Not every journey starts with a dream. Sometimes, it begins with a quiet decision and becomes something more than you ever expected.

For Captain John Rey Pillo, becoming a seafarer wasn’t a childhood ambition. He grew up on a rice farm, planting in the fields and doing odd jobs to help support his family. But when the chance came to take the entrance exam to be an in-house cadet in Grieg Star via Grieg Philippines, he took it. He passed. Seventeen years later, he’s still here, just finishing his first full command as Master.

“I didn’t choose this company,” he says. “It was the first one I applied to. But when I started my journey here, I saw that working here is good. The discipline is good. The environment is good. I know I’m in a great company.”

He’s not the only one in his family to go to sea. His brother is a marine engineer—perhaps proof that some values run deep.

From the rice fields to the bridge

Pillo’s path to the bridge wasn’t straight. He studied engineering and marine transportation. What drew him to the deck was the people.

"As a deck officer, you meet people. Authorities. Agents. You interact. That’s more fun for me."

The contrast is striking. From the quiet fields of his childhood to the command of a modern vessel. From watching his father work the land to watching over an entire crew at sea. But through it all, the values stayed the same: hard work, calm under pressure, and looking out for others.

“Those hard times shaped me,” he says. “I’m not easily exhausted.”

Life on board as Master

These days, a typical day for Captain Pillo involves far more than navigation. As Master, his role is centred around coordination, communication, and planning.

“Most of the work is with the Chief Officer and the Chief Engineer,” he explains. “Planning operations, resolving any issues. Communicating with agents, authorities, port officials - especially when calling ports in Brazil or the US.”

There’s still navigation, especially during arrivals and departures. And when the junior officers are stretched thin, he steps in to help.

"Sometimes I take over their duties for a while so they can get proper rest. It’s about helping the team."

The balance of office work, navigation, and leadership is constant. But that’s exactly what makes the role meaningful.

Leadership: Calm, not loud

Captain Pillo has worked through every officer level, six years as Chief Officer, and says the move to Master is more about responsibility than power.

“You’re tempted to do it alone, but you realise your team is always involved. You listen to their input. It makes things better.”

He’s also honest about the emotional pressure that comes with leadership. There are moments when the stress is high, when people push your limits, where raising your voice might feel tempting.

“Yes, there is temptation. But we’ve had training. And that training really helped.”

He refers to sessions focused on emotional regulation and mental health - lessons on how stress responses work and how to manage them.

“We learned about amygdala hijack. If you speak with emotion, it doesn’t help. If you’re angry, pause. Then come back with a clear mind.”

Now, he chooses diplomacy when it comes to communicating under pressure - with shore offices, inspectors, or his crew.

“It’s better to stay calm. It works better for everyone.”

The life you build from the sea

Captain Pillo became a father while at sea. He missed the birth of his first child by one month. He vividly remembers the first time he left his young family:

“There were a day or two of sleepless nights,” he says. “But then you get used to it.”

Now he has two sons. And although he quips that he’d rather see them become doctors, he wouldn’t discourage them from following his path. If they wanted it, he would tell them the truth.

"This is the life. This is the reward. This is the hardship."

The reward is real. “You’re not there for birthdays or graduations,” he says. “But when you work onboard, you can build something. I can invest in my children. I can prepare for my future.”

Why Grieg Star and Grieg Philippines?

Pillo has never worked for another company, and never wanted to. He’s heard the stories about poor discipline and bad onboard culture elsewhere.

“I’ve seen none of that here,” he says. “No fighting. No chaos. People are happy. People are honest. If they make a mistake, they say it. That’s the kind of team you want.”

He’s served on nearly every vessel class in the fleet. Wherever he’s been, it’s been the same: clear standards, professional environment, mutual respect.

“When people are comfortable, small problems get reported early. That’s what makes it work.”

Ready to step up

As he prepared for his first full master role, Pillo was calm and ready. His mentor-captain left him a full list of routines. He used that as a base, then made it his own.

“You develop your own identity from there,” he says.

And for young seafarers considering the path he chose?

“I’d recommend it,” he says. “If it’s what you want—and you’re ready for both the reward and the hardship—this is a good place to be.”