ESVAGT helps the Fisheries and Maritime Museum keep the cutter, E1, afloat

ESVAGT’s Senior Club and the shipping company’s technical department will help keep the E1 afloat.

ESVAGT, the shipping company’s senior club and the Fisheries and Maritime Museum have joined forces to keep the fishing vessel museum, the E1, afloat.

The fishing vessel is an especially popular attraction for the museum, but it is also a demanding part of the exhibit, says museum curator, Merete Jankowski:
“The fishing vessel ’E1’ is a sailing piece of cultural heritage that tells an important story about the Port of Esbjerg, the Wadden Sea and the story of the fishing industry that is popular among locals and tourists alike,” she says:

“But it is also a vessel, so it needs to be certified and administrated according to all the rules. It also needs to be sailed properly and safely by professionals. We know a great deal about vessels and their history but not so much about sailing them. We reached out to ESVAGT because they know all about safety and sailing,” she says.

Helping with advice
ESVAGT has agreed to work together with the museum:
“It makes total sense for us to help maintain a part of local heritage that is close to ESVAGT’s heart,” says DCEO Kristian Ole Jakobsen.

The ’E1’ is currently sailed by small groups of volunteers made up of former fishermen and active sailors, and it has only been possible to sail 11 tourist trips in 2021. Members of ESVAGT’s senior club will now join the volunteers and become part of the pool of qualified helpers who can man the bridge.

The Senior Club is a club for current and former ESVAGT employees, and many of them are still very seaworthy.
“It will be a really good project to get together and work on, and there are plenty of sailor colleagues interested in helping out,” says Olavur Olsen, president of the ESVAGT Senior Club.
He expects 16-18 senior club members will be enough to ensure there is a crew for the ’E1’.

ESVAGT Ship Management will also support with technical advice:
“We will help with advice on maintenance and docking as well as providing support around operational safety,” says Claes Skov Jensen, Head of Ship Management:

“Current and former colleagues will be sailing the vessel and they will of course take the responsibility for the guests on board seriously. They will not sail unless the vessel is in good condition and we will help to ensure that it is,” he says.

Merete Jankowski pleased with the collaboration:
“The vessel enjoys a great deal of public interest both from locals and from tourists. I believe we will be able to fill the vessel with guests plenty of times throughout the summer period,” she says:
“It adds an extra dimension when it is the old salts – sailors who have seen and experienced it all – sailing around with our guests. It is 100 times more fun to sail with someone who knows about its history,” says Merete Jankowski.