Captain Hans Sande is CEO of the Norwegian Maritime Officer Association (NSOF) and President of the International Shipmaster Federations (IFSMA). He began his career at sea in 1981 at the age of 17 and stayed at sea until 2006.

For 10 years he served as Master before coming ashore to take up his role in the NSOF. Captain Sande spent three years with the classification society, DNV, as a Principal Surveyor. During this time, he focused on safety, quality and environmental management, and the role of the human element in shipping accidents. In addition to his maritime education, Captain Sande has a BSc in Safety Management.