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Job Role: Imports/Exports
Jonathan works for Samskip, an Icelandic shipping firm which is involved in the shipping and transportation of import and export goods. Samskip is a global company which employs around 1,400 people in 62 offices in Iceland, Continental Western Europe, UK/Ireland, Scandinavia, Baltics, Eastern Europe, Asia, North America and South America, with the head office being in Reykjavik, Iceland.
Jonathan works at Samskip's Immingham office where around 20 people are employed.
The Immingham office mainly handles cargo to/from Iceland and the Faroe Islands, whilst also providing a reefer logistics service (i.e. refrigerated cargo from Russia, China and all over the world). The forwarding department ships cargoes all over the world.
Import customers are mainly Icelandic fresh and frozen fish producers, and fish is distributed to various places including Grimsby, Hull and Boulogne-Sur-Mer in France. Export cargo can range from one small case of confectionery to a 50,000kg crane. Iceland do not produce much other than fish so a huge variety of goods are exported to the country.
Jonathan works within the Icelandic section and on both imports and exports, he also deals closely with the transport department. Work focuses on importing fresh fish from Iceland, dealing with customs clearance and then delivery out to mainly Hull and Grimsby for distribution across the world. Export work tends to focus on bookings, customs clearance and manifesting. There is a lot of contact with Iceland and Rotterdam in carrying out the ships agency work. The ships agency work involves working weekends on a rota basis. Two vessels arrive (one Sunday morning, one Monday morning) and there is a requirement to go on board the vessel, meet the captain plus the hand over of relevant paperwork for Customs.
Jonathan works within a team of 3. One of his colleagues covers importing and the other exporting and he supports both of them as he is familiar with both sides of the work. All 3 report to the Operations Manager.
He enjoys the variety of the work: "With imports you learn about the local heritage of the fishing industry and get to see a different side of the industry. With exports you don't know what's going to happen next; anything can be thrown at you, customers want to ship all kinds of cargo".
Jonathan is very much office based, working 9.00 am to 5.00 pm. However there is a need to be flexible because of the nature of the shipping industry and it may be necessary at times to work extra hours when required. He also provides weekend cover for the ships agency.
He feels it is very much a team approach in the office, with people working together across the range of tasks.
Jonathan needs a car to get to work as the Immingham office (at Stallingborough) is not accessible by public transport. A company car is supplied for trips to the terminal to meet ships and to visit the warehouses when required.
Jonathan knew from an early age that he would go into the shipping business as his father works in imports and exports to and from Germany. He says "I knew one day I would follow in my father's footsteps".
After his GCSEs he decided to go into further education and studied 4 'A' levels: Biology, Geography, Classical Civilisation and General Studies. There was no particular 'A' level course that would prepare him for the shipping industry although he felt Geography would be useful, so he simply aimed for a general education.
Jonathan then attended Grimsby Institute to do a Logistics Management course at Level 2 for one year, joining Samskip as an Administration Assistant once he had finished. He feels he now has a more operational role within the organization, with more responsibility.
In the future he can see himself moving into his father's business, with the ultimate aim of running the business.
