Subsea Student becomes Aquaculture Engineer

In June 2015, we met Håkon Lerøy Riple while he was studying Underwater Technology and dreamed about a career in the maritime industry. Now he has found his place – working with maritime challenges for the aquaculture industry.

Håkon Lerøy Riple completed his Bachelor programme in Underwater Technology at Bergen University College (now Western Norway University of Applied Sciences) last year. With classmate Emil Halseth Hansen, he wrote the Bachelor’s thesis – Conceptual Study of Permanently Deployed Underwater Vehicles.

During this work, they were given valuable input and guidance from GCE Subsea and GCE Subsea member companies. Today, Håkon works at Marine Construction AS, providing products and services for the international aquaculture industry.

Product Development

Marine Construction is a leading producer of fish cage systems and feed barges. – I work in the engineering department, mostly involved with new product development, modifications of existing products and documentation and manuals. I am directly applying some of the theory I learned during my studies, like for example mechanics, mathematics, statistics, 2D and 3D design and modelling and stress calculations. To assist me in my work I use tools like AutoDesk Inventor and MathCAD, says Håkon.

Marine Construction has many customers with specific needs for tailor-made solutions. This is because many of the fish farm locations have local constraints and special environmental issues to be considered. – Due to this fact, I am also involved with frequent customer contact, which I find very useful and rewarding, Håkon continues.

Fabrication

Marine Construction has its own fabrication facilities on the premises. Håkon explains; – This makes it easy for me to follow up the actual manufacturing of things we have designed in the engineering department. For me, as a young engineer, it is very educational to be able to have this short distance between the ‘drawing board’ and the ‘proof of the pudding’ so to speak. This way we have short feedback loops in terms of making necessary changes for optimising the solutions.

Diversity

Even though Marine Construction have a strong international market position, the company is relatively small in terms of number of employees.

Håkon elaborates; – Because of this my daily work is very varied and this way I learn a lot about the whole value chain. For example, I also take part in purchasing and vendor management, commissioning and on-site installation on feed barges, and even botswain work sailing from Poland to Norway on vessels owned by our daughter company Risnes Marine Craft.

All of this gives me a very good insight into the total scope of the business, which is good experience to bring with me for the future. Håkon continues; – I am still keeping in touch with Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, and currently I am co-supervising three bachelor theses for them.