Frode: building an adventure

Frode, Business Developer & Plan Approval Surveyor at Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore (BV M&O) has been seeking out challenges since his childhood, and he’s not planning on slowing down.

You’re from Norway. With your country’s rich seafaring tradition and an economy largely based on the maritime sector, was a career in marine and offshore an obvious choice for you?

Shipbuilding has always been associated with adventure and exploration, and from that point of view, a career in maritime has always been appealing to me. Even before choosing my university studies, I was always eager to push my personal boundaries. Before university, I joined the Norwegian military, where I spent a year as a paratrooper. An experience like that made me realize that I really wanted to be at the forefront of something special. I’d always had a mind for engineering, so I enrolled at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU, where I earned a Master’s in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering.

What interested you initially about joining BV M&O?

Something my father had told me really stuck with me. He said that when choosing an employer, I should start at a smaller structure, where I could learn how everything works-from invoicing, to strategic decision-making. The Oslo subsidiary of BV M&O is a smaller-sized team, one that is backed by the larger organizations of both BV M&O and Bureau Veritas. So, we have the opportunities to both learn by doing here within our team, and gain knowledge from the wider BV community.

In 2022, you started as a Plan Approval Surveyor specializing on hull design. What does the job entail?

I’m charged with ensuring the integrity of a ship’s hull and making sure it complies with BV and industry rules. This starts at the design stage, where a ship designer provides 2D drawings of a ship hull they intend to build. I perform strength analysis calculations, using proprietary programs when necessary to check certain design aspects. I also need to make sure the integration between different elements is done properly from a detailed engineering standpoint. The best part of this job is getting to see a ship go from the initial design plans on paper to the actual construction. I’m particularly proud of my work surveying the salt ship design for a client’s fishing vessel. This was the first vessel that I principally worked on from original design stage. It’s a 73 meter-long, 16-meter-wide vessel that is going to be delivered very soon. I got to visit the shipyard while it was under construction. What a thrill to see the ship in its aluminum and steel glory!

Since January, you’ve been splitting your role between plan approval and business development. How did that come about?

During that shipyard visit and others, I realized how much I enjoy engaging with our clients, with my colleagues to get the chance to collaborate on a deeper level. Business development is a logical next step in my career. Our business is about people, the energy that is generated through working together. There’s a lot of work we can be doing in Norway right now, and I want to play a major part in involving BV M&O more in my country’s maritime sector.

You’re also very involved with organizations promoting the maritime sector to younger generations. As a young person within the sector, why is this important to you?

I relish the opportunity to meet other people my age within the industry, and bridge the gap between our generation and those who have been doing the work for decades.

I’ve been deeply involved in Young Ship, a professional non-profit organization of around 4,500 young people working within the global maritime industry. I’ve become a member of the Young Ship board and am Head of Marketing for the Oslo chapter. Through my involvement with Young Ship, BV M&O recently supported the organization’s ShipCon conference in Denmark.

I also do outreach for NTNU students considering marine and offshore careers. I recently gave a talk on campus about my work at BV M&O, and I brought a delegation of 90 students on a visit of Turkish shipyards. A field visit like this gives students a firsthand look at modern shipbuilding operations, and it’s also an opportunity for shipbuilders to meet tomorrow’s workforce.

How do you find the time for all your various activities?

I do need to be mindful of how I manage my time. Fortunately, I can rely on a great team at BV M&O. Being surrounded by experienced and supportive colleagues makes it easier to stay focused and keep moving forward. BV M&O also provides a strong platform for growth. The learning culture here encourages me to develop my skills, take initiative, and progress in my career. This is fully aligned with Bureau Veritas’ LEAP I 28 strategy, which puts people at the heart of our ambitions - developing strategic skills, enhancing employee experience, and supporting career growth. This focus on empowering people is what enables us to perform and grow collectively.