In the maritime industry, countless disciplines and innovations shape the sector. When Callum Morgan joined Conoship in September, he was stepping into the maritime world for the very first time. Curious about how his perspective would adapt, we captured his initial impressions and compared them with his reflections six months later, at the end of his internship.
As a third-year bachelor Hanze student in Mechanical Engineering, Callum joined Conoship in the middle of September 2025. He is a 21 year-old from Zimbabwe and joined the company to contribute his knowledge to Redox Flow Battery research.
Q1 — How would you describe your role to a friend?
“I am working on redox battery systems, and it involves breaking one system down and comparing it, calculating the energy cycles, mass transfer, thermodynamics and efficiency. Continuing redox flow battery work the previous intern did, I am adding to it by working on a separate part of the project, which is more of a practical based part.”
– September 2025
“Researching the implementation of the auxiliary systems for redox flow battery, the additional systems that are needed to change the overall outcome of previous implementation work, and I am helping with developing a test plan to test redox flow batteries on a hexapod”
– 6 months later
Q2 — Why did you choose Conoship International?
“My main interest lies in energy systems and renewable energy. Conoship popped up because it’s an industry I have never looked at before and the combination seems fun.”
– September 2025
“I realize I wanted to broaden my knowledge and work, while still doing mechanical engineering but in a non-mechanical engineering industry”
– 6 months later
Q3 — What were your first impressions of the Conoship office? And how have those changed?
“So far, if I have to sum it up, it would be very lively and diverse”
– September 2025
“Conoship has a very warm work culture, everyone is very friendly and happy to work together. There is also so much knowledge and experience in every room, all of it flows really easily.”
– 6 months later
Q4 — How’s your name-learning going? And have you learned any surprising things about your colleagues?
“Name learning is an awfully hard thing to do, however, I did learn that one of my colleagues is colourblind!”
– September 2025
“I think pretty well. I did learn more about my colleagues, like learning we now have a Conoship band and that there are surprisingly loads of people that play an instrument.”
– 6 months later
Q5 — If you could give yourself a ‘heads-up’, what would it be?
“Try not to feel pressured to look like you’re always doing something, you can walk around and chat to your colleagues.”
– September 2025
“Focus less on main project, only works for this case, but, spend more time going around and doing smaller things with other people, learn new things, and experience the industry.”
– 6 months later
Q6 — What were your work expectations when starting your internship? And have those changed?
“I thought it would be a lot more directed, as if someone would come in and tell me exactly what I needed to do, then I’d finish my work, present it and be done with the internship. I don’t think it’s like that at all, luckily.”
– September 2025
“My expectations definitely changed, it feels less like a place where people come to do work, and more like a place where people come to collaborate, instead of coming in to do your tasks and leaving.”
– 6 months later
Q7 — What’s a piece of advice that you’d give to a starting working-student?
“Try the best that you can to get an internship where you are doing something you enjoy. There’s nothing worse than being forced to do something you do not like doing for 8 hours a day.”
– September 2025
“Take advantage of the time you have here. Do stupid things, ask stupid questions, it is your chance to do it and no one is going to judge you.”
– 6 months later
Q8 — What’s your desired outcome of this project? And did it come true?
“When finished, I want to leave something that other people can use to improve ships, and implement redox flow battery into ships.”
– September 2025
“I think I definitely succeeded making at least some sort of impact, I don’t think I got the size of the impact that I was initially looking for but it’s a good starting point, somewhat of a half way point, that can lead to greater things.”
– 6 months later
It was great to see how students from other industries can contribute to the maritime industry. We wish Callum all the best and his work is definitely appreciated.
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