Elias Vanhaverbeke graduated cum laude in 2018 in the field of nautical sciences at the Antwerp Maritime Academy. His thesis consisted of a research about TMAS around the world and a vision for the future around this subject. After graduation, he had a short, although varied, career at sea on board of different kinds of vessels among which was a cargo ship, a research vessel, a tugboat and various dregdging vessels. In November 2020, Elias left the sailor’s life to settle down near his hometown in Zwarteleen (Belgium) with his spouse Mien Verstraete.