Viktor Genkulov: I am proud to be a Ukrainian sailor

The winner of the “Ukraine Quality Mark” award in the category dedicated to the technical reliability and safety of marine systems explained why the engineering profession remains one of the most responsible at sea.

The award ceremony for the national “Ukraine Quality Mark” award took place in Kyiv. For 11 years now, the program has been honoring entrepreneurs, companies, and experts who demonstrate a high level of professionalism, responsibility, and innovation and contribute to the development of their industries.

The award recipients included representatives from a wide variety of fields—ranging from automotive logistics to design and the beauty industry. A separate category was dedicated to specialized engineering expertise—the technical reliability and safety of ship systems. The award in this category went to Viktor Genkulov—a marine engineer with over 10 years of experience in the maritime industry who is responsible for the operation, maintenance, and reliability of complex shipboard systems.

We decided to talk with Viktor, as his profession is one of the most responsible at sea, yet it almost always remains behind the scenes. Passengers see the captain on the bridge and the crew on deck, but they rarely think about those in the engine room who ensure the ship’s movement and safety. It is the engineers who determine whether the ship will reach port and whether the crew will return home.

In an interview, he explained how modern ships are designed, what piracy looks like in the 21st century, and why Ukrainian sailors are valued around the world.

— Viktor, congratulations on your award. You have such a demanding profession. Tell us, what’s a typical workday like for you when you’re at sea?

Thank you. To be honest, some people still think that we mechanics walk around the ship with a wrench, fixing whatever breaks. That’s the biggest misconception. In reality, nine-tenths of our working time is spent on accident prevention.

Imagine this: we’re sitting on hundreds of metric tons of metal, surrounded by water, and we might not have any communication with shore for days on end. And this whole massive machine has to run like clockwork. Generators, pumps, fuel systems, cooling systems—if just one thing fails, a chain reaction starts instantly. That’s why I check the bearing temperatures, oil pressure, and vibration every day, and listen to how the mechanisms are running. By the way, you can tell a lot just by the sound—experienced mechanics can pinpoint where a problem is starting even with their eyes closed.

And modern ships are designed so that you don’t have to constantly walk around with a wrench. Now everything is automated: sensors, monitors, and control systems.

— And how are modern ships generally designed? How do they differ from those of the past?

A modern ship is a complex engineering system in which every system and every crew member performs an important function. Some people call ships “floating factories” or even “cities”—and there’s some truth to that; they do have certain things in common.

There’s a clear system of work organization on board—continuous watch duty, regular equipment inspections, maintenance, and monitoring of all processes. Every specialist on board has their own area of responsibility, but at the same time, the crew constantly shares experience and knowledge to understand each other’s work and, if necessary, quickly step in for a colleague in various situations.

When comparing modern ships to those of the past, one of the main changes is the significant increase in automation. Today, many systems help detect malfunctions more quickly, monitor the condition of equipment, and prevent potential problems before they become critical. But this also brings new responsibilities: the more technology there is on a ship, the more important the role of a person who can correctly interpret data and make decisions. Automation can detect anomalies, but it is not always capable of assessing the situation comprehensively—for example, taking into account the specific operating characteristics of the equipment, external conditions, or the consequences of a particular decision.

— Have you ever had situations where, despite perfect readings on the monitors, you realized from certain indirect signs that the system was making a mistake, and took the risk of intervening in its operation?

Yes, of course. On the ship, I have a simple rule: “trust, but verify.” Even when all the readings on the monitor are perfect, I never rely solely on the automation system.

One incident stands out in particular. The ship was sailing through rough weather—the swell was quite strong, the ship was listing to one side, yet all the readings on the system screen remained green: pressure normal, temperature normal, parameters perfect. But I noticed a strange, barely audible hum, as if something were running at high RPM under excessive load. I’d heard that sound before, and it didn’t match the perfect picture the monitor was showing.

So I decided to verify the data manually—I went down to the engine room, checked the readings by hand, listened carefully, and touched the equipment. It turned out that one of the sensors was showing incorrect data due to the list. The system indicated that the parameters were normal, but the actual condition required attention.

If the problem hadn’t been detected in time, it could have led to insufficient oil pressure and, as a result, to increased wear on the engine’s moving parts, overheating of certain components, and, in the worst-case scenario, to a serious emergency shutdown of the main power plant.

— If an elevator breaks down in the city, you call a repairman. If a critical system fails on a ship, the crew has to solve the problem right then and there, sometimes hundreds of miles from shore. How does the engine room crew respond in such situations, and which malfunctions are the most dangerous for the ship?

When something breaks down on a ship, the entire engine room crew gathers to find the cause and fix the problem. Time is of the essence, especially if the forecast calls for severe weather conditions.

The good news is that modern ships are designed with a safety margin. Many systems have backups: if one pump stops, you start the second one. If one generator fails, you switch to another. This means you can take the faulty unit offline, replace it, and repair it without worry while the ship continues on its set course.

But that’s when it comes to auxiliary systems. With the main engine, things are much more complicated. A main engine failure is arguably one of the most serious scenarios. The ship loses propulsion and, consequently, its ability to steer. This is especially dangerous in stormy weather: the ship begins to turn broadside to the waves, the list increases, and the situation escalates like a snowball.

— Why might the main engine fail? Have you ever experienced such disasters in over 10 years of work?

I’ll say right away that I’ve never experienced anything like that on my voyages. As I mentioned, there have been situations that could have led to the main engine failing, but we caught the problems in time and fixed them.

There’s a whole list of reasons why an engine might fail, but in practice, two main groups of problems occur most frequently. The first is fuel quality and fuel system components. Fuel varies: sometimes it contains impurities, sometimes water. And if the injectors or high-pressure fuel pumps start malfunctioning, the combustion process is disrupted. Overheating begins, and cylinder pressure fluctuates. If the problem isn’t detected in time, it can lead to engine overheating, which will eventually cause the engine to seize up and fail.

The second common problem is turbocharger surge. When the air supply system operates intermittently, the pressure changes abruptly and the turbine begins to “choke.” You can hear it: the engine starts to run erratically, and a characteristic sound similar to a muffled knock appears.

Overall, maritime transport is now much safer from a technical standpoint. But other challenges haven’t gone away—for example, piracy.

— Piracy sounds more like the plot of a treasure movie! Do crews really face this in our day and age? And if so, what happens when someone tries to hijack a ship?

I understand your surprise. When I first started out, I, too, thought piracy was a thing of the past. But, unfortunately, it’s a reality. There are still areas in the world—especially off the coast of Africa and in some parts of Asia—where this happens. And these aren’t lighthearted tales of sabers and parrots. These are organized groups that hijack ships to demand a ransom for the crew or cargo. And when a shipowner decides to sail through such areas, they understand the risks involved.

Preparations begin long before the ship enters a dangerous area. Usually, private security is hired—professionals who accompany the ship and assist the crew. They conduct briefings and explain scenarios: what to do if we see approaching boats, how to defend ourselves, and how to avoid panicking.

Next comes the physical preparation of the ship itself. We set up barricades and block access to the superstructure, where the bridge and cabins are located. Barbed wire is strung along the railings, and all portholes are locked from the inside. Barbed wire can also be wrapped around the ship’s perimeter to make it harder to climb onto the deck. We position fire hydrants at the approaches and connect a fire pump—so we can spray attackers with water from the ship if they try to climb aboard.

The main objective in such a situation is to prevent them from getting inside the vessel. The longer they try to break through from the outside, the more time we have to send a distress signal, contact the shore, and wait for backup. Meanwhile, the crew gathers in a predetermined safe location—usually a special shelter inside the ship where there is communication, water, and a supply of provisions. We lock ourselves in from the inside, maintain contact with the outside world, and wait.

— So, it turns out that a mechanic isn’t just an engineer, but also a fighter—both physically and psychologically. And how is such a specialist trained in general?

First, you get a basic technical education—you study the structure of ships, engines, electrical equipment, systems, and blueprints. Then you have to go to sea, because any profession on a ship can only truly be mastered through hands-on experience.

But it’s very difficult for a young specialist to get on their first voyage. That was the case in the early 2010s when I was starting out, and now it’s become even harder. In the maritime industry, as everywhere else, there’s a paradoxical rule: to get a job, you need experience, but to gain experience, you need a job. However, if you manage to get on a ship and prove yourself, your next contract won’t be long in coming.

That said, working at sea requires a high degree of psychological resilience. Even without emergencies, spending a long time away from home, in a confined space, and surrounded by the same people puts a serious strain on your mental health. You need to be able to control your emotions, stay calm in difficult situations, and work as part of a team.

In addition, knowledge of English is now mandatory for working on international vessels. For Ukrainian seafarers, international voyages remain one of the main avenues for professional development, and English is becoming an essential tool of the trade, as all communications, technical documentation, and safety on board rely on it.

— Ukraine is considered one of the countries that trains highly skilled professionals for the maritime industry. Why are Ukrainian seafarers in such high demand among international companies? What is your strength?

That’s a good question. Indeed, Ukrainian seafarers are highly valued around the world. I think there are several reasons for this. The first is education. We have strong maritime higher education institutions that train specialists with a solid technical foundation—institutions that many young men dream of attending from childhood.

The second reason is the transfer of experience. Experienced seafarers return from voyages and very often join these institutions as instructors. There are even those who combine teaching with working on voyages.

The third reason is versatility. Our young men often know how to do everything: lathe work, welding, and electrical work. Not because we’re somehow special, but because that’s how it has historically developed. And shipowners appreciate this, since having one versatile specialist results in significant cost savings.

And the fourth reason is their attitude toward work. Ukrainian seafarers are responsible, reliable, and unafraid of challenges. We know the value of money; we know that a career in this profession is built over many years. That’s why, when someone enters this field, they truly commit themselves to it.

So, the strength of Ukrainian seafarers lies in their education, experience, versatility, and work ethic. And I’m proud to be a Ukrainian seafarer.