Young People Set Sail on Cargo Ships During the Holidays

In this summer vacation, over 70 students from all over Germany will say: “All aboard!” They are participating in the holiday sailor program of the Association of German Shipowners (VDR) – about twice as many as last year. On board container ships, bulk carriers, and tugboats, they will experience life at sea up close for up to four weeks.

(Hamburg) “We are very pleased with the high demand. Interest in maritime professions is reviving – and that is a good thing!” says Gaby Bornheim, President of the VDR. “Shipping is not only essential for the supply of our country but also offers exciting and diverse career opportunities. Our holiday sailor program opens the door for young people to explore this.”

The participating youths come not only from traditional coastal regions such as Hamburg, Bremen, Schleswig-Holstein, Lower Saxony, or Mecklenburg-Vorpommern but from all over Germany – including North Rhine-Westphalia, Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, or Rhineland-Palatinate. Young people from Austria are also joining. Particularly encouraging: More and more girls are discovering the holiday sailor program for themselves – this year, there are already 13 girls who will be on board.

Caroline Philippin (16) from Rottweil, Baden-Württemberg, will be traveling on the Kuala Lumpur Express of Hapag-Lloyd AG from Busan (South Korea) to Yokohama (Japan). “With the holiday sailor program, I am getting closer to my biggest dream: One day I want to be the captain of a large container ship. I celebrated my very first birthday on board, and since then, I spend almost every vacation at sea. I am particularly fascinated by the teamwork on board, the precise maneuvering, and the technology of these huge machines. I hope to know for sure by the end of the journey that shipping is exactly the right thing for me.”

The Hamburg shipping company Hapag-Lloyd is again providing several spots this year. Training manager at sea Erik Hirsch emphasizes: “Whoever inspires young people for shipping today secures the maritime location of Germany in the long term. This program is a real investment in our future.”

Marlene Pfennig (19) from Schwegenheim, Rhineland-Palatinate, will gain experience on board the cargo ship MSC Alicante of the Claus Peter Offen Group, with stops in Spain, Italy, and Portugal. “I have already gained valuable insights into shipping – on a traditional sailing ship and during an internship with the New Zealand Coast Guard. My first night voyage there is unforgettable for me: navigating only with lights and technology fascinated me completely. With the holiday sailor program, I can now further deepen this passion. I want to find out if a nautical study after graduation is the right path for me.”

Distributed on Ships from Twelve Shipping Companies

This year, the youths are distributed on ships from the following twelve shipping companies: Hapag-Lloyd, TUI Cruises, Fairplay Towage, F. Laeisz, Hartmann Shipping, CPO (Offen Group), Briese Research (Research Shipping), Peter Döhle Shipping KG, Claus Rodenberg Waldkontor GmbH, Jüngerhans, Lotsbetriebsverein (LBV), and the Federal Office for Hydrography and Maritime Shipping (BSH). The trips will take them to various places around the world. Since the 1960s, the holiday sailor program has been connecting young people with the maritime world every year.

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Photos: © VDR