Meet the Team: Captain Mikhail Koziar
Born and raised in Kirovskii, a town in Russia’s Primorsky region, Mikhail Koziar never expected to become a seafarer. In fact, it was by chance that he discovered the irresistible pull of the ocean. As a winner of a regional competition, Mikhail received a two week sea cruise through the Far East, calling at ports in Japan and South Korea. This journey changed everything. The rhythm of life at sea, the vast horizons, and the romance of maritime travel left a lasting impression. “Since that time, I fell in love with the maritime world,” he recalls, and he decided to become a seaman.
Today, Mikhail calls Vladivostok home, where he lives with his wife and three children. For the past nine years, he has sailed with Scorpio, joining in November 2015 as 1st Officer on STI Connaught, then progressing to Chief Officer, and ultimately being promoted to Master of STI Seneca in March 2021.
In his current role, Capt. Koziar sees himself not only as a ship’s master, but also as a caretaker and leader. As the owner’s representative onboard, he is responsible for the safe operation of the vessel while ensuring that the crew works in a positive, supportive environment. “Caring about every person onboard is essential,” he notes, emphasising that strong leadership goes hand-in-hand with empathy and clear communication, especially within multicultural crews.
Capt. Kozair strongly believes in continuous learning and encourages others to keep training. Maritime expertise is an ongoing process, he says, and takes every opportunity to develop both technically and personally. Alongside mandatory certification under STCW, he has completed certifications in cross‑cultural leadership and operating in polar waters–skills he considers essential. For Mikhail, staying curious and committed to self‑improvement is key to remaining an effective leader at sea.
Seafaring is a demanding profession, but Capt. Koziar describes the possibility to travel the world for your job “a dream come true for many.” Listing the competitive salary and attractive benefits that make it financially rewarding, he highlights the unique sense of camaraderie among seafarers that creates a special community and lifelong friendships that other jobs can’t provide. While port stays are often intense and demanding, the open sea gives Mikhail something he values deeply: a front row view to “nature’s most awe-inspiring spectacles,” especially whales breaching, dolphins racing alongside the ship, and the surreal glow of bioluminescence at night. For Mikhail, these moments never lose their magic, and are a reminder of why the profession continues to inspire him.
Long stretches at sea allows him time to read, watch movies, exercise in the gym, and stay connected with family through internet phone calls – a service he is grateful for and considers vital for mental health. Over his career with Scorpio, Capt. Koziar has had “a lot of happy memories,” notably his promotion to Master. His happiest memory, however, was a birthday surprise while in Mombasa, when his captain arranged for his day off and booked for him a safari excursion in Kenya’s national park, spending the full day seeing wild animals!
Guided by his passion for the next horizon, Capt. Mikhail Koziar weathers the difficulties of this demanding profession, thanks to the incredible experiences it offers.
Captain Q&A
What valuable lesson have you learned in your career?Gaining Experience consists of successes and mistakes. Nobody is perfect, and many people make a mistake at some point in their career. Learning from them is an essential part of the process to develop yourself as a professional.
What advice would you give to seafarers starting their career?
Strong professional knowledge is necessary to be a competitive professional. So, use every opportunity to gain skills and abilities, which is a non-stop process.
This article featured in Beacon 30, Scorpio seafarers can access and download all issues of the Beacon from DocMap while onboard.
