Off Course (S4 E3) Captain Phil Day, master mariner and director of operations, Northern Lighthouse Board

🛟 Off Course: a sideways look at life at sea 

🎙️During this season of Off Course, we will be interviewing some incredible seafarers who have a real focus on the environment and sustainability.

In this episode, our host Helen Kelly speaks to Captain Phil Day . A master mariner with 20 years’ seagoing experience, he has a HND in nautical science and, in 2025, was awarded the UK Merchant Navy Medal. Captain Day is currently Director of Operations for the Northern Lighthouse Board, responsible for all aspects of marine and engineering operations. In this episode of Off Course, we hear about his incredible career in the maritime industry – which began in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, offering professional guidance to aspiring mariners – as well as his thoughts on the industry's transition to new fuels. 

Below is a link to a recent interview Captain Day did with Nautilus.

https://www.nautilusint.org/en/news-insight/telegraph/from-dirty-british-coaster-to-maritime-medal-nautilus-member-phil-days-journey-at-sea/

Don’t forget to hit that subscribe button and notification bell to stay up to date with all things Nautilus! 

For the latest Off Course updates, follow Nautilus International on social channels everywhere, @nautilusint

Nautilus International is an independent, influential, global trade union and professional organisation that works with members, the maritime community, national governments and international agencies to create change and promote the sector, improving the lives of maritime professionals. We represent 18,000 maritime professionals, including ship masters (captains), officers, officer trainees (cadets) and shipping industry personnel, such as ship pilots, inland navigation workers, vessel traffic services operators, harbourmasters, seafarers in the oil and gas industry, and shore-based staff.

👉 JOIN NAUTILUS INTERNATIONAL

For help and assistance at sea and ashore.

www.nautilusint.org/en/join/join-online/

Soundbites 

(00:00) Intro to Season Four 

(01:38) Introducing Captain Phil Day  

(02:38) Captain Phil Day ’s cadetship with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary

(07:07) The Northern Lighthouse Board and what it does 

(11:00) Captain Phil Day ’s family history within the maritime industry 

(12:58) Changes to the maritime industry  

(18:20) Off Course recap 

(18:55) Captain Phil Day ’s earlier career working on shuttle tankers 

(22:02) The maritime transition to new fuels and transferring skills 

(27:25) Captain Phil Day  being awarded the Merchant Navy Medal

(29:45) Advice for future seafarers 

(32:00) Outro