What do you do when you retire? Some people would take the 'easy life', reminiscing about the good, old days or catching up I with friends at the local coffee shop. Some may play golf, fish or upgrade their tech skills.

Others have come to the conclusion that they need to give back to their country There is a wealth of incredibly 'retired' talent that unfortunately is not always being 'tapped into'.

One group has decided to do something about it. Two retired maritime experts have teamed together to form a truly Bruneian maritime provider company They want to share their experience and expertise to enhance and assist in coaching the next batch of Bruneians willing to plunge into a maritime future.

These pioneers also hope to create more opportunities by working with and complementing a range of like-minded Bruneian companies. They want to contribute significantly towards the national vision known as Wawasan Brunei 2035; by making a difference to the dwindling maritime employment that is currently plaguing the nation.

The two 'pioneers' are Captain Chris Newn and Captain Embran Momin; both qualified Master Mariners and retired Heads of Marine for Brunei Shell.They have over 70 years of maritime experience between them in the deep sea and, the oil and gas industry.

"Years of experience would be wasted if we did not give something back to Brunei and its maritime sector. Our experience adds value if passed on and used for developing the future generation," said Captain Chris.

As it stands, there is a genuine interest by concerned Bruneians in trying to rediscover the maritime heritage of Brunei. Their company, Eco Maritime Services Sdn Bhd, has a vision statement of 'Truly Bruneian, steering Brunei's maritime future'. Its main focus is on working with other Bruneian companies to provide the maritime expertise and consultancy 'in country' rather than outsourcing from neighbouring countries.

With the upcoming development of the Bruneian Naval School, there is obviously a keen desire to create a maritime 'hub' for the Asian region based in Brunei. Developments on PMB will also create opportunities for local maritime companies to become involved in another chapter in Brunei's future.

These pioneers, outside of their maritime expertise, have also expressed some fairly innovative ideas on recruitment to the maritime/oil and gas sector. As they have noted 'past is past', the youth, Generation Y and M, need a more appealing base for working in the maritime industry with 'in country' training, transferable skills and career options at the forefront. These retirees are now focusing on this problem and are assembling marketing strategies that are hopefully beneficial and appealing to this younger demographic. As Captain Embran said, "There is a huge upcoming retirement of the large maritime workforce worldwide, known as the 'Baby Boomers' and if this is not addressed, then who is going to run our maritime industry?"

Massive waves, oil spills and lonely times are three images that many people have of life at sea but as Captain Embran noted, "There is so much more to life at sea. An offshore/ onshore job rotation system can enable a more comfortable 'time at sea' period and allow seafarers more time with family."

Is it crazy to do something that is not viewed as normal? Why not retire and live peacefully? Or... Why not do something that will assist, encourage and give hope to Bruneian youth, revitalise the Bruneian maritime sector and allow Bruneians to occupy positions rather than outsourcing personnel from neighbouring countries?

Retirees have a great deal to offer and hopefully will be encouraged to just do it!