Welding is an every-day activity on board ship. It may seem quite easy to carry out simple welds in controlled conditions on land, but on board the welding conditions are seldom simple or straightforward. The tutors at the welding school recognise this, and gear all their teaching to take account of the dangers and difficulties that engineers face in a maritime environment.
We paid a visit to the Oslo welding school during a five-day course that was arranged for WesternGeco, the well-known geophysical exploration company. The course was run for six technicians from WesternGeco exploration vessels based in different parts of the world, and formed part of a two-week training programme that the participants were undertaking after their last tour of duty on board.
The course was a basic course, covering gas and electric welding and cutting.
All the participants were extremely enthusiastic about the course. “I thought I knew the basics of welding before coming on this course,” said Mohamad Khairul Bin Salim from Malaysia. “However, now I realise how little I knew. I have learnt an amazing amount this week, but it has also taught me how much I still have to learn. I can’t wait to get onto a more advanced course.”
Marwan Mohamed Diaa Al Deen Mahmoud, from Egypt, was also very positive. “The best thing about the course is that we are given a wide variety of real-life situations to help us develop our skills. We get a chance to use a full range of welding equipment, including some machines that we have on board, but I have never had the confidence to use before. The instructors have a wealth of knowledge that they clearly enjoy sharing with us, which creates a very positive learning environment.”
The trainees, from Russia, Malaysia, Egypt and Philippines, spend a week at the welding school and a week in the company offices, just outside Oslo, Norway. Wilhelmsen Ships Service has nine welding schools in several locations in the Philippines, Greece, China and India.
Further information from:
Solveig Saether, Marketing Manager, Wilhelmsen Ships Service,
Telephone +47 67 58 45 78 (office), +47 90 63 49 77 (mobile) solveig.d.saether@wilhelmsen.com