‘A day in the Life’ at Elomatic
Kieran Barill, Project Manager, Subcontracts (Seaspan)
After more than a decade at Seaspan working on major Canadian government programmes, moving into an embedded role at Elomatic felt like a natural next step, both for my own role and for the long-standing partnership between the two organizations. During my time at Seaspan, I worked across multiple large-scale projects for the Canadian Coast Guard and Naval forces, with a particular focus on contract management and off-the-shelf procurement. Since 2021, Elomatic has been a key design and engineering partner to Seaspan on the Polar Icebreaker programme, contributing throughout the functional and production design phases. The award of the build phase contract in October 2025 has further strengthened this collaboration, as both teams now work side by side through construction.
As Project Manager for Subcontracts, embedded within Elomatic’s team in Finland, I now act as a bridge between two organizations and two continents, connecting Finnish design expertise with the Canadian shipbuilding team. With the Polar Icebreaker scheduled for delivery in 2031, it is a long-term programme that depends on trust, alignment and constant communication.
One of the biggest ongoing challenges is not just solving individual problems but maintaining continuous alignment across geographically separate teams.
For me, no two days are the same. Mornings are typically focused on delivery, tracking milestones, managing commercial matters and supporting progress across the project. While my Elomatic colleagues are deeply focused on the technical design, my responsibilities are focused on the commercial and project management side, ensuring the right frameworks are in place to support technical execution. A significant part of my role involves removing roadblocks, resolving issues early and helping maintain momentum across a complex and evolving project. As the day progresses, the focus often shifts across time zones, connecting with colleagues in Vancouver to align priorities and maintaining the project’s momentum.
One of the biggest ongoing challenges is not just solving individual problems but maintaining continuous alignment across geographically separate teams. In order to achieve this, a collaborative mindset is essential, and working in close proximity with Elomatic allows for open and clear discussions to happen in real time. That ability to engage directly, address challenges quickly, and work through issues together, is critical to the success of our partnership. The role requires a strong combination of commercial acumen, supply chain understanding and project management expertise. Autonomy is key, particularly when working across time zones, as decisions often need to be made quickly and with confidence.
For those aspiring to a similar career path in the maritime industry, the most important advice I can give is to get as close to the work as possible. Being embedded within a project team offers invaluable insight into the realities of design and delivery, enabling project managers to make more informed decisions, faster. Building strong relationships and operating as one integrated team leads to better results for everyone involved. Even without a technical background, taking the time to understand the rationale behind design decisions has significantly improved my judgement.
A particularly rewarding moment came with the completion of the functional design phase of the Polar Icebreaker project. This milestone represented the culmination of extensive work and tireless dedication by teams across the world. Achieving that together, and receiving validation from the client, was a proud moment, not just personally, but for everyone involved in the project.
Looking ahead, geopolitical developments will continue to shape the future of the maritime industry. As Arctic ice melts and new routes open, there is increasing demand for polar-capable vessels, driven not only by trade, but also by science and national security. The challenge will be scaling up production quickly enough to meet this demand. The Polar Icebreaker project serves as a strong example of how international collaboration can rise to meet these emerging needs.
Elomatic stands out as a partner not only because of its technical expertise, particularly in polar vessel design, but also for its people and culture. Personally, the warmth, kindness and strong sense of teamwork within Elomatic have made a real difference. Feeling welcomed makes the work more enjoyable and strengthens the partnership, ultimately contributing to better outcomes for the project as a whole.
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Elomatic is your partner in the development, engineering and construction of ships. With over 50 years of expertise in the engineering of various vessel types, including icebreakers, cruise ships and ferries, we provide a full range of engineering, consulting and project management services to support shipyards, shipowners and operators in ship engineering.