At Nippon Paint Marine, our technical service representatives ensure coatings perform reliably in the field. In this blog, we feature Kim Okkyu, Technical Service Representative (TSR) for Nippon Paint Marine Japan’s Technical Service Department. Originally from Jeonju, South Korea, Okkyu joined Nippon Paint Marine in 2017 and has since leveraged his marine coatings expertise to support a range of challenging projects.
From on-site quality control in Korean shipyards to supervising the painting of one of the world’s largest floating docks, Okkyu exemplifies our commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction.
Kim Okkyu, Technical Service Representative for Nippon Paint Marine Japan’s Technical Service Department
Since joining Nippon Paint Marine in 2017, I have continued to build on my experience in marine coatings. I began my career after university at a paint manufacturer in Korea, providing on-site quality control for ships. After a few years, I moved into a sales position. While I enjoyed the position there was a bit of an expectation gap and I was keen to return to a technically focused role. I chose Nippon Paint Marine in part because my wife is Japanese, which strengthened my desire to work in a role connected to Japan. This personal connection became a major catalyst for me to make the move.
In 2025, I was appointed leader of our Technical Service Representative team in Onomichi. In a workplace filled with many experienced colleagues, I strive to foster an atmosphere where work-related matters and even casual questions can be discussed freely. Teamwork is extremely important to me, and I place great emphasis on open communication within the team. On-site at shipyards, our technical service representatives can check the coating quality on vessels every day in real time, so I make sure to accurately communicate these results to other departments including sales and product development. By keeping everyone informed of on-site findings, we help ensure that any issues can be addressed quickly and that our coating solutions continue to meet the needs of each project.
One of the most interesting projects I have worked on is an enormous floating dock – one of the world’s largest – which is scheduled to be installed in The Bahamas this December. The dock was constructed at the CSSC Qingdao shipyard in China and I was involved from start to finish as a painting supervisor until January of this year.
This project was a truly international undertaking, involving collaboration across the globe: the sales were handled by our colleagues in the United Kingdom, the paint was supplied by our team in China and the order came from a client in the United States. I take great pride in having personally contributed to the construction of this record-setting floating dock and in knowing that our work has contributed to what is essentially the world’s largest marine plant.
As a TSR, I firmly believe that discussion is paramount to delivering customer satisfaction. The experts on site may have deep knowledge of paint application and technology, but the final outcome for any vessel involves many factors beyond just the paintwork – including the ship’s hull, machinery, cargo, and more. Our role is to provide the support and information that shipyard supervisors need to make the best decisions. Therefore, alongside our specialized paint knowledge, we make sure to deepen our understanding of a ship’s overall structure and functionality. By considering the bigger picture and communicating openly with all stakeholders, we help ensure that coating decisions are well-informed and optimal for each project.
When I first started working in Japan, I faced some significant challenges. Within three months of my arrival, I was entrusted to conduct site inspections on my own. At that time, my Japanese language skills were still quite limited, which sometimes made communication tricky. In a role where openness and discussion are so important, lessons were learned in this early period that I was able to deploy with my colleagues and our contractors, even as my Japanese improved. Where issues arose, I dedicated myself to thorough follow-up efforts and worked hard to resolve any issues. Thanks to these efforts, I was able to set things on a good course, and I even received recognition for how I managed the situation.
I am grateful for the opportunities for growth that Nippon Paint Marine has given me. As I have developed and applied those early lessons, I have been entrusted with further challenges. Nippon Paint Marine’s supportive culture has enabled me to continue to learn and improve and given me the confidence to explore ways to move my career forwards.
