Arne joined UPTIME in May this year and we recently had a conversation with him to explore his background and get to know him better.
With a strong background from DNV and a deep passion for health, safety, environment, and quality management, he is ready to lead our efforts in these vital areas. We are excited to have him on board to drive our initiatives forward!
What inspired you to pursue a career in HSEQ and sustainability, and how did your journey lead you to UPTIME?
Having worked worldwide for several years in shipping, facing gradually higher HSEQ requirements supported by increasingly higher customer expectations mainly from oil and gas customers, I got inspired to learn more about the topics. After my career as master mariner onboard offshore and cruise ships, I further developed my skills as HSE responsible in the Norwegian coastal administration. I was also happy when I got the opportunity to join DNV in 2008, as it gave me a chance to deep dive into HSEQ and sustainability. My interest in these matters developed into a passion and during the 16 years working for DNV, I specialised further in HSEQ and sustainability topics.
I had followed Uptime for several years through media, postings and a few occasional DNV assignments, and I was impressed of by the company achievements developing into a global leader in safe motion compensated logistics solutions. When the opportunity to join Uptime came, I was delighted of the possibility to join the dedicated and skilled team.
HSEQ and during the more recent years sustainability, has been a red thread through my entire work career, and combined with my passion and educational background, I will make my outmost for the continued shared success of Uptime.
What innovative practices or technologies in HSEQ and sustainability are you most excited to work with in UPTIME?
I have a strong belief that machine learning and AI will play a significantly bigger role in the future in several aspects of our work and lives, including also within HSEQ and Sustainability. In one of my masters thesis’s I completed some time ago, I took a deep dive into machine learning and AI as an optimisation enabler for ship management companies and ships. This gave me a deeper insight into the technology, and I learned how powerful AI can be by far surpassing the capabilities of the human brain. Uptime introduced AI capabilities in W2W already in 2020, and the development continues. The introduction of machine learning and AI can be compared to the industrial revolution, and I am thrilled to take part in this transformation.
We will benefit from machine learning and AI within HSEQ and Sustainability for example to analyse vast amounts of historical data to identify patterns and trends that contribute to avoiding accidents. This allows for more accurate risk assessments and targeted safety interventions. AI can also analyse data from sensors to predict breakdown and potential safety hazards before they occur. This may in turn allow for preventive maintenance and reduce the risk of accidents.
AI can analyse complex environmental data sets to identify areas for improvement in resource use, waste reduction and energy efficiency. This allows for data-driven decision making for a more sustainable future. Machine learning can further predict environmental impacts of new projects or changes in operations. This allows for proactive measures to minimize negative impacts and optimize sustainability goals.
These are just examples of how I see new technology will impact the future, and I am looking forward to implementing more AI also within HSEQ and Sustainability.
How do you envision the future of sustainability, and what role will UPTIME play in shaping that future?
Going forward I see the focus, expectations and requirements for sustainability will grow stronger, I envision Uptime will play a significant role in the future strengthening its position as a global leader in developing safe motion compensated logistics solutions.
Climate change is arguably a global megatrend and energy transition is high on the agenda. DNV estimates about 270 GW of floating offshore wind will be installed globally in the next 30 years, requiring around 18,000 turbines. We will see more and more energy coming from renewable floating offshore wind production, and Uptime’s logistic solution enabling access for installation and service is key for making this transition to renewable energy possible in a safe, efficient and cost-effective way. This supports the UN Sustainable development goal 7 “Affordable and clean energy”.
In order to have a sustainable future development, responsible consumption is a key factor. Our logistical solution is made from renewable materials which supports UN Sustainable development goal 12 “Responsible consumption and production”. Aluminium is truly a sustainable material which can be endlessly recycled without loss of quality or performance, and it requires only a fraction of the energy needed to produce new aluminium from scratch. Recycling and reuse are key principles of a circular economy, and our option to offer rental of logistical solutions also aligns perfectly with reuse.
By facilitating production of offshore renewable energy, Uptime will also contribute to reducing reliance of fossil fuels hence mitigating ocean acidification and pollution caused by traditional energy sources. During our manufacturing process and supply chain, we will protect the environment by responsibly handle waste and ensure the ocean is kept free from waste. This supports also the UN Sustainable development goal 7 “Life below water”.
Sustainability must be in our backbone through all our processes, and Uptime will play an important role in the future of sustainability.
Can you tell us about a personal experience that deeply influenced your approach to sustainability?
One experience that comes to my mind is when travelling through the Americas several years ago, I passed by a car workshop where I noticed how the mechanic was changing motor oil on the car. He moved the car over the rain gutter by the street outside his workshop, opened the oil plug at the bottom of the engine and let the used motor oil flow directly into the rainwater collection system. I was very surprised and asked what he was doing, but then he got annoyed replying that he always did it like this and also his father that had owned the car workshop before him, always did it like that.
What unique perspectives do you bring from your previous roles that you believe will benefit UPTIME`s HSEQ and sustainability efforts?
My 16 years of experience as lead auditor in DNV has provided me with have deeper knowledge of management systems matters both from a theoretical perspective and from a practical perspective. The DNV competence schemes combined with the continuously ongoing competence development programmes including numerous workshops, seminars and experience exchanges provides a robust theoretical perspective. In addition, I have completed numerous projects within various organizations and contexts, and I believe some of the best practice knowledge gained from these can also be helpful when improving and developing our Uptime integrated management system – IMS. I also believe my knowledge about the requirements, intentions, interpretations and certification according to the ISO standards, other standards and regulations, enables me to share advice on how to move forward.
In my previous role, sustainability was also a major topic for several years across all the business areas and when the requirements started to enter into force, it also became a bigger topic at every project. The various organizations took several different approaches to their sustainability reporting, as the requirements were quite vague. Being presented with different approaches from company to company, it enables me to evaluate different possibilities and suggest solutions that are both efficient and fit for the purpose.
I will be happy to continue sharing my perspectives at every opportunity, and together we will continuously improve our IMS, our processes and ensure sustainability.
How do you foster a culture of safety and environmental responsibility within a team?
I am happy to experience that safety and environmental responsibility is already deeply rooted in the Uptime culture. I think it is important that we always remind ourselves that our product ultimately affects the safety of personnel moving between the ship and the unit it operates. Every part and detail of the logistical solution we provide plays an important role ensuring the safety of personnel and the reliability of our product. We never compromise on safety and although each different discipline in the Uptime team has a particular attention to the area belonging to their responsibility, we should never forget that the safety of the end-user relies on our product. Hence, we should continue to put safety and environmental responsibility at the top of the agenda, by prioritizing it and use every opportunity to discuss these topics, participate in training and following our procedures it will continue to shape our culture. It is also important that we have a common set direction for everything we do, and our mission, vision, values and objectives set the direction for Uptime International moving forward. Returning to these, embracing them and ensure everybody understands them will also continue to shape our culture.
Through our different forums such as AMU, safety representatives’ meetings, department meetings and other internal forums everybody have a chance to influence their workplace. What we chose to focus on, shapes our culture and by keeping our priorities on safety and environmental responsibilities it will have an impact. We also have our system in DROPS for reporting non-conformities or opportunities for improvement and I encourage all to engage in safety- and environmental matters and provide input for improvements. Everybody should know that all reports are welcome, they are handled seriously and considered valuable for improvements. Prioritizing this and seeking improvements through engagement also helps to shape our culture.
Our management system DROPS IMS also mirrors our safety- and environmental policy. It is being continuously improved and by implementing and developing it further, the system will continue to guide us and ensure our safety and environmental responsibility is robust through all our processes. Using the IMS shapes our culture in this way and helps us to controls the risks and opportunities related to our activities.
After I started in May we were invited to participate in first-aid course, the industrial safety team train regularly for different emergency scenarios, and several drills and exercises are planned for the rest of this year. This also indicate our commitment to safety and environmental responsibility which helps to shape our culture and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.
I believe that consistent focus on safety and environmental responsibility over time, together with open communication and a supportive- and engaging work environment will foster a good culture everybody will be proud of.
What advice would you give to young professionals interested in pursuing a career in HSEQ and sustainability?
Interest and passion for the topic, combined with operational experience and a robust educational background are enablers for growth and success within the field.
Interest and passion will inspire the motivation for learning and growth, and as the topic is a continuous learning journey. You learn something every day, and to comprehend the learning you will need an interest and passion for the topic.
Operational experience can facilitate a deeper understanding and organizational knowledge, which will significantly influence how you perceive the challenges and are able to support the organization. During a normal workday you may interact with a wide variety of disciplines and stakeholders, such as suppliers, customers, various disciplines within your own organization. The perspectives, considerations, contexts and incentives may vary greatly between stakeholders, and experience may provide you with insight to facilitate improvements supporting all considerations.
Education and training may enable understanding and insight into the underlying fundamentals and principles within HSEQ and Sustainability. This will be very valuable when providing support to the organization and making decisions.
How do you stay motivated and inspired in your role, especially when facing significant challenges?
First and foremost, I find it very inspiring and motivating to be a part of the great team here at Uptime. I am grateful for the very warm welcome I got when I started, and as I gradually get to know people better here it strikes me that the team spirit is outstanding. Everybody tries to support each other, and this is a big motivation. I love to work with people, and in my role, I get the chance to work with dedicated and skilled colleagues across all disciplines. This brings along great opportunity to learn new perspectives both from a technical side but also from an organizational and commercial side. It is motivating to learn and grow, and bringing my HSEQ and sustainability perspectives into the innovative and solution-solving team at Uptime International is very rewarding. I learn something new every day, as an engineer I am always interested in technical matters and combined with my degree in business and passion for HSEQ and sustainability, it aligns perfectly with my interests. This combination inspires my motivation and makes it fun to go to work every day.
Being passionate about HSEQ and sustainability on a personal note, I find it very rewarding to work with something I love. Contribution to improvements and remembering that in the end HSEQ and sustainability efforts is all about our own and the end users of our products’ health, safety, the environment and the quality, which truly brings meaningfulness to the role. Having a meaningful job is a motivator and knowing that our combined efforts contribute to creating safe workplaces avoid accidents or injuries and at the same time preserving the environment and sustainability resonates perfectly with my own ambitions. I believe everybody at Uptime International including me, have something to be proud about every day and our efforts does matter, contributing to a sustainable future where also the next generations can live and prosper. This is one of my main motivators and even when facing significant challenges, focusing on the bigger picture, our mission, vision, objectives and taking part in our commitment to develop technology supporting the green transition of our planet benefitting all, keeps me motivated every day.
We wish Arne all the best of luck in his role and look forward to the positive impact he will make in UPTIME!