Karin NIIT Fd SVENSSON (Sweden)

In the photo above Karin on board “MARIA GORTHON” c/s C6DN3

I have the honour to publish the story of one of our member, she is Lady Radio Officer Karin Svensson in Niit, I remained very fashionated about the life of this woman and all her efforts to become Radio Officer on cargo ships. Below the story of her life:

At the age of 17 in August 1981 I entered the Merchant Marine Academy in Härnösand in the northern part of Sweden. I studied there until December 1982 when I “dropped out” two weeks before graduation. I failed in the subject “radio technology”. Few days after I dropped out I signed on my first ship, M/V Scol Resident/SFPN (ex Segovia, ex Sagoland), as a “messgirl”. I did two turns on her, abt 5 month each. In 1984 I reapplied to the Merchant Marine Academy and were admitted at the school in Kalmar, southern part of Sweden. They had then extended the course to be 2 year instead of 1,5. It went from a High Scool education to a University. They divided the education into two pieces, 3 terms to become a Radio Officer and 1 term to become a Marine Radio Officer. I started my second try to become a R/O in August 1984 and graduated 30th of May 1986 but at that date I were already onboard a ship as R/O apprentice. So I yet again missed the graduation and graduation party… but this time I hadn’t failed… After 6 weeks with my mentor I took over the Radio station onboard the M/V Boxy/SGQA. I had been in M/V Boxy during summer leave the year before as a messgirl and during Christmas leave I worked as Cooksteward on a small ship called M/V Nordica/SDGB, I signed on in the belief that I were supposed to be a messgirl.. the chock when I realized that it was cooksteward… but I managed that too for 3 weeks… My following ships as R/O were: M/V Maria Gorthon/SLCH (C6DN3) M/V Alida Gorthon/C6CS9 M/T Aquarius/LAEO2 (17 days) M/V Front Eagle/SBJP The reason I studied to become a R/o … At 17teen I had no clue whatsoever what to make of my life… I had done 9 years in school and were dead tired of it. Refused to apply for High School. Few of my friends worked as sailor. My close friend Roger realized that I were a bit lost and tried to help me. We visited friends of his, a couple, and they were both R/Os and they described the job and the lifestyle… Directly when Roger and I left I said to him in the car:

That’s what I’m going to be… and so I did… It was the greatest and best job, perfect for a girl with ADHD and autistic traits… I loved being a R/O….. and I still am one at heart… it’s not a profession, it’s an identity… Not one day goes by without me thinking of it… My favourite ship was the M/V Maria Gorthon. I signed off my last ship, the M/V Front Eagle on the 11th of March 1992 in Corpus Christ, Texas, USA. Due to health problems I haven’t worked since then more than 8 months at a shipping company as personnel assistent. I did that for 3 months 1990 before I signed on my last ship… It was at the upstart of the swedish shipmanagent company, Nordic Oriental Shipmanagement, N.O.S. During those 3 months we hired crews for 6 or 7 ships… That was a really fun job and time in my life… a lot of work but really educational and fun. Well… that’s abt it on my sailorlife… Hope it can be of any interest… 73’s de Karin

M/V “MARIA GORTHON”

Another ship where Karin has worked as Radio Officer M/T AQUARIUS c/s LAEO2

And at the end the beautiful Karin now!