From Brandenburg to the far north

^{11 July. 2019}

Previously his playground, now his workplace: The German coast. With a direct view over the shipyards with ships in for repair, docks, cranes and container terminals, every working day is a pleasure for Ralf from thyssenkrupp Marine Systems in Hamburg.

From Hamburg to Berlin

As a young man from Brandenburg, shipbuilding was something he had never considered until a change in circumstances set him on a different path. He moved from Berlin to Hamburg and started working at thyssenkrupp as an engineer. Twenty years have passed since then. Following various positions at the company, Ralf is now Senior Manager Power Distribution with a wealth of experience from his time in Germany and abroad for thyssenkrupp. He studied power and high-voltage engineering in Chemnitz.

Innovative on the move

Together with his team he researches, develops and creates new and innovative concepts for submarines and naval vessels such as frigates and corvettes. One focus of his work is supporting the development of fuel cells for ships. His duties are wide-ranging: With his team and the employees at the shipyard, the 50-year-old is responsible for building, modernizing and repairing submarines and naval vessels. His to-do list also includes training customers from all over the world.

Everything in sight

As Senior Manager Power Distribution he maintains an overview of all ongoing projects, assigning his employees at the Emden, Hamburg and Kiel sites in line with their skills and duties. To keep everyone up to speed, Ralf organizes conference calls or video conferences and team meetings several times a month to ensure the necessary exchange of information. Thanks to a harmonized IT landscape, cooperation via the network is no problem either. Big occasions such as a keel laying or christening where ships and submarines are launched with great ceremony in front of a large audience are absolute highlights for Ralf and his team.

On the high seas

Other exciting activities include trials on the North Sea and Baltic Sea lasting anything from a few days to up to two weeks where everyone involved in a project carries out a wide range of tests. Ralf never gets bored. Thanks to flexible working hours he has a good work/life balance and despite his many duties at the shipyard, he still has enough time to take his family to the coast. Ralf may not have a sailing permit and isn’t particularly into watersports but he loves the sea and spends every free minute by the water.