Henrik Sollie Klokk

This course is for you if you wish to pursue a highly international and multicultural career few, if no other industries can offer. Shipping accounts for 90-95% of total global trade, making it one of the most important industries in today’s society – driving financial markets, globalisation and development. If you want to contribute to an enhanced global trade, this is the right course for you.

It consists of a comprehensive collection of units, introducing you to most segments of this wide industry. From weather routing to financial analysis, you are provided with crucial knowledge from various aspects which you can build upon.

The University creates assignments similar to real industry situations and challenges, giving you a ‘hands-on’ experience within your studies, which definitely prepares you for a career within the maritime industry.

Along with studies, trying to get as much diverse industry insight as possible has been my top priority. One of my best Solent memories was our trip to Antwerp and Rotterdam, where we got to visit the immensely large port facilities which shows the importance of seaborne trade.

I also tried to figure out what a future employer would prefer from their candidates, and I figured that if I were the employer, I would look for people who showed more than just knowledge, but passion for the industry, although this might sound a little cliché.

This allowed me to complete four internships in three years, within various industry segments in countries such as Hong Kong, Cyprus, and Norway. These internships not only provided me with knowledge and insight, but my CV reflected that I was a young and eager student that illustrated great interest for the industry.

I do not believe I would have been called to interview at many of the companies I applied for if it was not for my internships, and extra-curricular activities at the University, such as the Solent Maritime Society. Now I am employed by one of the largest dry bulk and tanker owners in the world!

I work in the dry bulk department for a company called D/S NORDEN AS, located in Copenhagen. The company also operates tankers, resulting in a total fleet of about 270 ships. As a trainee, I will be rotated around the various departments within the company, and really learn how a shipping company is built from the inside.

The working days are quite hectic, full of knowledge and learning. You are given a lot of responsibility, which makes you a feel that the company really believes in you. It is a company with a great history and a formidable reputation, and being able to get a position there straight after graduation was beyond my expectations.