The romance of inland waterway shipping
Working on a ship also has its advantages, of course. In contrast to life in the city, you perceive your surroundings and nature much more intensively from the river. "One of the best moments of my training so far was when we travelled from the Ruhr region towards Antwerp and Rotterdam and I saw seals lying on a sandbank. That was pretty overwhelming," Adrian enthuses.
The crew can often experience the typical romance of inland shipping during the early hours of the morning, when the sun rises over the horizon and the first rays of the day tickle their noses as the ship glides calmly and steadily over the water. A luxury that not many jobs offer.
"Shipping is like tuning your car"
"Sometimes we stand at the lock, look at the other ships and see if they are as well maintained as ours. If you put it like that, shipping is actually a bit like tuning up your car - except that nobody wants to admit it," Adrian laughs. You can clearly tell that he enjoys his apprenticeship and loves working on the ship. "Training to become a barge captain has been the best decision I've made in my professional life so far. Like a little kid, I'm looking forward to finally getting back on the ship on Wednesday!"
What does a barge captain actually do?
The tasks of barge captains include steering and navigating ships on inland waterways as well as maintaining the ship and the machinery on board. In this way, they ensure that the ship and its equipment are always ready for use. Captains also supervise the loading and unloading of ships and are responsible for personnel and route planning.
In the coming weeks, the blog will continue to accompany the apprentices on their journey and report regularly on updates and milestones from the apprenticeship.
Are you also interested in an apprenticeship as a barge captain (m/f/d)? Click here for the job advertisement.