Everything for the crew: Captain Sasa Giljaca’s journey at Hapag-Lloyd

The Montenegrin captain Sasa Giljaca has served as a captain at Hapag-Lloyd for the past three and a half years. In this interview he shares his experiences about his transition to the company after many years with other shipping firms, and why he chose his children’s room as the perfect spot for his job interview.

In Montenegro, the maritime tradition runs deep. “Almost every family here has relatives in seafaring,” says Giljaca. “For us, it was my grandfather. Unfortunately, he died before I was born. Later, when I went to the sea, I actually met seafarers who had known him and who only had good things to say about him, which touched me a lot,” the 40-year-old reflects with a smile. He has been sailing for Hapag-Lloyd as a captain for three and a half years. “The shipping companies I used to sail for were all fine – there is nothing to complain about. But, at Hapag-Lloyd, the standards are exceeded in every respect,” the captain notes. “Professional development, online courses, video forums, and trainings on board. I have never experienced that before. The food is a whole lot better, too, and all the seafarers are looked after very well here.”

When asked about his first ship as a young sailor, Giljaca recalls it vividly. “It was the ‘MOL Golden Wattle,’ with Mitsui O.S.K Lines, a Japanese shipping company. I had just completed my nautical training. I would dream of playing professional football, but an injury ended that path, and I turned to the sea. In 2004, I boarded a flight to Singapore, ready to begin my career.” Going from the small port town of Kotor to a metropolis of roughly 5.7m inhabitants was a big adventure for the then 22-year-old. “And I did not have a clue about shipping yet, either,” Giljaca says. “Luckily, there was an officer cadet sitting next to me in the plane who had already been on a voyage and who prepared me quite well", he recalls. The ‘MOL Golden Wattle’ sailed between Singapore, Malaysia, and Australia. “Adelaide, Melbourne, Perth – Australia is like a dream! The people are laid-back, friendly, and seem to live without stress. It’s a way of life we could all learn from.”

Despite his relaxed demeanor, Giljaca’s career was marked by ambition. “After a year at Mitsui, I applied to an Israeli shipping company. Friends warned me the recruitment process would be tough, but it went smoothly. I got a call while I was still on my way home, and within two weeks, I was aboard the ‘Zim Jamaica.’” He smiles as he recounts how, during his certification process, the officials mistakenly thought he was a first officer. “I answered everything correctly, and they handed me the certificate in disbelief, saying, ‘I thought you were just a third officer!’ So that’s the position I ended up in.” Soon after, he also applied to Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), and by 2007, he was working there. “My path to fast promotion started then. After just one voyage, I became second officer. Four voyages later, I was chief mate, and within six more, I was captain at 33.”

His first voyage as captain was a trial by fire. “We left the Port of Seattle en route to Oakland when the weather took a turn for the worse. I had been promoted onto a smaller ship, 5,600 TEU, and it did not have the stability I was used to from larger vessels. For a day and a half, we navigated through heavy seas, taking a zigzag course to avoid the swell coming from the coast. That was my real test.”

Giljaca spent 12 years at MSC, gaining valuable experience. “I learned everything a sailor needs to know,” he says. In 2019, while browsing online, he found a job posting with UASC (now part of Hapag-Lloyd). He applied and was called for an interview. At the time, he was at home, and, needing a quiet place, so he locked himself in his son’s bedroom. “The next day, I got an email for a second interview. I did not know what to expect. Then, in the second interview, I met Friedrich-Jan Akkermann from Hapag-Lloyd, who eased my nerves by saying, 'Don’t worry. If you see us, it means you’ve actually already made it.' It was much more relaxed after that. Of course, I had to introduce myself again, but everything was much more relaxed. ‘You got your license at a bar?’ Akkermann asked me with a grin. Bar is the name of the city where my certificate was issued – he was just kidding me.”

Now settled at Hapag-Lloyd, Giljaca has completed many assignments, also navigating the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, including delays with the "Umm Salal" during a six-month voyage. Despite the difficulties, he found ways to boost morale on board. “We started having barbecues again, which had not been done in a while. My parents run a grill restaurant back home, and I shared my burger recipe with our cook. Now, we barbecue at least once a month.”

When he is not on duty, Giljaca enjoys playing basketball with the crew or engaging in video games. He stays in shape with regular cardio workouts. What impresses him most about Hapag-Lloyd is the camaraderie. “There is a respect here, regardless of rank or nationality. Whether you are at sea or on land, everyone looks out for each other. For me, that is the most important thing – being there for my crew whenever they need me."