Bryson Bogo Sales – at the interface between bridge and engine room

Nine months at sea, three months at home. That was the old rule of thumb – and one that Bosun Bryson Bogo Sales was happy to say goodbye to. Since he has been working for Hapag-Lloyd with a new contract, he gets two additional months with his family. Of course, to this day, he hasn’t regretted a single day on board, saying “I just love what I do!” But his family still means everything to him. “In the 1990s, it was really hard being apart for so long,” says the amiable Filipino. “But today, thanks to Wi-Fi and smartphones, I can talk to my sons at home every day and even see them.” His home is the island of Bohol, which is famous not only for its fantastic beaches, coral reefs and crystal clear waters, but also for the grassy Chocolate Hills. These 1,700 cone-shaped hills, which are a distinctive feature of Bohol’s landscape, got their name because they look like giant chocolate kisses when dry. Back in cold Hamburg, at least the sun is shining during the interview.

Sales, like so many of his colleagues, has always wanted to go to sea. “I would have liked to become an officer, too,” he says. "But I didn’t pass the exam at the time, so I started as a seaman.” He expresses this without any sadness – and that’s probably also because he is so appreciated by his colleagues for his vast experience and level-headedness. “He looks after the young deckmen and seamen like a father,” interjects Captain Ehab, who has just passed by the office and picked up the last bits of what we were saying. Sales waves this compliment off almost shyly, adding: “I’m just the interface between the bridge and the engine room. In the morning, I report to the chief mate what the situation is and what needs to be done. And then I go back to my crew with our tasks.” Maintenance work, minor and major repairs, cleaning, painting – all of this is essential on board and must be well organised. “Even the smallest mistake can have incredible consequences,” Sales explains. “That’s why I keep a very close eye on my people, but I also help them to get better so they are safer.”