). marketing@atlasprofessionals.com
Mental health Hey Alec, R U OK...?
I wish I had wings like you, so that I could fly home and see my family... MENTAL HEALTH Feeling homesick, right?
Ask the question R U OK? Just because someone is smiling, it doesn’t mean they are OK. Trust the signs. Has there been changes in moods and behaviour? Listen with an open mind. Encourage action and offer support. Ask them to seek professional guidance if you feel they need it.
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Atlas Professionals is an international leading recruitment company. Since 1982, Atlas has played a major role in the provision of professionals to the energy, marine and renewables industries worldwide. If quality and reliability are key for your business, Atlas Professionals is the partner you need to deliver highly qualified personnel. We create custom-made, comprehensive HR packages, which allows you to focus on the project without any concerns about manpower. Over the years, Atlas Professionals has grown to become a no-nonsense, dependable HR service provider in the energy, marine and renewables industries with a mission to turn complex personnel challenges into transparent and secure solutions.
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