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The MS EUROPA rotates two Captains for the ship, each spending around three months aboard. Around three months of land based head-office and promotional work is additionally performed annually. The Captains are:
Friedrich Jan Akkermann
Friedrich Jan Akkermann was born in September 1960 on the German island of Borkum. In a family that has had captains for twelve generations, it is not astonishing that he already knew as a child what his occupation would likely be. He started his education as a seaman for Hapag-Lloyd in 1977. From 1983 to 1986 he studied at the University of maritime Sciences in Leer, Germany, and graduated as a maritime officer. Then, he came to Hamburg and studied at the School of Applied Sciences in Hamburg where he graduated as a maritime engineer. He started his professional career as Third Officer in the late 1980's. His double education allowed him to work as both, maritime officer and maritime engineer. After two breaks shore side, he was promoted Captain on the cargo vessel Hongkong Express in 1998. In 2000, he supervised the building of H-L Rotterdam Express cargo ship in South Korea. After this Akkermann took the command of MS BREMEN, his first cruise ship. Since 2002, he is master of MS EUROPA. Mastering a cruise ship means a fascinating new challenge to him, with contact to many people and ports, that no cargo ship will ever visit. In his spare time, Friedrich Jan Akkermann, a former volleyball and handball player, enjoys all kinds of water sports and relaxes with tai chi, while listening to various kinds of music. Being a passionate photographer, his favorite pictures show his wife Susanne and his children Matthias and Caroline, born in 1996 and 2000. They help their father stay in shape during his time at home.
Hagen Damaschke Born October 30, 1963. Berlin, Germany. It was his grandfather, an owner of several ships who inspired him to choose a nautical career. In 1980 he began his education as an able-bodied seaman, and a year later he set sail on his first passage with a freighter and continued on container ships working also as a bosun. Studies from 1988 until 1991 resulted in ''Diplom Verkehrsingenieur" from the prestigious ''Hochschule fur Seefahrt" in Warnemunde. He then worked for several years as a nautical officer and safety officer on modern container ships until 1994 when he began a second education in finance. However the call of the sea was very strong and so he began on the MV Bremen as nautical officer until 1998. Promoted to Staff Captain in 1998 he worked on all four Hapag-Lloyd ships, Europa, Hanseatic, Bremen and Columbus. In May 2001 he took the command of the Bremen for the first time and also Captained the Hanseatic. Mr. Damaschke became very experienced with the world's most difficult regions such as Antarctica, the Northwest Passage and Spitzbergen. Command of the Hapag-Lloyd flag ship MV EUROPA began early in 2003. Still living in Berlin, in his spare time he loves to sail, surf and snow ski. A champion of children's charities, the affable Captain is a very polished public speaker. When you meet Captain Damaschke ask him his cat story, it is very funny.
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