On 14 July, Anglo-Eastern held its first official Safety Day, bringing together seafarers and shore-based colleagues around the world for a day of meaningful dialogue and reflection. It was a powerful reminder that safety is not just a metric to be measured – it is a value to be lived and breathed by every member of the Anglo-Eastern family.
A key highlight of the day was a global webinar attended by over 680 participants, focused on bridging the gap between how work is planned and how it is actually carried out, reinforcing the importance of clarity, adaptability, and accountability across our operations.
The webinar began with an opening message from CEO Bjorn Hojgaard, who shared a personal story that highlighted the value of open communication and teamwork. Afterwards, a short video captured heartfelt insights from colleagues across our fleet and offices, offering an honest look at what safety means in our day-to-day work.
Building on these reflections, the webinar featured three panel discussions that delved deeper into the realities of safety at sea and ashore. Each panel explored a different dimension of safety, offering perspectives from both leadership and frontline colleagues.
The first panel, ‘Work as Imagined’, moderated by Torbjorn Dimblad (CIO), explored how safety procedures are designed and the assumptions behind them. Panellists Amit Nauhwar (Group Head of Health and Safety), Deepak Gupta (Director, Marine HR), and Lekshmi Salvady (Managing Director), stressed the need for systems that reflect real-world conditions and empower seafarers to raise concerns and improve processes.
The second panel, ‘Work as Done’, moderated by Aalok Sharma (Group Director Training), featured Abhishek Rai (Operations Director), Sanjeev Puthalath Checkoora (Senior Vessel Manager), and Captain Danish Joseph (Master Mariner and AEMA alumnus). The discussion focused on balancing regulatory compliance with commercial objectives, and the challenges of making timely decisions in dynamic, often unpredictable environments.
The final panel, ‘Zero Tolerance Zones’, reinforced Anglo-Eastern’s firm stance on five critical safety areas: Drug & Alcohol Policy, Enclosed Space Entry, MARPOL Compliance, Smoking Regulation, and Hot Work Procedures. Moderated by Ashish Malik, the panel included Carsten Ostenfeldt (COO), Vinay Singh (Group Managing Director, Marine HR), and Vikrant Malhotra (Group Managing Director, QHSE). Together, they provided a refresh of the rationale behind these non-negotiable safety standards and the systems in place to support accountability and reporting.
Another feature activity on the day was the launch of a multitude of Safety Commitment Walls, that sprung up across our fleet and our shore offices. This platform invited seafarers and shore colleagues to make personal pledges toward building a safer workplace, beginning with the words “I commit.” This initiative underscores our dedication to moving beyond a culture of compliance to fostering a culture of safety commitment.
The Safety Day served as a valuable platform for open discussions and practical insights into safety practices throughout Anglo-Eastern. The ideas shared and commitments made will support our ongoing commitment to strengthen safety at sea and ashore. At the end, a safety culture grows from the way we think, act, and approach each task.
