Mayor at sea

As a young man, Eugene had not yet decided what he wanted to do in life. Through acquaintances of his parents, he more or less ended up by chance in maritime education in Rotterdam, he explains. That decision would come to define his life.

As a cadet, he spent eight months at sea, including voyages around Africa. Afterwards, he worked for several years on heavy-lift vessels with shipping company Kahn Scheepvaart, spending five months at a time on board. Far from home, without the means of communication we take for granted today. "A letter every two months, and occasionally an expensive phone call if you were fortunate," he says. Yet he never regretted it. “I stumbled into it and stayed.” 

Eugene eventually found his way to P&O Ferries, which allowed him to sail closer to home. He remained there for 35 years. 

Eugene began his career at P&O as a third officer. Step by step, he moved up: second officer, first officer, and eventually captain. “You grow into that role,” he explains. “And you have to, because the responsibility is immense.”

"As the ship’s captain, you are fully responsible. That responsibility runs deep," Eugene explains. It runs so deep that it’s hard to put into words for non-sailors. On a journey with his wife, she explained to their children, “Whatever happens, Dad always takes care of the ship first. "So we have to take care of ourselves." 

It sounds harsh, but it typifies a captain's mentality. "If you dwell on it too much, you'll go mad," says Eugene. "You have to be aware of it, but not dwell on it constantly." 

In 35 years at sea, you experience a lot. Some moments linger forever. Like that one night when a coastguard helicopter landed on the deck in the middle of the sea to practise. "Afterwards, I casually invited the pilot for a cup of coffee," Eugene chuckles.

His final journey was a particularly symbolic moment. Eugene sailed on the ship Norbank from Europe to Dubai, where it was sold. “I retired along with the ship,” he says. "That felt quite appropriate." 

In fact, during his very first internship as a cadet, he also sailed around Africa. "I ended up on the same route where I started. You couldn't plan it any better."