Jasher Dranto (left) and Kent Dagle (right) As electricians, they are responsible for ensuring the smooth functioning of the refrigerated containers.
Bananas from Brazil? Meat from Argentina? Medicines from India? Without the refrigerated containers – known as “reefers” – that circumnavigate the world, none of these products would survive the journey by ship. Thanks to electricians like Kent Dagle and Jasher Dranto, the sensitive cargo arrives at its destination fresh and undamaged. A brief visit to the “Guayaquil Express” as it sailed from Hamburg to Antwerp.
It is 4 p.m. in the mess room of the “Guayaquil Express,” which is somewhere in the North Sea off the coast of East Frisian. The emergency drill for a potential fire alarm, which is mandatory after a major crew change, has just been completed. While their designated colleagues tidy up the hoses, masks and equipment, Kent Dagle and Jasher Dranto take a moment for an interview – but preferably a brief one. They are eager to get going to write their daily report, as they can only go to dinner and enjoy their evening off once that has been done.
As electricians on board the “Guayaquil Express,” Dagle and Dranto are responsible for ensuring the smooth functioning of the refrigerated containers. The 333-meter-long container ship can transport 10,593 TEU, including 2,100 TEU of reefers. At present, 1,500 of them are loaded on board. During the voyage to South America and back, their number will change in the ports, depending on what is loaded and discharged. Monitoring the temperature and humidity as well as ensuring that the power supply remains uninterrupted requires concentration and expertise. Checking on over a thousand huge “refrigerators” every day – what a job!
Intense monitoring and the first time on board
“We keep track of everything with REFCON, a computer monitoring system,” Dagle explains, adding that the system records all data and the status of the reefers, and that the information can be accessed both on computers in the office and via an app on mobile devices. “Each container is individually configured depending on its specific contents,” he continues. “For example, meat, bananas and medicines require very different temperatures: Frozen meat is stored at minus 18 to minus 25 degrees Celsius, and bananas are stored at plus 13 to 14 degrees Celsius to keep them from ripening to quickly or suffering cold damage. And medications are subject to particularly strict regulations.”
Whether on deck or in the hull of the ship, Jasher Dranto (above) and Kent Dagle (below) personally inspect every reefer.
Like his colleague Dranto, Dagle is on his very first assignment on board. He comes from Ragay, a coastal town about 300 kilometers east of Manila on the Philippine island of Luzon, right on Ragay Gulf. The region is known for rice cultivation and its diving areas. “I had been working as an electrician in a rice mill until I saw an advertisement on Facebook for United Marine Training Centers (UMTC) in Manila,” the 26-year-old says. His father works as a cook on cruise ships, and his brother is also a seafarer. “From their stories, I had an idea of what life is like on board,” he says. “But it’s still different when you go to sea for the first time yourself.” He says that all the new people, the packed daily routine and putting his knowledge into practice can be challenging. “In Manila, we had three months of training at the Manila Maritime Center,” he continues. “The electronics, the whole process – it’s nothing like my work was at the rice mill. Of course, I also maintained and repaired electrical systems in my last job.”
“But being here on board in the cross bays, checking container after container, and knowing that I am responsible for fruit, medicines and much more in the middle of the ocean – I find that pretty exciting.”
Dranto, who comes from Bayawan on the Philippine island of Negros, feels the same way. This is his first time on board, too, and he also found his way into seafaring via Facebook. “I had mixed feelings at first,” the 28-year-old admits. “I was excited and curious, but I was also a bit anxious because I was worried about what lay ahead. But being on board now is an interesting experience. And, to be honest, the pay also plays a role. The salary is almost three times higher than for a comparable job back home – so I can support my family.” His fiancée, Faith, finds it hard to let him go for so long, he adds, “but she’s happy for me and proud that I’m working on my career at sea.”
Digitally assisted – but double-checking in person
Dagle describes his daily routine as follows: “The early shift runs for four hours, from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. After a quick breakfast, I head to the ship’s office to check the situation on the computer to see if there have been any alerts, temperature deviations or malfunctions. We classify them as either major or minor warning signals, and then we check the containers accordingly.” To which Dranto adds: “Of course, we have all the data available electronically via the app, but we don’t rely on that. After loading, we thoroughly check every container, every cable and every plug with our own eyes.” A break in the cold chain can be costly.
“With us, everything stays cool!”
Dranto says with a laugh.
After lunch, the second round begins. “And depending on what’s needed, we also tend to the rest of the electrical systems on board,” Dranto says. “Lighting, navigation electronics, pumps – there’s always something to do.” At around 4:30 p.m., the electricians write their daily closing report and discuss any issues among themselves, such as if any spare parts need to be ordered or if they need to do anything somewhere else. “At 5:30 p.m., we eat dinner,” Dranto notes. “And then we get to rest and relax. But when an alarm goes off at night, we are ready.”
Leisure time, strawberries and chocolate
Both of the electricians think the free-time offerings on board are great. “In the recreation room, we have table football, a TV, a karaoke machine and musical instruments,” Dranto says. To which Dagle adds: “Or we play a round of basketball. The court below deck is something special.” When asked if they ever get homesick, Dranto says: “Thanks to WhatsApp and email, we’re actually in constant contact with our families, which must have been really hard to do in the past. But I’ll admit that, after spending so much time on the ship, I am really looking forward to being home again. Spending time with my family... that’s the best!” And what would the two of them bring home with them in a refrigerated container? “Definitely strawberries and chocolate,” Dagle replies without hesitation. Nodding and laughing, Dranto says, “Me, too!”
What are Dagle and Dranto doing today?
Jasher Dranto is currently on board the “Ludwigshafen Express”. After this voyage, a big event is coming up: “Faith and I are getting married!” he happily notes. Kent Dagle is sailing on the “Hongkong Express”. Both electricians want to gain more experience and advance their careers – and now they've already taken the first steps toward achieving this goal.
Photos by: Thies Rätzke Images
Text by: Ulrike Fischer
Discover more of our Logbook stories
“A Clean Ship is a Happy Ship”
How grooming technology is literally shaving emissions off Hapag-Lloyd’s fleet – keeping it clean and green.
Holding Course
Through detours, delays, and determination - Captain Robert Fronczak's path to new horizons and solid ground.
You Can’t Bargain with the Sea
How Captain Henning Dost is guiding the “Hamburg Express” through storms and drills.
A Quest for Quality
Join Luise Jacobs and Pia Dabelstein by unveiling the secret of quality and technology at Hapag-Lloyd.
A Team Stronger than Steel
On an island in the Korean Strait, a skilled international team built a new generation of gigantic container ships.
Marvels of Engineering
Step aboard one of our new Hamburg Express Class vessels and experience a new standard at sea.
Underway
From rickshaws to regional trains—these stories show how our colleagues around the world make their way to work, one commute at a time.
On Art and the Algorithm of Happiness
Following the unique route of Ijeoma Nwoke from Lagos, via Aberdeen to Hapag-Lloyd in Hamburg.