Captain Sebastian Fuchs
The latest and final newbuilding in the Hamburg Express class has been successfully launched in 2025. Captain Sebastian Fuchs safely brought the “Wilhelmshaven Express” from South Korea to Germany at the end of August. Here he talks about his time in the shipyard, the crossing and how to keep yourself entertained on board.
Off to Wilhelmshaven! The port city on the Jade Bight is only 156 years old and has a population of just under 76,000 – so life here is fairly tranquil. In 2012, Wilhelmshaven came into the global spotlight with the opening of JadeWeserPort, Germany’s only deep-water port, which enables giant container ships like the “Wilhelmshaven Express” to dock regardless of the tide. And since the launch of the Gemini Cooperation, a new ocean freight network co-founded by Hapag-Lloyd in 2025, the port has become one of Europe’s main destinations for large vessels.
In the port of destination: The last of its kind for now
Sebastian Fuchs, who has been a captain at Hapag-Lloyd for 15 years, is proud to have brought the “Wilhelmshaven Express” safely to its port of destination. “We set sail from Korea on June 5, arrived in Wilhelmshaven on July 22, and will be heading to Bremerhaven in the next few days, where I will finally be able to hug my two daughters – I’m really looking forward to it!” the 48-year-old says.
Behind him lie not only a six-week crossing, but also two and a half months in the shipyard, where he oversaw the delivery of the last of Hapag-Lloyd’s 12 new dual-fuel ships. “The steel construction and keel-laying had already been completed when I arrived,” he says. “I was on site together with the chief engineer, the second engineer, and the electrical engineer, and was responsible for the acceptance and commissioning.”
Now I'm really looking forward to hugging my two daughters
There’s a precise plan, and everything is thoroughly tested
Moving into a house made of steel
Fuchs’ work at the shipyard had little to do with the usual tasks of a captain, but the experienced eye of a practitioner is indispensable when it comes to building a ship. “You check what the workers are doing, and you document what has been done and how, what still needs to be done, and what could be optimized for daily operations,” he says. “In addition to overseeing the construction, my job was to ensure that everything we needed for the maiden voyage was on board, including all the ship’s equipment – from blankets to teaspoons, from provisions to paper clips.”
The eight-day sea trials were exciting, Fuchs says, adding: “There’s a precise plan, and everything is thoroughly tested. And then there are those moments when you are impatient and think: ‘When can I finally just have my ship?’”
The rest of the crew came on board just under two weeks before the ship entered into service.
“It’s like moving into a huge new house, as there’s lots of tinkering, painting and repairing going on right up to the last minute.”
At the same time, the crew is settling in, the cook is unpacking plates and pots, and the bosun is unpacking rope and paint. It’s a hive of activity with countless people on board. And, as captain, you are standing there in the midst of it all, wondering: ‘Will we manage to get everything done in time?’” Fuchs also says there weren’t any big surprises or incidents, adding: “With the ‘Wilhelmshaven Express,’ we benefited from the experience gained with the first 11 ships, which made a lot of things easier.”
Okpo, a small town on the Korean island of Geoje dominated by the shipbuilding industry, was uncharted territory for the captain. “The Hanwha Ocean shipyard is the main employer there, with over 50,000 employees,” he says. “Many shipping companies have their ships built in Okpo, and there are plenty of apartments and hotels in the town. It took me less than 10 minutes to walk to our office, where we held our daily morning meetings. After that, I would get on my bike and cycle three kilometers to the shipyard where our ship was being built.”
20,000 kilometers across the sea
The departure of the “Wilhelmshaven Express” in Korea was quite eventful. “On June 5, I was still painting in the morning. At 2 p.m., the official handover took place in the presence of representatives of the shipping company from Hamburg. And, 26 hours later, we were already entering the Port of Ningbo,” Fuchs says, adding that it was “a real challenge.”
Personally, he immediately felt at home on the brand-new ship. “I was just waiting for the plastic covers in my cabin to finally come off,” he recalls. “I chose the plants, lamps, radio and TV myself – and I even had my guitar on board.” He admits, however, that he did have to get used to the size of the ship, saying: “The dimensions – but, above all, the enormous bulk – of the ship require a deft touch and very forward-thinking maneuvering.”
Fuchs and his crew passed through the ports of Shanghai and Tanjung Pelepas in Malaysia without any complications before setting course for Europe. “Only the teaspoons and knives were nowhere to be found, for reasons unknown,” he says. “Shortly before putting to sea, I went to the supermarket again with our cook. And since we were already there, we also bought a few frying pans and spices. Then we sailed for three and a half weeks straight before arriving in Tangier, Morocco.”
The voyage was a bit over 10,800 nautical miles – or some 20,000 kilometers. When asked if being at sea for so long gets boring, Fuchs shakes his head and says: “We have plenty of work to do. But, of course, you do need to be able to keep yourself busy at sea, which suits my nature rather well. On top of that, we naturally had barbecue parties. And I have also made sure that we have on board musical instruments and a karaoke machine for the Filipino crew members as well as equipment for the gym.”
When it comes to keeping his own spirits up, Fuchs only has to look out the window:
“What always makes me happy is looking out on the horizon, this incredible vastness. It’s a feeling of freedom that can’t be compared to anything else.”
In the end: profound satisfaction
On the long voyage, the weather was favorable, too. “Off the Cape of Good Hope, we had really good weather between two low-pressure systems and never experienced swells higher than four meters,” Fuchs says.
What Captain Fuchs takes home with him from his nearly five-month assignment is not only the excited anticipation of seeing his daughters and the planned family vacation on the Danish island of Bornholm, but also the deep satisfaction of having brought “his” “Wilhelmshaven Express” safely to Europe. “We brought a piece of steel to life,” he says.
We brought a piece of steel to life.
Photos by: Thies Rätzke Images
Text by: Ulrike Fischer