" The vessel is my second home"
From his earliest childhood, Artur Andrusishyn dreamed of sailing the seven seas. This obsession never let go of him and led him to study at the Maritime College of Technical Fleet in Odessa, Ukraine, where he graduated in 2007. Today, he is chief officer on the vessels of the BOURBON fleet. The testimonial of a passionate seafarer.
OFFshore: Do you remember your very first post?
Artur Andrusishyn: How could I forget it! I was 18 years old and had a pretty romantic image of the profession. I was living a childhood dream — it was a very strong feeling but I was very quickly confronted with the reality of this profession: a contract for over 6 months, constraints I had to learn to live with, strangers who eventually become your second family, and all this on a vessel which is above all your home! This very first post made me grow up. I realized that I hadn't made a mistake.
OFFshore: In your opinion, what qualities does a seafarer need?
A. A.: More than anything else, you have to be motivated and disciplined, always ready to learn. That's also what makes the job interesting! You can't be afraid to do new things. On the contrary, you have to keep an open mind and be flexible towards your surroundings. It's essential. You have to be mentally strong and work well under pressure.
OFFshore: What does working for BOURBON mean to you?
A. A.: It took me a while to work my way towards Oil & Gas. I gained experience on container ships with several shipowners before joining BOURBON in 2012. I was lucky to work in several operating regions, in West Africa, the Far East, the Middle East, the Mediterranean... But I am especially thankful to the company for enabling me to progress! I started as a second officer / junior DPO aboard a Bourbon Liberty AHTS, and today I am a chief officer / SDPO. I was also a Change Officer for 2 years, in charge of the deployment of the Smart shipping program on board vessels!
OFFshore: What do you prefer about your job?
A. A.: My duties give me a very wide range of action and the chance to meet multiple challenges. That's a good thing, because I love that... I am a DP officer but I'm also in charge of safety, security and vessel maintenance, working in close collaboration with the Captain.
OFFshore: What is your best memory of the time you have spent on BOURBON vessels?
A. A.: I have pleasant memories of all the vessels I have worked on, but I will never forget my time aboard AHTS Bourbon Liberty 318. I boarded the vessel in China, while it was still in the shipyard. We took delivery, carried out trials, etc. before operating it for nearly 2 years. I felt really at home on board. It is certainly my finest experience with BOURBON until now.
