This morning’s visits to Bernhardt Schulte and the Columbia Group showed that running a ship isn’t just about sailing—it’s a full-blown logistical circus. At Bernhardt Schulte, we learned they manage over 640 vessels and provide intense, vessel-specific training using high-tech simulators, including a full mock bridge for navigation practice. They also prepare seafarers for emergencies…
Tag: Plus3 Cyprus
Day 10: Another Day at Sea
Today I got to visit two sites, Bernhardt Shulte and the Columbia Group. I got to learn a lot about how BSM is a certificate program to train seafarer workers. There are many jobs that at all levels that are required for managing ships for both companies such as mechanical and electrical engineers as well…
Shipmanaging Scuttlebutt : Day 10
Today was a day for site visits, at two ship management companies, Bernhardt Schulte Shipmanagement and Columbia Group. Both were companies that deal with affairs on the sea, but had many different functions. Starting our day with Bernhardt Schulte Shipmanagement, or BSM, was quite the experience. BSM does specific maritime training for the Schulte group,…
Seas, Safety and Seafarers
Today was our last day of site visits – but they definitely ended off strong. We started our day off visiting the Bernhardt Shulte Group, which is a marine training center that has 11 ship management centers, 2000+ shore-based employees, 30+ locations globally and 6 Maritime Training Centers. The Bernhardt Shulte Group really emphasized their…
Busy day!
Today was a very busy day and we had 3 company visits. We visited Bernard Schulte Shipmanagement Training Center (BSM), Columbia Ship Management (CSM) and Medochemie. Based on visits to BSM and CSM key aspects of ship management include crew recruitment, training, technical operations, and safety. Both companies emphasize simulation-based training and strict safety protocols….
Ships, Seafaring, and Safety – Day 10
From our visits to the BSM Marine Training Center and Columbia group, we got a better glimpse into what is involved in the marine shipping and ship management industries. From BSM, we learned that a seafarer must have an understanding of many aspects of the ship before going out to sea. They must understand not…
Boats, Business, and Biotech
Today was heavy on company visits because we visited Bernard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM), Columbia Ship Management (CSM), and Medochemie. While I anticipated back-to-back ship management visits to be repetitive, each company had a unique presentation and taught us about different aspects of the business. BSM focused on the training aspect and walked us through how…
Oh, To Sail The Seven Seas!
Hello all, welcome to my blog #9! Today, we visited Bernhardt Shulte and the Columbia Group, two ship management companies. I learned about the amount of effort and behind-the-scenes work that goes into management and seafaring. From the company visits, I got to see how the Columbia Performance Optimization team manages each ship to avoid…
So Sing Sing, We’re on Our Way Home Across the Pacific and Through the Unknown – Bernhardt Shulte, Columbia Group, & Medochemie
This morning we visited Bernhardt Shulte (BSM) and Columbia Group. Both these companies manage many ships and crews aboard third-party ships. We learned a lot about ship management through these two companies, something I found interesting is that ship management isn’t just about managing the actual ships and their routes, but also the crew aboard…
Shipping Site Visits
What a busy day it was today! We had our last 3 site visits. We started off the morning at Bernhardt Shulte’s BSM Marine Training Center in Cyprus. They provide training for seafarers under the government of Cyprus, and their certifications are accepted all around the world. Being a seafarer involves mapping the route, monitoring…
Day 9: Production, Protection, and Prayer
We had a beautiful second port day in Cyprus! Our morning started at Vassiliko Cement Works. This company was established in 1963 and is the largest production unit in Europe. I learned that cement is the second most consumed material in the world, the first being water. Vassiliko Cement Works is a vertically integrated company…
Day 9: Super Strong Cement
By far one of the most interesting company visits so far, Vassiliko Cement Company is focused on the production of cement, which is used to make a variety of forms of concrete. Our visit began with a presentation on how Vassiliko Cement mines raw materials and refines them into a manufacturing product, which is then…
Vassiliko’s Wonderful World of Cement
Today I learned about the cement industry, where I actually learned a few things (I know crazy). Driving along the coast and seeing the giant silos in the distance, letting everyone know that Vassiliko Cement Works is the largest heavy industry in Cyprus. We had a great view of all the steps in the cement…
Vassiliko and Integrating Vertically
An important concept in the world of supply chains is vertical integration, and today we visited a company that does a good job of implementing some of these practices in their daily operations. The company in question is Vassiliko Cement Company, founded in 1963, which is the largest heavy industry corporation in the entirety of…
Day 9: Cement, Churches, and Cats
Today, we started off by visiting Vassiliko Cement company, founded in 1963, they own 310 factories in 33 countries and produce 25 million tons of concrete per year. Vassiliko Cement Company can be fairly said to operate as a vertically integrated firm by controlling multiple stages of its production and distribution process from raw material…
Day 9: Fix it Felix!
Today was another jam-packed day. We visited Vassiliko Cement Works, VTTI, and the Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute, plus short visits to St. Lazarus Church and Hala Sultan Teke, which is actually the third most important pilgrimage in the Muslim faith, behind Mecca and Medina. Today, I’m just going to be talking about Vassiliko, though….
Rocks, Reefs, and Religion – Day 9
Today we took a trip to Vassiliko port to visit the companies housed there. One company we visited, Vassiliko Cement works, is a great example of vertical integration. At the Vassiliko port, this company processes limestone and clay to create cement. This process begins at the quarry where these raw materials are gathered. Vassiliko Cement…
What A Concrete Start to The Day!
We started the morning off strong by visiting Vassiliko Cement Company where we learned about various aspects of making concrete. At first, we were given some basic information, such as the fact that concrete is composed of limestone and clay. Following some more basic, yet vital knowledge if you want to truly understand the concrete…
Cementing Success
Today, we visited the Vassiliko Cement Works Company. This is a company that was established in 1963 and had their first production in 1967. What stood out to me the most was how incredibly successful and self-sufficient the company has become over the years – they use about 25 billion pounds of concrete annually! Vassiliko…
Vertically Integrated Vassiliko : Day 9
Today we had a site visit to Vassiliko Cement Works, the largest heavy industry in Cyprus. Located in Vassiliko, Cyprus, this company was founded in 1963, and began producing concrete and cement in 1967. Surprisingly enough, cement isn’t that hard to make, just a mixture of limestone and clay heated to 1500 degrees Celsius, and…