Ship manager offering ship management, crew management and fleet operations services.
I worked for Wallem. The Hong Kong office was still manageable, but the Indian office was a very different experience. The selection process involved around six tests, and the company could keep postponing the joining date. The main advantage was the opportunity to gain experience on dual-fuel engines and obtain an IGF certificate.
I applied to Wallem for a dual-fuel car carrier position. I passed the initial interviews and then completed approximately 78 tests. They gave me a vessel and an expected joining date, but kept delaying the process for a couple of months and eventually stopped responding. I lost about one and a half months before they told me that the shipowner had changed their decision, and they offered no alternative.
I worked with Wallem and later joined a new Chinese-built PCTC with a dual-fuel engine. I gained useful DF experience, but there were recurring gas leaks, repeated BWTS failures, hydraulic leaks on deck and under the ramps, and poor-quality equipment and supplies even though the vessel was new. The office initially tried to replace the specified PPG paint with Jotun, but corrected this after I raised the issue. Before joining, they also sent a contract with a lower salary and a longer term than agreed; after I insisted, they sent a corrected contract, and I negotiated a 4 +-1 month contract instead of their standard 5 +-1.
I worked for Wallem on three contracts. Overall, the company was not bad, but much depended on the vessel, the crew, and especially the captain. One contract with Ukrainian officers went very well, while the other two were worse because of the onboard management.
I worked for Wallem as a cadet. The training itself was good because the chief officer gave me tasks, explained what I did not know, and supported my development. At the same time, the onboard experience was difficult: there were conflicts with the crew, interference in private matters, and problems with discipline and food. The salary levels I saw were approximately $2,500 for a third officer, $3,500 for a second officer, $8,000 for a chief officer, and $10,000 for a master; ordinary seafarers received $1,600 plus up to $800 for unlashing.
I worked as a chief officer at Wallem. On the dual-fuel Ro-Ro vessels, the salary levels were approximately $4,000 and above for a third officer, $5,000 and above for a second officer, up to $9,500 for a chief officer, and $11,000–11,500 for a master. The company had received around 10 new Chinese-built dual-fuel vessels, so there were opportunities to gain experience, but the quality of individual crews and officers varied considerably.
I had an Indian office handling my application. I was kept waiting for 3.5 months before being told that the vacancy had been closed, with the charterer blamed for the cancellation. The company also required a large number of tests and did not pay for them.
I worked two years ago when it was called Eagle. The ship is good, built in Japan. The only problem was leaking heating coils in the cargo tanks. There were no global issues with the engine.
I came back from my last contract and invested all my earnings into finishing repairs. Then I had to take care of my family and relatives affected by COVID-19, and after that, the war started. I reached out to the company for financial support, and they surprisingly provided me with my total re-joining bonus from my last contract, which is usually paid only after joining the ship. Compared to my previous experience, they were understanding and trustworthy, which pleasantly surprised me.