Massterly first female Captain; Elise Botngård
After a rather dreary and wet start of the day, the Norwegian weather swiftly transformed into sunshine, just in time to celebrate Elise Botngård’s inaugural day as captain of the battery-electric, autonomous cargo ship Therese. Despite feeling a little more nervous than usual, Elise, with the calmness only a true captain can master, sets sail.
Elise has served as the 1st officer with Massterly since August 2022. During these years, she has witnessed the onboard crew size decrease from 6 to 3 people, with another role being transferred to the remote control center this summer.
“Working for a company that puts autonomous technology into practical use has given me insight into how technology can revolutionize shipping,” Elise states. “Seeing how different solutions, when rightly implemented, can improve safety, efficiency, and sustainability in the marine industry.”
Tom Eystø, CEO of Massterly, congratulated Elise on her first voyage and expressed great appreciation for her contribution. “It is people like Elise who drive the business forward,” Tom says, “with open eyes, embracing technology and adopting new ways of working while asking critical questions.”
ASKO Terese: The battery-electric vessel Therese, along with her sister vessel Marit, has been in operation for 2 years, serving Norwegian grocery distributor ASKO. These two vessels play a vital role in achieving zero-emission logistics between ASKO’s major centers.