Therese Boman: “I always knew I wanted to become a captain.”
Swedish family-owned transport firm Furetank has appointed Therese Boman as its first feminine captain. Her first project is on the 2021-built Fure Vinga, one of many vessels within the firm’s sequence of ultragreen LNG dual-fuel 17,999 dwt merchandise tankers.
“We congratulate a competent and ambitious employee, Therese Boman, on taking the next step in her career and becoming a captain at Fure Vinga. Giving our employees the opportunity to develop their skills and follow their aspirations is a core value at Furetank,” says the corporate. “Therese Boman started off as a chief officer when she came to Furetank two years ago. All the way from graduating school and joining her first ship as a junior officer, she has striven to grow the experience, knowledge and time at sea needed to reach the highest position on a ship.”
“I always knew I wanted to become a captain,” says Boman. “Since I started at Furetank, the management has continuously trusted me to step by step take on more responsibility. I enjoy being involved in all happenings onboard, talking to everyone in the crew and finding solutions together for whatever dilemmas might appear. As a captain you are constantly learning, since no situation on is the same as a previous one.”
“Also,” she provides, “it is great fun to maneuver the vessel!”
Her first mission as a captain was leaving the jetty in Amsterdam, passing by way of the lock and heading in the direction of Grangemouth, Scotland.
“It was a great feeling. Everyone onboard is so supporting and happy for me, as well as the shore personnel. I have received many emails saying ’Congratulations!’ I find that the management has a very positive and inspiring attitude towards employees who want to develop. I truly appreciate that,” she says.
As to turning into the primary feminine captain within the firm, she says she doesn’t connect a lot significance to gender however nonetheless sees a constructive pattern within the enterprise.
“Shipping has traditionally been a strongly male profession, so it is a great thing that more and more women are making their way here,” she says. “And the more females there are in the industry, the more want to join. This is positive for everyone onboard: a mix is always the best.”
What is her subsequent objective?
“I will continue to gain as much experience as possible,” she says. “Furetank is building nine new vessels of the Vinga design in China and if I get enough experience, I might be able to bring home one of the ships as a captain. That could be my next goal. But for now I just want to keep going.”
