Meet Alessandro: Exploring the future of electrical systems

With a fascination for the electrical world and a drive to explore new ideas, an internship-opportunity led Alessandro from Northern Italy to the fjords of Ålesund. His time at Vard Electro has given him both insight into the maritime industry and hands-on experience with innovative energy solutions.

08. April 2026

A passion for engineering and electrification

Alessandro grew up with a strong interest in how electrical systems shape the world around us. This led him to study Electrical Energy and Systems Engineering at the University of Trieste in Italy.

“I’ve always been fascinated by the electrical world and its ramifications. It combines advanced math and physics with the most cutting-edge technologies, which are both my passions.”, Alessandro says.

A chance he knew he had to take

While looking for a company for his Erasmus internship, he was encouraged by his professor to explore the opportunities in Vard Electro.

He already knew VARD through its role on the advisory board for his degree, and the chance to join a global maritime technology company aligned perfectly with his ambition. The decision was easy, and by January he had moved to Ålesund in Norway.

People powering
possibilities

During his time at Vard Electro, Alessandro joined the SeaQ Power team, where he worked on a project with direct impact on real vessel operations.

His main task was to develop a tool that estimates fuel consumption for advanced ships using real navigation data. It was both challenging and rewarding, and the project brought together engineering theory, programming, and practical maritime insight.

“It taught me a lot about the industry,” he says. “Knowing that my work contributes directly to the design process keeps me motivated.”

He has appreciated the collaborative working environment, and how colleagues work together to solve technological challenges.

A win-win situation

Martin Skaar Vadset, Product Lead SeaQ Power, has been one of Alessandros supervisors during his stay at Vard Electro. He emphasizes the strong contribution Alessandro has made to the team:

"I believe having interns like Alessandro is a great learning experience for both sides, and shows how well the collaboration between industry and university works. He has approached every task with a positive mindset, taken on the challenges we have given him, and even ended up creating a useful tool we can apply internally."

Living between mountains, fjords and city life

Moving to Ålesund was an experience in itself, with its nature, fjords, and mountains. The city has made a strong impression on Alessandro, who enjoys going on hikes during the weekends to explore new places. He also mentions that working here is very interesting because of the ecosystem of high value-added innovative industries. He is convinced that this is an ideal place to pursue a career, especially in the maritime industry.