---

OW Bunker, one of the world’s leading suppliers and traders of marine fuel, has today announced that a further nine people have graduated from its intensive two year graduate training programme.

The course, which was established in 2006 serves to bring in graduates from outside of the industry as a means of finding exceptional talent that serves to set new benchmarks for excellence, drive progression, as well as increase levels of professionalism and customer service.

Nine employees have graduated in 2010, taking the total number to nearly 30 since the inception of the course four years ago. Candidates are selected from around the world based on their ability and potential.

"The programme is designed to ensure a continual stream of talent and dynamism coming through the ranks of the company, and to ensure that standards of customer service are not only maintained, but also improved. Customers benefit from the knowledge that new people coming into the business have a thorough understanding of the market, as well as their issues and challenges; the foundation for building successful relationships," OW Bunker said in a statement.

The intensive two year programme trains and provides the graduates with experience in all areas of bunkering and fuel supply. This includes modules on training, sales and customer service with specialist external consultants, risk management and hedging practices, credit management policies, an introduction to the technicalities of fuel supply - such as how to blend oil - and the complexities of various fuel grades, as well as a week long external bunkering course on all aspects of the industry.

They are also given a detailed insight into the OW Bunker brand, its values, business strategy and plans for future growth. All graduates will spend a period of up to six months abroad where they will put into practice what they have learned under the guidance of their individual mentors.

Commenting on the graduate training programme Marianne Schrøder, HR Director, OW Bunker, said: “We are always looking for people that have the intelligence, drive, ambition and confidence to work for us. This trainee programme is the ideal platform for not only introducing potential employees to the dynamics of the industry and how we work as a business, but the intensive nature of the course ensures that there is a natural affinity between the people that graduate and the internal culture of the company, setting us apart from the competition.

"One of the greatest challenges in the industry is finding talented individuals, but the development of this programme has ensured that OW Bunker has a real pipeline of quality people coming into the business, which is a central ingredient to continual success,” Schrøder said.