Good communication is the basis for mutual trust. I have to be able to trust that people will ask me questions if they encounter an issue. And they have to be able to trust that I will respond properly to their questions. NINA helps with this. Because if you bring something up, you are not personally held responsible for it. NINA functions as a mascot, to whom you can attribute your words. There is a reason that the cardboard cut-out of NINA comes along to every meeting; it makes it easier to raise issues.

For me, NINA also means ‘fi t for duty’. In early 2016, we were surprised by foul weather in the German Bight: freak waves lashed the windows of the crew quarters, causing a lot of damage. Now, we pay closer attention to the weather forecast and there is less chance of that kind of surprises. The advantage is that you are better rested, because you sleep better. And that is important. If something stands out on my screen, I go to the bridge: is that right? Then it cannot be the case that I am tired or seasick, because then I would miss things. We cannot forget that the right choices have to be made on ships and projects; after all, that is where the money is earned! That is why ‘fi t for duty’ is important for safety and for doing the work."