Sebastian Packalén works with ballast water treatment systems on vessels
After graduating from the master's programme Sea and Society, Sebastian Packalén got a job as a product specialist at Alfa Laval. There, he works with a ballast water treatment system that prevents the spread of invasive species from vessels – a job where he can combine his interests in technology and the marine environment.
What do you work with?
“I work as a product specialist at the industrial company Alfa Laval with the treatment system PureBallast. As the name suggests, it’s a chemical-free treatment system for ballast water, which through UV treatment prevents invasive species from spreading between the world's oceans.”
What do you do on a typical day?
“My main task as a product specialist is to guide our customers in installing the treatment system. A proper installation is important for the ballast water to be handled correctly according to international regulations from the IMO and the US Coast Guard. A slightly smaller part of my work is training our customers, service engineers, and the vessels' crews. From time to time, I also work onboard the vessels when the system isn’t functioning as expected, or when we are testing new equipment. In other words, my tasks are quite broad, which is exactly how I want it!”
What do you like the most about your job?
“Right now, it’s training our customers about the system. Both the technical parts, but also why the system is important for the environment.”
Why did you want to study Sea and Society?
“I have a technical background as an engine officer on a cruise ship, but also a great love for the ocean. It’s a combination that’s not always easy to combine, as the shipping industry has a very large environmental impact, for example through the spread of invasive species through ballast water. After a few years at sea, I realised that I would prefer to work for the conservation of our oceans, which made the master's programme Sea and Society feel just right.”
What from the education do you find most useful in your work?
“My background as marine engineer is obviously an important part of my current work – both in fulfilling my duties, but also how I got the job. But it’s the knowledge I have gained from Sea and Society that made me connect the technical parts with the question of why ballast water treatment is important and how the regulations surrounding shipping will be shaped by the environmental work that takes place both internationally and nationally. When I teach, it also helps a lot to know in detail how a vessel's ballast water affects the ecosystems around the world. It makes me a more enthusiastic teacher!"
Do you have any tips for new students on the programme?
“Do an internship! It’s a perfect entry for both the degree project, and a future career. Combine your background with the master's programme in Sea and Society to find your niche!”
Interview: Karl-Johan Nylén
Short Facts
Name: Sebastian Packalén
Age: 29
Work: Product specialist at PureBallast, Alfa Laval
Education: Degree in Marine Engineering at Chalmers University of Technology and master's degree in Sea and Society at the University of Gothenburg.
