Linnea Kristensson 

Read about our ambassador Linnea who you might recognise from many of our product photos. We asked her some questions and here are the answers.

Age: 23

Country: Sweden 

Title: Second Officer 

Why did you choose a career at sea?

I come from a seafarer family, my dad is a fisherman and bosun and my mom works with seafarers salaries, it’s all we talk about at home. When it was time for me to choose a high school my dad thought that it would be a good idea to pick a maritime one, partly because men and women have the same salary, which they don’t in every profession. So that’s where I ended up.  

When did you start working at sea? 

You could say my entire life since I’ve been with my father when he’s been working my entire life. My first internship was back in 2017 on a tanker.

What is the best and what is the worst thing about being a seafarer? 

The best thing is that I am getting paid when I am at home and the fact that I can be home for a long period of time, but also the experience and all of the entertaining people I meet at work. I also love to drive ships and grow in that role.

The worst thing is when there is a rough sea and I have my period at the same time, men will never understand, but trust me when I say that it is the worst!

Tell us about a memory:

A very bad memory I have is when I worked as a boatswain and had been in that position for a month, and a new chief mate came onboard. He immediately decided not to like me because i was a 21 year old woman in that position. I was working at a roro vessel and called on the radio if I could open the ramp to the basement. He replied with “Can you really do that woman?” He was breathing down my neck for the entire contract because I was a young woman in a high position, this was really hard because as a boatswain I am supposed to be the right hand of the chief mate. 

A good memory I have is when I met my friend Ina. I was going onboard as the boatswain and she was the captain. We are good friends to this day and I am so happy to know her because she is so cool! 

Do you have any advice for women in the seafarer industry? 

If anybody tries to push you down, push them down. If people are kind to you be kind back, and don’t forget to have fun and give them all you got! 

Anything else you want to add?

By a the mugs  from Seasalt & Coffee so people know which mug is yours onboard! 

Click here to read about our original characters that are inspired by women like Linnea