The meeting gave Jan Erik an introduction to Odfjell’s Manila set-up and the people behind our crewing, management support, and Crew and Family Services teams. It was also a chance to sit down, exchange perspectives and discuss how Odfjell and the Norwegian Seamen’s Church, known in Norway as Sjømannskirken, can continue working together.
Welcoming a new chapter for Sjømannskirken in the Philippines
Internal News | 01.10.2026
From left to right: CFS TL Olive de Vera, OPI President/GM Agnes Enesio, HR Manager Julie Ann Ignacio, VP MPS Gunnar Moen, Stein Vangen, and Jan Erik Askjer
Our Manila office welcomed travelling chaplain Stein Vangen and his successor, Jan Erik Askjer, for a meeting with VP MPS Gunnar Moen, OPI GM/President Agnes Enesio, HR Manager Julie Ann Ignacio and CFS Team Leader Olive De Vera on September 29.
The visit also comes at the beginning of a new chapter. After more than two decades of service in the Philippines, Stein is preparing to retire and return permanently to Norway, while Jan Erik will take over as the country’s new travelling chaplain.
Since his assignment as the Seamen's Chaplain in the Philippines on 2018, Stein’s days have rarely looked the same. His work has taken him across the country to meet Norwegians from many different walks of life. Wherever the setting, his role has remained the same: to listen, offer support and make sure people do not have to face difficult situations alone.
Earlier this year, Stein’s longstanding service was recognized with the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit.
For Jan Erik, the visit offered an early look at Odfjell’s operations in Manila and the support systems surrounding our seafarers and their families. It was also an opportunity to begin building the relationships that will carry the cooperation forward.
We thank Stein for his many years of dedicated service and wish him all the best for his return to Norway. At the same time, we warmly welcome Jan Erik and look forward to working with him in the years ahead.
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