Rolls Royce humms at Walvis syncrolift
From left to right: Patrick Adam (Rolls Royce Service Centre Manager Namibia & Ivory Coast), with Teopolina Shilongo, Joseph Nendongo, Erwin Keiseb, Jacobus Jacobus and Silas Shihepo, all from EBH Namibia. On the far right are Svein-Magne Ripe and Odd M. Tvedt, both from Rolls Royce.
The four-man team was chosen along with three Rolls Royce trainees, to undergo a training programme at Rolls Royce’s engine factory in Bergen, Norway, from 10 August to 04 September 2015.
“Our partnership with Rolls Royce is of significant strategic importance to EBH Namibia, and the training that our employees have received is invaluable in terms of the transference of globally sought-after skills,” said Hannes Uys, Chief Executive Officer of EBH Namibia.
“Serving the African market via our Namibian service hub, is a key part of our strategy to provide a good service in every port, every day. To live up to our own set of high standards we need to invest in our relationship with our partners and invest in our employees,” said Patrick Adam, Service Centre Manager Africa: Rolls Royce.
“Together with EBH we now have seven engineers trained who will be able to provide all required service and overhaul work on board our joint customers’ vessels.”
The three trainees from Rolls Royce – Nestor Ndapuka, Sethole Montonane and Brian Profitt – and four trainees from EBH Namibia – Jacobus Jacobus, Joseph Nendongo, Silas Shihepo and Teopolina Shilongo – were joined by EBH Namibia’s HR Manager Patrick Chizabulyo, Mechanical Superintendent Erwin Keiseb, and Rolls Royce’s Patrick Adam.
Chizabulyo described the training as “an important milestone” in the mutually beneficial relationship between EBH Namibia and Rolls Royce.
“An important part of our value offering to our customers is to find synergistic partnerships with other players in the industry and to leverage off each other’s expertise. The training that our employees received will enable them to assist our partners, Rolls Royce, in the repair and overhaul of Bergen engines, and will also enhance our own skills base at EBH Namibia,” he said.
Based on an agreement which was signed in early 2011, Rolls Royce, under its marine division Marine & Industrial Power Systems (MIPS), has been operating a dedicated servicing hub at EBH Namibia’s Walvis Bay facility. EBH Namibia has been providing artisanal and semi-skilled labour, working alongside Rolls Royce technicians in propulsion and related mechanical work.
The newly-acquired skills will enhance Rolls Royce and EBH Namibia’s position to tender for Bergen overhaul work in the future.
“Rolls Royce proposed that EBH Namibia nominate employees to attend training at their Bergen Engines facility in Norway,” explained Chizabulyo.
The training programme for EBH Namibia was extremely comprehensive, and included basic electrical and control systems, mechanical adjustments and start-up procedures, the maintenance of water and oil pumps, the overhaul of cylinder heads and valves, assembly line training and an introduction to gas engines.
“It was a fascinating experience, for those of us from EBH Namibia, to experience the world class expertise of Rolls Royce first-hand, and we were overwhelmed by the positive and welcoming culture at their Bergen facility,” commented Chizabulyo.
