02.03.2020

Kjetil Vatland Olsen

Title: Environmental Engineer
Joined Solstad: 2019
Country: Norway

What is your background?

My first work experience was from my summer job at Solstad’s Husøybase. I worked there for two summers in a row when I took my education to be an AB apprentice. Then I worked two years as an AB apprentice at Solstad. One year on board Normand Arctic and one year on board Normand Atlantic. After this I got certificate of apprenticeship and then took a bachelor degree in nautical in Haugesund (Westcoast of Norway). When I took the bachelor’s degree I had different part time jobs such as cab driver, different coaching jobs at the local football team Kopervik IL and summer jobs at technical department in Karmøy Kommune.  After this I took a year-study in sports. At the end of this study I was lucky and got an offer for a summer job at Solstad as Environmental Assistant. This was of course something I wanted, but not knowing exactly what to expect. The learning curve was steep, which was fun and the more I understood the more interesting it got. I went back to school to study more, but I took the office with me and worked part-time as Environmental Assistant. After a while Solstad advertised the job I got now (Environmental Engineer). I went all in to get the job and was really happy when I got it.

When and how did your story with Solstad start?  

My story with Solstad started when I was 6-7 years old. That was when my whole family was onboard on Normand Cutter when the ship was in the Caribbean. We were onboard two different times, one time for 6 weeks and one time for 3 weeks. My dad has worked for Solstad for as long as I can remember, so I grew up knowing what Solstad was and knowing how the seafarer life was. I decided early that this was something I wanted to work with as well.

Can you explain what your currently do in your role as Environmental Engineer?

I am the company’s Environmental and Management Representative, which means that I have the responsibility to follow up on Environmental management system and Energy management system. I work with various environmental projects such as shore power systems and battery packages. I’m also responsible for reporting of NOx emission for ships in Norway and tax and refund administration.   As environment and energy forms an important parts of tendering this is an area that we also provide support to.  Solstad uses MarESS (Maritime Efficiency Supervisory Software) where we monitor the vessels fuel usage and efficiency and can provide good reporting to clients as well as directly to the vessels.  With such a strong system basis and the good work from the vessels on energy efficiency, we are working together to get our fleet even more energy efficient.

How do you perceive career opportunities in the Company?

The career opportunities in the company is very good both onshore and offshore. For myself I have already worked in different roles onshore and offshore. And I see other people in the company changing from working offshore to onshore or the other way around. And also that people are moving up on the vessels and that people onshore changing work role internally.

What do you want to highlight from your current position?

I want to highlight the work we are doing to reduce our carbon footprint with the SGO program, the shore power systems and battery packages. The continuous work to improve  this and planns for how to improve and what the next steps needs to be is especially rewarding. I also want to highlight the good work environment we have in the department and also throughout the company.

In Solstad we now have 49 nationalities and we encourage diversity. Can you relate to a situation where diversity has improved the results in your daily work?

Since I started as Environmental Assistant I have learned a lot from Lyrah (Lyrah Maxwell,  Environmental Assistant) in the Manila office and together with Svein Erik (Svein Erik Isaksen, Sustainability Advisor) we make a good environmental team.

Anything you want to add?

I am proud to be a Solstad employee.