Steering a career amongst global shipping giants

Lewis Horne studied BA (Hons) Business Maritime at Solent and now works as a Senior Port Agent at Inchcape Shipping Services in Portsmouth, a role he found through the University’s careers fair.

Lewis first came across the course when he attended an open day and was invited to sit in on a lecture. The experience gave him an insight into the course and the maritime industry, leading him to choose Solent for his degree.

"From there I stayed behind and asked a few questions and took the deep end dive into a completely unknown region," Lewis says.

That dive paid off. Lewis describes his time at Solent as eye-opening, shaped as much by the people around him as the subject itself.

"My time at Solent was enjoyable as I had a multinational classroom, and I learnt so much about different cultures alongside learning about the world of maritime business. I was fully committed to eating as much knowledge on the course as I could."

That international mix of classmates turned out to be excellent preparation for his current role, where he regularly liaises with crews and companies from around the world.

"These experiences, looking back, prepared me for real world scenarios, as I communicate with a vast range of nationalities when boarding and coordinating vessel movements. Engaging with my peers throughout university allowed me to feel more comfortable in these scenarios."

The course also opened doors beyond the classroom, including a visit to the International Maritime Organisation's London headquarters and the university's annual maritime careers fair, where industry speakers came in to talk to students and answer their questions.

It was at that same careers fair that Lewis first came across Inchcape Shipping Services, the company he joined after graduating. Since then, he has been in a fast-paced, hands-on role as Senior Port Agent, coordinating vessels arriving into port on Inchcape's behalf.

"It's a difficult role to explain, and a lot of agents will agree with me. But we act as coordinators for vessels arriving into the port, liaising with the port to make sure the vessel gets what it requires during her port stay."

Highlights so far have ranged from the sizeable to the routine, each adding to his growing expertise. "Being involved in the new DP World cranes being brought over from Shanghai to things just like boarding countless vessel types, has given me a real scope of knowledge."

You can find out more about Solent's Business Maritime course on our website.