Run, ride and row the tow

While undertaking the final chapter of the Northern Endeavour’s journey, the eight-person emergency boarding team on board the tow vessel, a combined group from the customer and Monadelphous launched a unique fitness challenge to match the vessel’s distance on cardio machines.

The initiative was first suggested by Tamati Roberts, who originally began on the Northern Endeavour as a Monadelphous INLEC and sailed as part of the crew. His idea quickly brought the team together, and soon after, the DOF vessel crew joined in as well, adding their own kilometres to the effort.

The challenge set a collective target of 3,500 km over the course of the roughly 15-day transit, the equivalent of each person aiming for around 23 km a day.

What started as a small idea evolved to a vessel-wide effort, providing an outlet for the crew to pass the time and maintain physical conditioning. Initially conceived as a bit of fun, the challenge had a number of positive side-effects including keeping the crew alert during the long voyage, providing motivation and morale with a shared focus each day and strengthening the bonds between the different companies and personnel on board.

The Northern Endeavour was towed to Singapore to strengthen and repaint the hull ahead of the final leg of its journey to Denmark for recycling.