Thorleif Thorleifsson

Meet our 2022 Summer Interns

This summer we’ve had five summer interns working together with us. We sat down with them to learn more about what they’ve been doing this summer, and what plans they have for the future!

What have you been working with this summer?

Espen: This summer I have been working on a lot of different projects. I have been working with map data and making sure that our map layers are good. I have also been working with some data analysis connected to the routing engine and the ports we have in our database.

Thomas & Simen: We have been building a machine learning model that predicts vessel destinations based on historical data. The work builds on several Master’s Theses written on the topic in association with Maritime Optima.

Daniel: I have been working a lot with port data this summer, editing and making sure the data we have on ports all around the globe are correct. In order for me to do that, I have used several computer programs and tools to give us as good data as we can.  

Line: This summer I have been working on filming and editing interviews of the employees and taking their portrait pictures. I have also visited Drammen Port with Ragnar, and I got to photograph two of their ships. Right now I am working on making introduction videos for the Maritime Optima team.

What have you learnt by working here?

Simen: The main takeaway from working at Maritime Optima the summer of 2022, has been the value of building semi-automatic labelling tools for data quality purposes before training machine learning models. The tools have offered significant predictive value.

Thomas: I have gained valuable insight into applying machine learning to real-world problems. At university, we are given isolated tasks with clear goals that are known to be achievable ahead of time, and this stands in stark contrast to reality. At Maritime Optima our work has been in service of the larger vision of the company, and it has been a good learning experience to apply my skills in this context.

Espen: I have learnt a lot about the maritime industry and how our product can have a real impact on the industry. I have also learnt a lot about data analysis and how to use different software.

Daniel: I have learned a lot about shipping ports, how vessels communicate and report where they are going and how that data is essential to a service like Maritime Optima. I have also learned how there are many different skills needed to effectively solve problems.

Line: I have learned about marketing strategies and how content marketing influences users. It is really exciting to see how the small details in every content make a huge difference in the final result. I have also learned more about the maritime industry during my time at Maritime Optima. I admire how this company has such an important impact on the industry. The maritime world is something that influences all of our lives every day, whether you are aware of it or not.

What’s most exciting about working here?

Line: I enjoy being able to be creative at my job and having the opportunity to explore different and new ways to work, both as an individual and in a team. The Maritime Optima team is very supportive and has taken great care of me as a new intern.

Simen: The most exciting part of working at Maritime Optima this summer has been working with real-life data and capturing insights in collaboration with industry experts. This has allowed us to make informed decisions on how to transform and clean the data before feeding it into machine learning models.

Daniel: Maritime Optima gives me a great opportunity to learn about how software and expertise are used to create real-life and useful applications, like what Maritime Optima makes. This company has also given me a huge insight into all the thousands of pieces that together make the shipping industry and it is cool to learn about it.

Espen: The most exciting part about working with Maritime Optima is that the product is a very complex and interesting product that could change the whole industry. The company has a chance to make a difference in the maritime industry, and the team is a hardworking and great team to do so.

Thomas: The most exciting part of working at Maritime Optima this summer has been the discussions with Simen and the rest of the team around the data. We are excited to be at a point where the data pipeline is mature enough to allow for machine learning to be applied, and this has resulted in a motivating atmosphere.

What are your plans after graduation?

Thomas: After my graduation, I want to work as a backend developer processing large amounts of data in interesting ways, and solving complicated problems with code.

Espen: After my graduation, I want to work in a law firm in Oslo as an associate. I want to work with business law and other similar areas that connect the law, business and the rest of society.

Simen: After my graduation, I am planning on working with data science in the maritime shipping industry. I believe there are many challenging and valuable problems to solve that I am excited to work on.

What are you looking for in a future employer?

Simen: I want to work for a company that is serious about working on challenging analytics projects in which they provide an abundance of data in a structured way. It would also be important that there is room for experimentation and that there is an experienced team from which one could learn industry practices.

Espen: I want to join an employer that has an exciting project with great people and a good working environment. I want to be part of a team that works on interesting projects. 

Thomas: A good employer has room for individuality, allowing for creative solutions. A leader that is excited about the task at hand and motivates the team is also important.

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