Master Vladimir Manaev

“I am sailing for 26 years now. My most special trip I made in 2009. We sailed around the world, from Rotterdam to Rotterdam in 4.5 months. It was so diverse. Panama Canal, the West Coast of USA, the Gulf of Mexico, Hawaii, Japan, South Korea, China, Singapore and Suez Canal: we saw it all.

I started my career at Wagenborg in 2001. Back then, I worked at Egon Oldendorff, when I saw an advertisement from Wagenborg. Wagenborg offered shorter contracts and a better salary, so I decided to apply.

I started out as a second mate on the MV Varnebank. That was quite something different then I was used to. At Egon Oldendorff we sailed with 60,000 tonners, the MV Varnebank was a 9,000 tonner, but I never regretted my switch. Wagenborg is a friendly, stable company and offers opportunities for growth. In 2007 I got promoted to master.

The Northwest Passage in 2017 with the MV Atlanticborg was another special trip. We were the second ship to pull off this difficult feat, and the first that followed the shortest and least-used route: via Bellot Strait and Fury and Hecla Strait, then passing to the south of Baffin Island and out via Hudson Strait into the Labrador Sea.

Through the years, I sailed on many different vessels, transported all kinds of loads, in all parts of the world. On board, you must continuously adapt to the circumstances. It keeps my job interesting, even after 26 years.”