Benoit Hebert Polar Consulting
Polar Navigation
Benoit Hebert
Australian and French National
Based in Tasmania, Australia
35 years at sea,17 in polar areas
Qualifications
Ship Master Certificate (unlimited)
French Merchant Navy Dual Purpose Officer Certificate
Nautical Institute Ice Navigator Level 2 Certificate
Career Summary
I started my sea going career in the early 80's with yachts deliveries and as a skipper in sailing schools where I spent four fantastic years onboard PEN DUICK VI between Europe and The Caribbean.
At the end of the golden years in professional yachting, I shifted to the Offshore Industry and joined FERONIA INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING where I worked as Master on a wide variety of Supply Vessels. This was also my first opportunity to serve onboard L'ASTROLABE as Chief Officer.
I did my apprenticeship of ice navigation and gained a wealth of experience at a time where navigational aids for polar vessel were very limited.
After another move to New Caledonia, where I spent ten years as Master on passengers ferries and coasters, I went back to the polar navigation.
In 2007, I joined P&O Maritime Services, an Australian company which owned and operated Polar Supply Vessels L'ASTROLABE and AURORA AUSTRALIS, respectively chartered by the French Polar Institute (IPEV) and the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD).
Serving as Master on these two icebreakers allowed me to build up a solid experience in polar navigation along with a specific knowledge of Antarctic regions such as the Ninis and Mertz Glaciers areas, theTerre Adelie (French base Dumont Durville), the Totten Glacier and Dayton Polynia areas, the Australian bases (Casey, Davis and Mawson) off Wilkes Land, Queen Mary Land, Shakelton Ice Shelf, West Ice Shelf and Amery Ice Shelf.
The resupply of Macquarie Island, an Australian Sub-Antarctic island, was also regularly included in our voyages plans.
During my time working in the Maritime Industry, I mainly occupied the position of Ship Master but I also had to set up and implement maintenance and safety management programs along with drydocks or lay up works supervision.
I was also involved in ship replacement projects which gave me the opportunity to travel to Finland where I met with the worldwide renowned specialists of icebreakers and polar ships design such as Aker Artic Technology and STX Finland.