SMT’s expert trainer with a love for Adventures in Antarctica

Ben Tucker has now spent seven summers over nine years, starting in 2015, working in Antarctica. He has taken charter boats to the Antarctic Peninsula and worked for the Australian Antarctic Division on inflatables and barges, transferring cargo from the Aurora Australis to shore, including handling up to one million litres of fuel.

Ben’s sense of Antarctic adventure began in 2006 when he sailed his yacht from Hobart to Mason Hut. Before that, in 2000, he completed a single-handed trans-Tasman voyage on his 26-foot folk boat.

Growing up, Ben sailed with his family and worked on fishing trawlers and crayfishing boats in New Zealand. His first major role was with P&O as a Navigation Officer on 250-meter container ships. He also worked in the Pacific on the ‘Soren Larsen’ and served as a rigger on the restoration of the historic 100-foot sailing ship ‘James Craig,’ originally built in 1874.

In his spare time, Ben enjoys rock climbing, sea kayaking, and sailing smaller boats. He appreciates smaller boats because of the close contact with the ocean they provide.

Ben has been training with Seafood and Maritime Training since 2007. He enjoys helping people develop their skills and knowledge to receive the qualifications they need for their career.