Today was our last day of site visits. We visited Berhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM), Columbia Group, and Medochemie, which is a pharmaceutical company. We visited the BSM Maritime Training Center Cyprus to be exact. Here, they have a mock ‘ship’ where cadets come from all around the world to learn the basics of being a seafarer, from internal training, equipment and vessel-specific training, STCW courses (Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping for Seafarers), and simulation training. Their mission is to build trust and peace of mind for partners, and their main goal is safety. Their facility is really cool, with bridge and engine simulation rooms, a galley (kitchen of a ship), sleeping quarters that mimic those of a real ship, and of course, classrooms. While Columbia isn’t a training center, it is a major player in the business of ship management similar to BSM as a whole. This means that partners/companies put their trust into the them to take care of the operations of the ship that may be carrying their product. What is unique about Columbia though, is they also operate in different niches, like hospitality and restaurant. A common theme among both BSM and Columbia was that it really does take a village. These ships need dedication from not only the seafarers, but also those on the land, whether it is finance and accounting, logistics, energy/sustainability, or technology. Overall, it was very interesting to hear what all goes into both ship management and being a seafarer!