25 Jun 2021
Meet Our Crew: Master Mariner Captain Ila
I would like to inspire my officers and crew by providing guidance, creating confidence, and motivating them to also achieve their career goals. At Consort Express Lines, it is about upskilling and building the capacity of our seafarers in Papua New Guinea.
Captain Ila Ila recently joined the ranks of Master Mariner at Papua New Guinea’s largest coastal shipping company, Consort Express Lines.
Consort Express Lines ship’s cargo to all major ports across Papua New Guinea, connecting the North Coast, South Coast, New Guinea Islands, Bougainville, and Western Province. We proudly serves the people of PNG by providing an important supply link to the many communities in our routes and offer frequent services with more capacity than any other coastal shipping operator in Papua New Guinea.
Captain Ila acquired his Master Class 1 (Unlimited) License after completing his final examinations earlier in April. Achieving this rank now allows Ila to captain any of the 10 vessels in Consort Express Lines’ fleet. As we celebrate International Day of the Seafarer, Captain Ila shares his career achievements, from a Deck Cadet to Master Mariner.
Captain Ila talks about…
Achieving his recent ranking as Master Mariner
Progressing to Master Mariner (Unlimited) is the pinnacle of maritime education and training for Deck Officers. My seafaring career began with Consort Express Lines 14 years ago as a Deck Cadet, and the company has played a major role in my career advancement through education sponsorships. Seafaring is a career where you progress when meeting the required Sea Time Onboard (STWC) and through determination and a positive attitude towards work, I have been able to achieve my goal. I am grateful for the support, training and opportunities that have been given to me.
What he enjoys the most as a seafarer
Travelling to remote ports in Papua New Guinea and seeing happy customers and the community appreciating the service we provide is what I enjoy the most. A memorable moment would have to be witnessing the conversion of the Obo Chief from a mini bulk carrier to a tanker as a cadet in the Philippines. There was an inclining experiment conducted to determine the vertical / longitudinal and transverse center of gravity (G) on a light ship which was very interesting. I also thoroughly enjoyed my experience onboard the Papuan Chief (a Swire Shipping vessel) as a Trainee Officer in 2012 and the delivery of the Niu Ailan Coast from Port Moresby to Taizhou, China, in 2019.
What’s next
Having achieved the rank of Master Mariner, I now look forward to putting my training and experience to use when taking command, by leading crew members and managing a vessel. I would like to inspire my officers and crew by providing guidance, creating confidence, and motivating them to also achieve their career goals. At Consort Express Lines, it is about upskilling and building the capacity of our seafarers in Papua New Guinea.