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Denmark:+45 39 17 92 00

Philippines, Manila:+63 2 8988 6500

Philippines, Cebu:+63 32 266 5534

India, Mumbai:+91 (022) 6640 7200

India, New Delhi:+91 (011) 6640 7201

United Kingdom:+44 203 713 4560

USA:+1 (281) 943 2750

Singapore: +65 6534 343

It takes outstanding people to deliver outstanding results. At TORM, we rely on talent, transparency, and a team effort to deliver on our strategy and goals across time zones and oceans. TORM strives to provide a working environment that empowers our colleagues to flourish. Below are some of the key aspects we are proud of:

compass Our One TORM platform that focuses on working transparently towards the same goals
message circle Psychological safety facilitating an environment where we are comfortable speaking up
map Development opportunities for employees to support career growth
heart Projects to support our communities where we operate
globe A culturally diverse work environment with nine offices around the world
users Social activities to promote employee engagement and teambuilding

TORM Values

The TORM culture is characterized by clear values and principles that connect the success of our business with the behavior of our managers and staff:

From trainee to chartering manager - with lots of learning in between

Murat Demir, Chartering Manager

After graduating from Copenhagen Business School, Murat started at TORM as a trainee. After rotating through several departments and taking on increasing responsibility, he was offered a job in Operations that included a two-year expat stint in Singapore. Now, after more promotions and back in Denmark, Murat works as a Chartering Manager in a highly competitive market where his negotiation skills and business acumen get tested every day.

Murat Demir

When Murat Demir studied business at CBS, he had no idea that he would end up working in shipping. That all changed when he began looking for post-graduate trainee positions and successfully applied for a job with a liner container shipping company.

“I realized I needed a position that would allow me to sharpen more of my business skills.”

“My first position was a great start for my career,” Murat recalls. “I learned the basics of liner container shipping pretty fast and soon had a lot of responsibility. But while I knew I wanted to continue in shipping, I also realized I needed a position that would allow me to sharpen more of my business skills.”

So, Murat decided to apply to TORM’s trainee program.

“The chance to rotate through different departments in a large, international and very professional shipping company was a great way to learn,” he says.

“This is especially true at TORM, which not only owns its own ships, but also has all of their commercial and technical departments in-house, so you really get a 360-degree view of what makes for successful shipping.”

Murat still counts the negotiation of his first bunker purchase - worth several hundred thousand dollars - as a highlight of his early trainee days. “That’s a lot of money for a trainee, so it was really exciting to be given the responsibility to make the deal and see it through.”

“It was really exciting to be given the responsibility to make the deal.”

From trainee to full-time employee and expat - and increasing responsibility

After a successful trainee period, Murat was offered a job as an assistant operator in Tanker Operations, which included two years in Singapore as an expat. While in Singapore, he was promoted to assistant manager and then operations manager.

Upon returning to DK, he applied for a chartering position. Murat is now responsible for all of TORM’s Medium Range tankers in one of its most important markets: everywhere between the Gulf of Suez and Singapore.

“What makes this role particularly interesting for someone like me is that you have to use a wide variety of tools to be successful.”

“Put simply, it’s my job to make sure that our tankers in the region help our customers get their products from A to B and at the same time deliver on our commercial targets. The market is extremely competitive, there are many moving parts that need to come together to make a deal, and the pace can be pretty fast. What makes this role particularly interesting for someone like me is that you have to use a wide variety of tools to be successful. You have to be able to recognize and maximize business opportunities. You need to be very customer-focused and able to build and maintain relationships. Your negotiation skills really get a workout every day. Every day is different. It also helps if you are curious by nature and like to keep up on current events that impact everything from oil prices to shipping lanes to macroeconomics.”

What makes TORM different?

According to Murat, one of the big differences between TORM and other shipping companies is how the One TORM platform works in everyday business.

“It’s my job to fix contracts for our tankers with our customers,” he explains, “but I also need consider many other things, including vessel maintenance schedules and crew needs. Where we start and end a voyage matters both to our technical department, that keeps our ships running optimally, and to our Marine HR department, that knows when and where it’s best to arrange crew changes and whatever else they need. Because we have everything inhouse and all key functions are supported by the One TORM platform, we can make intelligent, holistic decisions fast - and that gives us a competitive edge.”

Another aspect of TORM that is important to Murat is its open, international culture. “The TORM organization is relatively flat. If you need information or some other kind of help, the door is open, and people are accessible - no matter what department they are in, no matter where in the world they are. That’s great for a guy like me who is very curious about how things work.”

Karan Kheman

Safety and wellbeing drive maintenance, operations – and careers

Karan Khemani, 2nd Engineer

Karan Khemani first learned about TORM while studying at the Tolani Maritime Institute in Mumbai, which supplies many graduates who pursue careers at TORM. After finishing his degree in marine engineering, Karan took a job in TORM’s cadet program and has never looked back.

Karan Khemani is a 2nd Engineer who was aboard TORM Valborg, one of TORM LR2 class of vessels, when we talked to him. Reporting to the Chief Engineer, Karan has daily responsibility for a team of five Engineers and two Sailors who keep everything mechanical on the 100,000 DWT product tanker running smoothly.

“Even if a colleague needs to do something as simple as climb a two-meter ladder, it is our job to make sure it happens according to the book.”

TORM’s safety culture means a lot to Karan and how he leads the crew’s daily tasks. “Safety is an extremely important part of maintenance and operations,” says Karan. “We have safety protocols for everything. Even if a colleague needs to do something as simple as climbing a two-meter ladder, it is our job to make sure it happens according to the book. What are the potential hazards? What can we do to mitigate risks? Should he be wearing a harness? If something does go wrong, what can we learn to improve our system so it does not happen again?”

The uncompromising focus on safety comes naturally to Karan after 10 years at TORM. “When I am on leave, I feel naked for the first few days without my helmet and earmuffs,” he laughs. “But onboard any TORM vessel, the system is the same. And when you operate as many vessels as TORM does, all of that collective focus on safety helps us to improve continually.”

In fact, one of the things that Karan likes most about TORM is its culture of continuous improvement. “TORM has been around for more than 130 years,” he explains “So, there are very robust policies and systems. The TORM culture is more geared toward finding solutions than assigning blame. Of course, everyone is accountable for what they do, but if something does not go according to plan, the first focus is on understanding why and what we can do to prevent that from happening again, not to point fingers.”

Measure what matters – including crew wellbeing

As a manager with direct reports, Karan also stresses the importance of the crew’s overall wellbeing. “TORM vessels are our workplace and our home for months at a time,” he says. “This gives officers a special responsibility to take care of not only the crew’s physical security but also their social and mental health and safety.

Our ‘Well at TORM’ initiative plays an important role here. Everyone on board is encouraged to get some exercise and socialize at the end of our shifts, and officers are incentivized to care. Making ‘Well at TORM’ a part of our culture and something that gets followed up on makes it happen consistently, and what happens consistently makes a big difference.”

“My crew’s security and their wellbeing are important parts of my performance appraisal, too.”

Officers at TORM are evaluated not only on operational and safety targets but also on how they deal with their juniors. “As a 2nd Engineer, only 20% of my appraisal is directly related to maintenance” says Karan. “The TORM culture places a lot of importance on personal leadership, safety, and how employees are doing, so my crew’s security and their wellbeing are important parts of my performance appraisal, too.”

Onshore Vessel Managers are also measured on how closely they stick to the work/life balance agreed with crews, for example, giving Vessel Managers a clear incentive to make sure shore leaves happen on time.

Karan has risen through the engineering ranks quickly and has his eyes firmly set on his next career goal: becoming a Chief Engineer. “TORM managers notice when someone has the spark. If you have the right attitude and work hard, this is recognized. And if you do that consistently, you have every opportunity to move up the career ladder.”

Two-thirds of employees who leave TORM India would like to come back

Siddhi Nilve, Head of HR India

As Head of HR for TORM India based in Mumbai, Siddhi Nilve handles recruitment, onboarding, and administration of TORM India’s onshore employees. After more than a decade in HR, Siddhi has seen many colleagues come and go. She has also noticed that many of those who decide to leave TORM come back to apply for work again.

Siddhi Nilve

Siddhi Nilve has worked her entire career in HR. After a job at a headhunter consultancy out of college, she started at TORM in an entry-level HR position. Since then, things have moved quickly for Siddhi’s career. She now heads up TORM India’s entire HR department.

A true people person, even after a decade in HR Siddhi still gets a thrill when she meets the many ambitious candidates who apply for work at TORM India. “Recruitment is a really fun part of the job,” says Siddhi. “Feeling their excitement as they start in their new role - perhaps even their first job - seeing the spark in their eyes, and helping many of them into a good career is what HR is all about.” The hardest part of her job? That is saying goodbye to colleagues when they leave TORM – for whatever reason.

“Two out of every three employees who leave the company apply for jobs at TORM again.”

“In a big company like TORM, there will always be employee turnover,” she says. “For certain people, the grass is greener on the other side. People have their own agendas and their own reasons, and that is fine. One interesting thing that I have noticed is that about two out of every three employees who leave the company apply for jobs at TORM again. When we ask them why, the answer is the same. After trying other shipping companies, they want to return because they miss the TORM culture.”

Organizational culture makes a big difference

One of the most important parts of the TORM culture for Siddhi is the way the company cares for its employees in good times and bad. “The ways TORM has handled the COVID-19 crisis is a good example of company values,” she says. “Management has demonstrated a lot of flexibility in helping seafarers who need to travel and helping onshore employees to work from home when that has been necessary.”

Because she interviews candidates for open positions, Siddhi notes that TORM’s reputation in the shipping industry is a motivating factor for many of them. “When we talk to people with a background in the shipping industry, TORM’s reputation often comes up,” she says. “For those who have been in shipping for a while, the TORM culture is something that is known and appreciated.”

Although TORM India naturally operates according to Indian laws and customs, it is clear to Siddhi that TORM’s Scandinavian roots also affect the company culture on the sub-continent. “TORM has an open-door culture, also in India,” she explains. “Things are not as hierarchical here as in some other Indian companies. If you have a good idea, management wants to hear it. When it comes to things like safety and operational efficiency, ideas matter more than rank – and that’s something that is good for everyone.”

Roy P. Ascaño Jr., Captain

From Deck Cadet to Captain of his own vessel

Roy P. Ascaño Jr., Captain

Captain Roy P. Ascaño Jr. began his career in TORM’s cadet program in 2006 and rose quickly through the ranks. He was promoted to 3rd Officer within a year, to 2nd Officer a year later, and then, after just five years in the company, to Chief Officer in 2011. Roy earned the rank of Master in 2016 and is now the highest-ranking officer aboard any TORM vessel he joins.

We caught up with Roy as his current vessel, the TORM Hellerup, was approaching the port of Huizhou in Southern China. After a 28-day voyage from the Mediterranean, he and his crew were waiting for their turn to dock at Guangdong Province’s busy harbor, so Roy was able to take a few minutes to share some details about his career at TORM.

“I had heard that TORM’s cadet program was good. I decided to try my luck and have never looked back.”

And what a journey it has been. “I had heard that TORM’s cadet program was good and that if you worked hard, there were good chances for advancement. So, I decided to try my luck there and have never looked back.”

As Master, Roy acts on behalf of the vessel’s owners as the vessel’s highest responsible officer and is accountable for all operations and safety aboard the vessel. Now, all the other officers onboard report to him, but it was not always like that.

For Roy, the best thing about working at TORM is the company’s career opportunities. “If you are ambitious,” says Roy, “you can reach your goals.”

Roy emphasizes that it takes hard work and the right mindset to move up the career ladder at TORM. But he also believes that the company’s officer development programs and dedicated maritime training department have provided a lot of important support for him and other aspiring officers.

“If you are ambitious, you can reach your goals.”

Now, in addition to his duties as captain, Roy also works part-time as an instructor in Manilla. The courses he teaches when ashore, including bridge team management and deck watchkeeping, help others move up the same ladder he has climbed.

A job dedicated to safety, crew welfare, and operational efficiency

As captain, Roy spends most of his working hours taking care of daily operations, safety, and crew welfare. Mornings are typically busy with communication with TORM offices in Denmark, Singapore and India. In the afternoons, he always checks in with officers on the bridge and makes his physical rounds around the deck. Here, the main emphasis is on following up on progress made against agreed tasks and projects, most of which are related to safety and operational efficiency.

Roy enjoys exercising before dinner as part of the daily crew wellness program and can often be found on his vessel’s basketball court when time allows. He thinks it is important to consider his crew’s psychological wellbeing, too, and makes a point to arrange movie nights and other group activities which contribute to a good social atmosphere onboard.

Like his crew, Roy stays in touch with his family and friends via the free internet connection available to everyone onboard. And while rotating between four-five months ashore and four-five months at sea is by no means always easy, it also has its advantages. When ashore, Roy enjoys exploring the beaches and resorts of his native Philippines together with his family.

Working at TORM

TORM employs more than 3,300 seafarers and 350 employees in offices. And we are growing. Discover your opportunities with us.

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