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Diyana is a 23-year-old student from the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) pursuing her degree in Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) in Offshore Engineering. She is currently interning as an assistant superintendent in Technical Department.

How is your day as an intern in Technical department look like?

“I assist my supervisor in various projects. These projects include but are not limited to coordinating Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for onboard crew, Ballast Water Treatment System (BWTS) Installation in Royal Vessels, OPEX annual budget planning for the year 2022, and preparing dry dock specifications for Royal and Easterly Vessels. I also supported Marine Department in their quality assurance tasks such as monitoring KPI, circulars, environmental target, and Safety Management System (SMS) review. I have to ensure that information and records across the different modules in Savvy and the different mediums used are the same.”

What was your most memorable moment during this internship?

“It would be visiting the ships. I can clearly remember how nervous and excited I was for my first ship visit and being in awe when I saw all the different ships on my way to the anchorage location. Aside from gaining a hands-on experience, the calm feeling of being away from shore for a short while is one that is strongly embedded in my mind. Another memorable moment would be the interactions with colleagues in the office. My introvert self was totally restricting me from interacting, but with friendly and supportive colleagues, I was able to experience a comfortable learning journey.”

Tell us more about your vessel visits.

“I had visited 3 different ships during my internship.

• Chembulk Virgin Gorda: The first-ever tanker ship that I went onboard. It was also my first time climbing a pilot ladder. Going up the ladder was easy, however, going down is a challenge. From this visit, I was introduced to the different parts of the ships and given a tour around the engine room. I was able to see the types of machinery and understand the flow in the engine room as explained by their 3rd engineer. I also went to the navigation room where the Captain and Chief Officer oversee the route and navigation of the vessel.

• Golden Curl: I visited GCU which is an anchorage near Marina South Pier with two of my colleagues. I shadowed one of them as he walked me through the ship inspection procedure.The purpose of the ship inspection is to inform the owners about the ship’s condition and the repairs required. I observed as he pointed out areas of improvement to the crew and identified damages that need to be repaired. This is crucial as damages may lead to flooding or sinking of the ship. We would then collect documents from the weekly maintenance report for before and after of the identified damaged areas. This is to be included in the inspection report prepared for the owners.

• Eagle Seville: A fun fact of this vessel is that it was built in 1999, the same year that I was born in! Despite being at that age, the vessel is in an excellent condition and is going strong. Eagle Seville is one of the biggest tankers I have visited. It even has an elevator onboard. In this visit, I had the opportunity to observe an underwater inspection. The inspection lasted for about an hour. However, it was a pity that I was unable to fully monitor the underwater inspection due to motion sickness.”

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What about your job you enjoyed the most?

“The unpredictable occurrences and the constant new knowledge or information. As an adventurous individual, I am always searching to try out new things and I find dealing with unpredictable scenarios really fun. All the projects and tasks have their own learnings and discovery points which make the overall experience exciting and interesting.”

What are some of the challenges you have faced and how you overcome them?

“Coming from a science diploma, when I first joined NSM, I was completely lost. The technical terms used, although some I have heard of or learnt, sounded so foreign and unfamiliar. It took some time for me to adapt to the situation. After much asking and researching, I was able to understand the common terminology used. It is also due to my lack of knowledge, that I requested to go onboard ships.”

Any words of advice for people who are interested to take up an internship?

“During an internship, it is always important to take initiatives, think outside the box, and seize every opportunity. It is during internship that we can explore, learn and ask anything without getting judged or scrutinized. It is a platform that allows for development and personal growth without being tied up to full-time working expectations.”

Interested in our internship program? Check out our Careers page.