Weaver Miller living his dream at sea

WEAVER MILLER’S fascination with a life at sea began in his formative years in the community of Ballard’s Valley, St Elizabeth where he was raised. “From where I lived, I had a view of most vessels passing along Jamaica’s south coast. This also includes vessels that would wait at anchor to berth at the Port Kaiser bauxite terminal,” Weaver shared with Shipping Industry.

The budding seafarer said visits to his grandparents in the neighbouring community of Alligator Pond would often result in trips, courtesy of his obliging grandfather, to the seaside to vessel watch. The Munro College graduate was encouraged by a relative to direct his growing interest in shipping and logistics to the Caribbean Maritime University, where he pursued an undergraduate degree in marine transportation. “Upon completion in May of 2021, I embarked on my first vessel with Excelerate Technical Management in December of the same year to commence my cadetship.”

Of his experiences working at sea, Miller said each assignment has offered new experiences, with nothing being the same as a previous journey or destination. “Each of these lends itself to a new experience, but more importantly, each new opportunity allows me to further expand my understanding of my environment as well as my theoretical and practical knowledge,” he said, continuing, “I often look forward to new experiences as this allows me to become a more capable and competent version of myself, and as seafarers, we should relish each opportunity to improve.

For significant experiences, he said his time studying in Panama helped him focus on what he wanted to achieve in the field and the paths available to him. “Being one of the hubs for maritime trade and transit, it allowed me to narrow down and hone in on what I really wanted to achieve from my studies and also the various avenues one can take in this industry as well as the role we as seafarers play with regard to world trade and our responsibility to preservation of the marine environment.

“My time there allowed me to reflect on my shortcomings, which allowed me to grow in ways I never deemed possible and to become more self-reliant. In addition, I was immersed into a somewhat similar but ultimately different culture from Jamaica, where I had the opportunity to not only study but co-habit with students from countries such as South Korea, China, Egypt, Dominican Republic, Colombia and India, just to name a few.”

Miller said his journey, though just beginning, has helped him find purpose. “Naturally, finishing college and finding a meaningful career in your area of study while reaping the financial fruits of years of labour is enough to make anyone happy, but it’s the sense of meaningful contribution to the lives of people worldwide through the various projects which give me a sense of fulfillment.”

Achieving work-life balance has been crucial to his adjustment, he said, adding that the necessity for rest and time away from ship-related duties is often overlooked. “It is paramount to derive your own method of time management using a task organiser or planner application if you have an electronic device at the time. This depends on the hours you work. Allocate your time well, leaving some time for studying, recreational activities, or communicating with loved ones back home.”

With the industry recently celebrating Day of the Seafarer, Miller said more can be done to ensure that seafarers’ well-being is prioritised. “The 21st-century world has made numerous leaps and bounds where globalisation and technology play pivotal roles. This is due to our increased ability to access information and more reliable ways to facilitate communications between entities over long distances. This should include those at sea. I think facilitation of ready and efficient communication for seafarers would help to improve their mental well-being as this would allow them to communicate more often with families back home. This will result in less time lost with family in the long run, especially for those who would be away on long contracts.”