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Testimonies in video
Anne Laure Comte, Chief Engineer appointed to Onshore Deputy Manager of Ulysses Project
I was sailing with the Bourbon Hera as Chief Engineer when I heard for the first time about the Ulysses project, that's the name of the program that will be installed.
Caroline Arsac, Responsible for Sustainable development in Nigeria
BOURBON takes care of its ICV volunteers in that there is an actual project. If you perform well, if you show that you are motivated, then you can become a real part of the company. The message and the policy of the Company are fairly clear so that you have a real opportunity to grow under this kind of contract.
François Eckert, Master of offshore vessel
I think that BOURBON makes a huge effort to train people. I consider that they are highly motivated and have a real desire to see their crews progress.
Jacques Ferrier, PSV Master
Thanks to BOURBON, I was lucky enough to learn nearly all the trades of the sea and especially all types of propulsion. In each move every day I do something different at Offshore.
Jean Carotenuto, Safety and Environment Manager
The advantage is that the company is relatively young and dynamic compared to other French companies that work in a maritime environment.
Marie Bernstein - Human Resources Trainee
What I like at BOURBON, more than just the fact of having the trainee opportunity, is the BOURBON spirit, culture, and sense of family. It’s obvious that the directors have close relations with the managers, employees and seamen – they are experienced people who know the field, they are seamen at heart. It’s not just anyone at the helm. What I like about my training course is that I have been involved in a particular project since the beginning: I didn’t just arrive in the middle but I was there right from the start and will be there till the project ends. My training has been genuinely based on this project and I will be seeing it through to the end.
Mellis Maitse, Master of PSV
"I grew up near the sea and I’ve always loved it. I wanted to get away a little, see different countries and meet interesting people."
Paul Maguerez, Director of the Safety Operation department
Philippe Crassin, Master of a coastline protection vessel
At BOURBON, your learn a lot, you are respected and you sail on high quality ships.
Renaud Soulard, Master of IMR vessel
My name is Renaud Soulard, and I am a Supply Captain, so I have completed my first Supply command at the age of 28. I work for Bourbon Offshore Surf.
Samuel Giraud, Chief Financial officer
There are enough opportunities with BOURBON to go to work either in Asia, or India.
Stéphane Madec, Master of a FSIV
Mon activité principale est de transporter du matériel sur les plateformes et jusqu’à 50 passagers.
Yves Gautier, Master
The job of a Captain is to manage his crew. We all depend on each other. The Captain cannot operate his vessel on his own so, if all the seamen do not act in solidarity, the vessel will not operate. Solidarity is essential and traditional on a vessel.
Testimonies in text
Agostinho Neto, Sales Manager
Today, I am 27 and Sonasurf is giving me training to become a Sales Manager.
Cephas de Souza, Seaman
I love being a seaman and the at sea work environment. (...) Bourbon Offshore Surf has enabled me to top-up my training by going back to the merchant navy school in Togo and gain several additional diplomas, including a fire-fighting certificate.
Eric Jugeau, Surfer Pilot
En tant que Matelot, puis Patron de pêche, je n’avais jamais eu de congés... Aujourd’hui, j’apprécie de pouvoir alterner travail et repos...
Filipe Ferrao, Quality Director
BOURBON is a fast-expanding, very dynamic and highly diversified group which is underpinned by a great cultural diversity and a spirit of openness. Everyone can contribute innovative ideas and put them into practice. The task that has been assigned to me is a very interesting challenge: we have to consolidate the new structure and reconcile the standardization of processes with the necessary flexibility to adapt to different cultures, legal structures, and ways of working all over the world.
Frank Nordstrand, Maritime Supervisor
I love sharing my experience and being involved in worthwhile projects that give me the opportunity to meet a wide variety of people.My job suits me perfectly as it is very varied and enables me to forge contacts and friendships:I’m a hands-on person and I don’t want to be shut up in an office.
Géraldine Vitte, Group Accounting Manager
As the head of an eight-person department, I am in charge of managing and supervising the production of financial information within the group and all its divisions...
Hélène Butat, Project engineer
The project engineer enters the picture upstream of that construction phase. He or she studies the rigging to be used on the lifting equipment...
Hugo Hernandez, Quality and Safety Manager
Guided by ISO 9001 quality management certification, the five of us work to constantly improve processes for better client satisfaction, to establish and coordinate training programs, and to maintain and reinforce a constant awareness of safety and quality among our officers and crew, all in a quest for continuous performance improvement.
Ian Philbert, Port Captain
It’s a very varied job and a constant challenge: as “the man on the ground”, I have to be able to take very quick decisions and find local solutions to problems as they arise.
Jan Van Hinloopen, Charterer
We put the customer at the center of our organization. The decision-making centers of Setaf-Saget are in France, but we also have offices near our customers, in North America and Asia. As a result, we have developed excellent relationships with those customers, and these contacts, which every day enhance our vision of the 3-5 year freight market, give us an undeniable competitive advantage.
Jérôme Filippi, Finance Lawyer
Within Bourbon Management, I work with Lilian Genevet (Treasury Manager) to identify and negotiate financing for our vessel construction program
Juan Bernal, Master
The one thing I hope for is to consolidate my career at Naviera Bourbon Tamaulipas. The partnership with BOURBON has been very beneficial to our company. It has enabled us to expand our fleet and conquer new markets, which creates new job opportunities.
Julien Boucard, Subsea Project Engineer
Lilian Genevet, Controller Division Offshore
I really enjoy being part of a fast-growing group, where a long-term view is matched by investment and which has an excellent image in the financial community. I also like the quality of the human relationships, the close involvement of the directors, and the possibility of making a difference professionally: at BOURBON, every idea is carefully considered
Lionel Junguene, Boatswain
At BOURBON, the directors are seafaring men and they know what they are talking about. BOURBON is like a family to me! They’ve given me a nickname: “Jungle”. It’s going to be hard to retire. But I know that I have built something for the future in training all those young men…
Lucien Attia, Chief Financial Officer
I have been lucky to spend over fifteen years in this constantly evolving group, which succeeds in all it undertakes, living a human and professional adventure. And I’ve hardly noticed the time pass…
Marc Tézenas, technical department
My mission was to make any necessary changes on the standard model proposed in order to make it into an efficient vessel that could meet our operating needs and offer maximum productivity for loading and unloading operations; a vessel that will age well, that will be easy to handle and maintain for 30 years, for the most limited operating cost possible.
Michele Corsi, ROV Pilot
I moved up the ranks, from apprentice to ROV pilot, then supervisor, and now I'm a superintendant. It’s amazing how much I’ve learned in six years… and how much I go on learning.
Muhamad Nur Gaffar, Master of the Bourbon Liberty 112
At BOURBON, they are good at recognizing your skills and giving you the resources to develop them with highly effective in-house training resources.
Obi Okumesne, Pilot Trainer
The seamen are pleased to be better trained and it is very satisfying to see the concrete results of my efforts. I have many years of experience to pass on and it is a very interesting way of concluding my career!
Patrick Lièvre, Safety Manager
Shorebase Manager in Luanda in 2001, I have served as Safety Manager for 1 year: this is a different job, which combines study and the implementation of processes with site actions during operations…
Philippe Pizeine, Port Captain
In 1994, I joined Setaf Saget and opted for a new position in an onshore base, but not necessarily in an office. (…) I spend more than half my time in the field.
Pierre Bichard, Operation manager
We constantly have to look ahead while managing day-to-day tasks with responsiveness, providing old-fashioned made-to-order service using an industrial methodology.
Porferio Acquiatan
At BOURBON, my career has taken a new turn: I have been promoted to captain, I earn a better living and I sail modern vessels.
Rajiv Iswariah, Charterer
Within our team, as Charterer I negotiate charters or long-term contracts for our permanent fleet of about a dozen bulk carriers...
Samuel Malondo, Crewboard Pilot
I like the fact that BOURBON prioritizes safety, and the potential for further training to enable me to progress. At thirty, I am young and full of ambition. To advance my career, I am ready to work anywhere in the world and go back to studying.
Sébastien Hellequin, Cook
BOURBON is a leading group and one of the largest French shipping groups. I had always heard a lot about BOURBON from my father, who was a Cook on the Abeille Flandre and from my grandfather...