Peter Richter: Former Shipping Clerk – A Report on Coastal Voyage on Board the Al Zubara
As part of my apprenticeship, I had the special opportunity to take part in a coastal voyage on board the Al Zubara. The goal was not only to gain a better understanding of the processes on board, but also to experience first-hand how the theoretical knowledge from training is applied in practice.
This journey was particularly special to me in several ways. I had just completed my seven-week international assignment in Rotterdam and, instead of flying home as usual, I was able to return by ship together with my fellow apprentice Jarne Wenzel.
On April 8, 2025, the time had finally come. At 1:00 p.m., we were picked up from the Hapag-Lloyd office in Rotterdam and driven to the ship together with several crew members who had previously been in the city. After a short stop at the port authorities, we finally stood in front of the Al Zubara, one of the largest container ships in the world.
With a length of approximately 400 meters and a nominal capacity of 19,892 TEU, the vessel can theoretically transport almost 20,000 standard containers under ideal conditions. To put this into perspective: if all these containers were stacked on top of each other, the height would equal almost six times Mount Everest.
Once on board, we were warmly welcomed by the First Officer. Afterwards, we moved into our cabins and later had dinner together in the officers’ mess. After dinner, we went to the bridge, where the Captain personally welcomed us. He gave us a detailed introduction and explained the procedures for the nighttime departure.
After speaking with additional crew members and taking a short tour of the ship’s most important areas, I took a short power nap, as the pilot was scheduled to board at 2:00 a.m. and we would then depart with Hamburg as our destination.
The next morning started with breakfast together in the officers’ mess overlooking the North Sea. Afterwards, I went to the bridge, where various systems and procedures were explained to me in detail while we were underway.
Later, Jarne and I received a comprehensive ship tour from Jamie, a nautical apprentice. We also gained exciting insights into the engine room, as the Technical Officer took the time to explain the machinery to us in detail. Seeing these enormous machines in operation was especially impressive to me.
In the afternoon, we were allowed to join an inspection round and helped update the safety plan. I also found it particularly great that the Captain and the officers once again took a lot of time afterwards to answer all our questions about the ship and everyday life on board.
I ended the evening together with several crew members on the bridge.
The following morning, we approached Hamburg. In order to keep our berthing window, I was even allowed to accelerate the ship under the Captain’s supervision - an incredible moment.
Shortly afterwards, the first of a total of three pilots boarded the ship, all of whom were required for entering the Port of Hamburg. I found it especially fascinating to watch the pilots board and leave the vessel during the voyage via a pilot ladder along the ship’s side.
Around four hours after passing Cuxhaven, we were finally welcomed by tugboats in Hamburg. They assisted us during the berthing maneuver in the harbor basin. Coincidentally, the Hanoi Express, another Hapag-Lloyd vessel and part of the Hamburg Express class - Hapag-Lloyd’s most modern class of ships - was berthed in the same harbor basin.
With an impressive view of the city, we finally arrived alongside. After this special experience, Jarne and I sincerely thanked the crew for their hospitality and said our goodbyes before leaving the vessel.
For me, the coastal voyage was far more than simply a return journey to Hamburg. It gave me the opportunity to experience in reality what I had previously only learned in theory and to observe the processes on board up close. This experience repeatedly helped me afterwards, including during vocational school.
Personally, this voyage further strengthened my interest in shipping and confirmed my decision to pursue this apprenticeship. I would highly recommend this experience to anyone.
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Peter has finished his apprenticeship as a shipping clerk and now works as a Projects and Transformation Manager for Global Container Flow Planning & Steering.