Vasco Nascimento – Operations Deputy
“I know the terminal like the back of my hand”, says Vasco Nascimento, Operations Deputy at Alkion Terminal Lisbon (ATL). Vasco started working in Operations at ATL in 2010. He was promoted to a Deputy position last year, after sustaining a knee injury: “The doctor told me I couldn’t work in Operations anymore, as it involves a lot of walking.”
“I’d love to build more tanks. Building something from scratch, from paper to construction, and then seeing it in operation: that’s my favorite thing.”
It was Terminal Manager Diogo Godinho who suggested that Vasco move up to a management position. “We’ve been working together for thirteen, fourteen years – he was my Operations Manager. He offered me this opportunity and I said yes, of course.”
That doesn’t mean that Vasco spends all his time at the office nowadays: “99% of the time, I’m at the terminal. I’m the connection point between the terminal and the office. I oversee all the projects, operations, maintenance and logistics. I like to work in the field, to connect with people, to see how the terminal is doing and how projects are developing.”
So what’s the key to efficient and excellent operations? “First of all, you have to have a good team. A good team makes the work easy. And you need trust. “A terminal is a demanding work environment, so you need to be able to trust each other and prioritize safety.”
In the future, Vasco wants to see his terminal grow: “I’d love to build more tanks. Building something from scratch, from paper to construction, and then seeing it in operation: that’s my favorite thing.”