We meet two women working in the marine industry and find out how their work supports offshore wind and oil and gas operations.
Lucia Firman
Lucia Firman turned her love for the water and the coast into a career she feels “incredibly passionate” about.
Service delivery coordinator at Associated British Ports (ABP) Lowestoft for the last six years, she has worked in the marine industry for 26 years, starting with HM Coastguard dealing with Maydays and 999 calls.
Her varied career has included helping to develop the Sheringham Shoal Offshore Wind Farm operations room and being a crew manager for coastal services at Gardline. Her diverse experience has equipped her with so much knowledge she is sometimes nicknamed ‘Google’. “When somebody wants to know something, people say, ‘Lou will know’, it’s quite funny really.”
Her career could have easily taken a different direction. “I applied for the prison service and the coastguard at the same time, I was lucky to get offered both jobs, and then I had to pick which one I wanted to go for and the coastguard sounded so amazing that I thought that is the route I am going to go down.”
After 16 years with HM Coastguard in Great Yarmouth, Lucia moved over to Statoil, now Equinor, where she helped develop the Sheringham Shoal windfarm operations room before moving to Gardline, and then ABP five years later where she worked as service delivery coordinator.
“I’ve been very lucky. I’ve been fortunate enough to leave a job, to get offered another, but I have instilled into my kids that nowadays you need qualifications.
“From the work I have done I’ve met a lot people. It’s all about experience, networking and speaking to people, and really that’s what my job at ABP involves.”
At ABP, Lucia works alongside some of the company’s biggest tenants with the operations and maintenance (O&M) bases in offshore wind and oil and gas.
“My role is so varied; I assist in the monitoring of customer service on the port with new and existing tenants and make sure services are being seamlessly delivered to clients.
“I also support our operations manager to collate information for events like the Southern North Sea conference at the Norfolk Showground in Norwich.
“I love how varied my job is. I get involved in so many different projects on the port. I can’t imagine doing anything else, I love working with boats, the water and the marine aspect of it.”
Through ABP, Lucia, 50, is involved in working with schools and young people for career and CV days to inspire the next generation.
“I am so passionate about the industry and ABP. Working with students to give them an idea of the different sort of jobs available is amazing.
“ABP is a one-stop shop. We have our own HR, communications, operations, commercial team and our marina. I can go into one of the sixth forms and when I ask the students what they are studying I can show them that we have a department that they could apply for."
With the port receiving chartered status, Lucia says she feels the ‘energy’ at the port and wants to help in any way she can.
“I am really enjoying myself at ABP. I am loving the team, I am loving the dynamics and the way it is progressing. The vision is inspiring, and I think it’s a really exciting time.”
Sophie Wilson
Sophie Wilson has played a fundamental role in ensuring Clarksons Port Services is at the forefront of offshore wind support services, after being inspired by two generations of her family to chase a role in the energy industry.
As business development manager, Sophie’s job is to scope out new business and support the company’s existing clients, not only in the UK and Europe, but the emerging US renewables sector, which is growing at a pace.
“The company has over 20 years of experience in offshore wind in the UK, beginning with Scroby Sands windfarm, just off our coast here. We provide leading port agency and logistics solutions to clients in the energy sector.”
Clarksons Port Services is a division of the global Clarksons Group and specialises in providing services in port agency, freight forwarding, bunkering and customs solutions.
Sophie’s role covers offshore business development strategy and implementation of port and logistics services to clients in the energy sector, utilising the 19 office locations covering the UK and Ireland.
“My role is very client focused. I work with new and existing clients advocating our services, sourcing solutions and adding efficiency to client work scopes.
"It offers me the opportunity to travel to different locations and countries in order to provide a comprehensive service. It also involves the management of our marketing and social media channels, as well as organising and attending industry networking events.
“Being a client account manager, I also get involved in operations, and not just in the UK. We’ve supported in Europe and Asia too with voyage agency services, where we work with clients to advise suitable routes, plot port calls for bunkering and provisions and safe havens, using our inhouse technology to map out time frames and locations.”
Growing up with both parents working in the oil and gas industry for Shell, Sophie lived in both Muscat and Singapore before settling back in Hopton, near Great Yarmouth.
"It was the best experience ever. When we lived in Singapore, my dad was part of the project team constructing a huge floating production, storage and offloading vessel. I’ve always loved being by, in, or on the water; I’ve been a swimmer all my life and have been intrigued by boats from a young age.
“My grandad had a fabrication company in Yarmouth, building large structures for offshore oil rigs, so the industry has been in my family for a couple of generations.”
After completing her A Levels at East Norfolk Sixth Form in Gorleston, Sophie took a degree in nursing and studied beauty therapy before deciding that neither career was right for her.
Upon the advice of her dad, she set up a LinkedIn page stating that she was looking for opportunities in the energy sector. It led to Sophie being offered a part-time role with the East of England Energy Group (EEEGR) in marketing and later full-time in marketing and as a membership executive.
“That was what really developed my basis for business and excitement for the energy industry. Understanding how all these companies work together to support huge projects in our waters, putting events on like the Southern North Sea conference and meeting so many people in the industry was key to establishing my love for it.”
Her experience at EEEGR led to business development management with Rhenus Offshore Logistics until she was offered a position by Steve Smith, a director at Clarksons, after a chance meeting at Wind Europe in November 2019.
“At that point, CPS were looking to grow the business development team and being based in the East of England with a background in offshore wind was an ideal fit.
“For me, networking is key and I would tell anyone who wants to get into the industry to set up a LinkedIn profile and network, network, network, just as I did.
“I’m so proud of how far I’ve come to date and that my dad was there to help me see the potential in my emerging career in the energy industry.
"I’m not sitting here as a female number - I hope I’m making a difference.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here