This summer, Cornelia Benjaminsen, a student at NTNU (Norwegian University of Science and Technology), spent nine weeks onboard MV Balzani, a KCC CLEANBU vessel, sailing between ports in Taiwan, South Korea, Australia and Tasmania. The experience gave her a firsthand look at life at sea and, with it, a new perspective on the shipping industry. NTNU in Trondheim is a leading centre of Norway's marine technology education, in a country that remains one of the world's major shipping nations, and Balzani is a combination carrier operated by Klaveness Combination Carriers (KCC), whose CLEANBU vessels are designed to alternate between dry bulk and refined petroleum cargoes — a flexibility that helps explain the vessel's varied route.

Seeing shipping up close

For Cornelia, one of the biggest lessons was understanding how everything onboard connects. "Being onboard, you see how everything combines and works together as one ship. That's hard to understand from studies alone."

Among the tasks she took part in were cleaning a fuel oil purifier and other planned work and operations in the engine room, which she says gave her a firsthand look at how things work. The experience also reinforced for her the importance of keeping the end user in mind when designing solutions and making decisions onboard.

"It's important to have the user in mind when it comes to implementing complex new technology, but also how things as small as what type of broom to order can make a massive difference to those actually using the equipment onboard."

Her point carries weight beyond one vessel: as shipping continues to digitalize and automate, the IMO and industry bodies have long emphasized the human element as central to safety at sea, which keeps questions of usability and end-user design firmly on the industry's agenda.

She was also surprised by the variety of working environments vessels encounter around the world. "It's easy to think everything is automated these days, but then you hear stories about ports where materials are still handled very manually. It was fascinating to see how the vessel needs to be able to adapt to different ports to make a combination trade work."

For a combination carrier, that adaptability is part of the business model: the same ship must serve both tanker terminals and dry bulk facilities, often with very different levels of mechanization from port to port.

Taking ownership of her own learning

Cornelia reflects that getting the most out of a seagoing internship requires curiosity and initiative. "You really have to put yourself out there, take initiative, ask questions and show that you're interested. You want to do more than just watch or listen."

One of her favorite experiences was joining the crew in troubleshooting a long-running issue with an auxiliary engine. Following the process from start to finish gave her a unique insight into the craftsmanship, attention to detail and problem-solving skills that experienced seafarers bring to solving complex technical challenges. It is the kind of competence that has traditionally been built at sea rather than in the lecture hall, one reason practical ship time remains a feature of maritime education.

Professionalism and a strong safety culture

What stood out just as much, Cornelia notes, was the professionalism of the crew and Balzani's strong safety culture. Before joining the vessel, she admits she did not know quite what to expect from life at sea, but after nine weeks onboard she left with a very different impression. The crew's commitment to doing things the right way was evident throughout her stay, she says.

"Regular safety drills, clear procedures and a crew committed to doing things the right way helped create an environment where I felt safe, supported and included in my time there."

An experience she would recommend

Looking back, Cornelia says she would fully recommend the experience to other students. "It's an experience you can't get anywhere else. Going back to my studies now, I have a much deeper understanding of the industry. After seeing how hard the crew worked onboard, it motivates me to work even harder myself!"

Source: Klaveness