„I want to be a captain – that and nothing else“ – Interview with Captain Michael Kowitz

Hello Captain Kowitz, the “Berlin Express” was successfully christened on 2. October 2023. What have been the biggest challenges for you in recent months? 

The first voyage with a newbuild is a challenging task every time. This time our trip was to Singapore, where the entrance and exit to and from the harbour is very difficult to navigate. There is a lot of ship traffic, rocks, and a dangerous undercurrent. That demands an incredible amount of concentration. But that's exactly what defines my job. And it’s a good feeling every time it's accomplished. At the end of the day, it's all about getting the new ship, my crew, and our cargo safely to the next port.

A small personal challenge for me was also the preparation of the welcoming speech that I address to the ship's godmother, Mrs. Büdenbender. For example, I wondered how to address her. At another christening, I was told to simply address the godmother informally. But with the wife of German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, that seems inappropriate to me. I worry about such things because I am generally not a man of many words.

The “Berlin Express” is not your first christening. Is there a ship that has a special meaning for you as captain?

I have already seen many christenings and accompanied a total of four and a half ships in their “becoming” – I only half count the “Brussels Express” since she was “merely” converted. Each of these ships is special. I am also very proud to have now sent the “Berlin Express” on its way with my crew.

But the ship that I have probably grown most fond of is the “Kuala Lumpur Express”. I took over and christened her at the shipyard back then. Several Mercedes-Benz limousines had to be organized for the christening party, which was no easy task in South Korea. But we managed it, and I put the training ship into service afterwards and sailed on it for five years. I felt almost at home on board.

Was captain always your dream job?

Today I can say with absolute clarity: I want to be a captain – that and nothing else. In the past, I wouldn’t have dared to say that so bluntly. Now it's a matter of course for me. But it was clear to me early on that I wanted to be at sea in general. I am someone who likes to follow tradition. My grandfather went to sea, then my father, and now me. So in 1992, I marched into Ballindamm with my finished degree certificate in hand and applied to Hapag-Lloyd in person. Two weeks later I went to sea on the “Hannover Express”.

A classic office job is simply not for me. I notice that, for example, when I take on shipyard supervision from time to time, like here on the “Berlin Express”. I have a regular working day from 9 am to 5 pm. But I can't stand it for more than a few weeks. During the construction, however, there was a bit of a change this time with the visit of the German television team from NDR. The staff happened to see our ships lying in the shipyard while filming on location and got permission to film the “Berlin Express” for a day. I had to ride my bicycle around the shipyard six times so they could capture different perspectives.

What is it like for you to go ashore again after many months at sea?

It’s not that easy. For example, I always tell my wife not to drive so fast when she picks me up after my time at sea. When she drives through the harbour at 40 km/h, it seems crazy fast to me – after all, that’s 20 knots! The traffic signs just fly by. Every time, I have to get used to that and to also all the green. The colour green is rare in seafaring, so I can’t get enough of it on land.

Going to the supermarket is also difficult. I'm just not used to all those people. Besides, I always have the complex logistics behind every single product in my mind. For example, it bothers me when countless people touch grapes or an avocado and put them back again. After all, so many people in the long supply chain have made sure that they stay at the right temperature and arrive intact at the supermarket, where they are then offered fresh and immediately are squeezed by customers. You first have to realise how much effort is involved and what a long journey this fruit has had. This is also where sustainable thinking begins.

How do people around you react to your career choice?

There are people around me on land who have little to do with seafaring. Actually, there are only three questions that I get asked regularly by acquaintances or neighbours when I go ashore: “How long are you staying at home?”, “Have you seen dolphins?”, and “Have you sailed through pirate territory?”. When we were new in the neighbourhood, I'm sure the residents also wondered what I was doing all day and whether I had a decent job, since I was home for weeks at a time.

But my family is supporting me wholeheartedly. Without them, nothing would work. Sometimes my wife even cries when we say goodbye before I go out to sea. My two sons, by the way, are drawn to the wide world, just like me, even though they have chosen a different element: one is going to be a pilot, and the other is studying aerospace engineering.

About Michael Kowitz

Michael Kowitz has been a captain for Hapag-Lloyd for 18 years. He describes himself as an ambassador and link between land and sea. He started his career in 1988 with Deutsche See Reederei (DSR) in Rostock. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, he continued his seafaring career in western Germany. He then took further training as a ship's mechanic, gained his first experience at sea and finally applied to Hapag-Lloyd. After two journeys to East Asia, he then decided to study marine engineering. With his degree in hand, he took up a position as ship's operations officer at Hapag-Lloyd. He was then promoted to captain in 2005.