Additional updates on the RAK CARRIER (IMO 8106745)

Lloyds's Class IMO No. 8106745, vessel's previous name SUNNY CARRIER

http://www.lr.org/Images/CLASS%20EXEC%20MINUTES%20-%2024.11.2010_tcm155-203840.pdf


""Class Withdrawn Owners Request 10th November 2010. TRANSFER OF CLASS OUT TO PANAMA MARITIME SERVICES.""

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Rumanian P&I Club, no response, no local rep in Mumbai.

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From a television interview, the Romanian Chief Officer claimed that the ship had arrived "off Mumbai" as early as the 12th or 16th of July, and then hung around there, took bunkers and stores, and was awaiting submersible pumps. Master did not apprise port or cargo receivers of the situation, it appears.

http://www1.timesnow.tv/Engineered-to-sink-in-Indian-waters/articleshow/4380660.cms

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A partial list of DGS circulars on the subject. Shall be interesting to know how the file for this ship moved at DGS - if it hasn't gone adrift or worse like the ship itself!!

 

http://www.dgshipping.com/charter.htm

 

 

http://www.dgshipping.com/dgship/final/notices/sdcir2_02.htm

(This notice only has vanished, it deals with the master regulations to be followed when anybody wants to charter any foreign flag vessel)

 

http://www.dgshipping.com/dgship/final/notices/sdcir3_05.htm

reference to above rules

 

http://www.dgshipping.com/dgship/final/notices/sdcir4_06.htm

 

http://www.dgshipping.com/dgship/final/notices/sdcir1_2008.htm

(the less than 25 years circular . . . )

 

http://www.dgshipping.com/dgship/final/notices/sdnote.htm

(master page for rules under shipping development . . . )

 

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More article on the subject with some loadport juicy information coming soon . . .

mv WISDOM grounded off Juhu, Mumbai Part I

Here's the first article I did at MONEYLIFE on the grounding of the WISDOM off Mumbai.

http://moneylife.in/article/why-was-the-mv-wisdom-allowed-to-get-so-near-the-bandra-worli-sea-link/17245.html

Why was the MV Wisdom allowed to get so near the Bandra-Worli Sea Link?
Did the container ship being towed to the Alang junk yard have permission to sail so close to the coast and sensitive Bombay High oil installation? Who plotted her course? And how come nobody interrupted her voyage

Rule paramount which is drilled into our heads right in the beginning of our training is: All seaworthy merchant ships have a right of innocent passage through non-inland waters worldwide. However, a ship headed for scrapping, either under her own power or tow, does not come close to land or coast, as far as possible, for multiple reasons. If she does, then she needs to inform the authorities, who will then decide if she is to be provided with what is known as "the right to innocent passage" guaranteed to all seaworthy ships of all nations. Because a ship headed for scrapping is not seaworthy. And if a national authority wishes to, it can certainly deny her the right of innocent passage through her territorial waters, till a point where she has to enter the territorial waters for scrapping, or with precautions to prevent exactly what happened with the Wisdom.

eMail to a batchmate who agrees to have me on board as his 2nd Mate

Hey V___, hug the coast, and all the best, as a cadet/2nd mate in SST
and then Arya Lines, I still remember the bets on how close we could
go to the coast that J___, K____ and I would have - also racing through
fishing boats like cars on traffic. This was on Satya Kamal - and also
playing end-on chicken games, "aim for the other ship ltorpedo" games
(taught by M_______) as we learnt how the other ship sees us.

Once coming out of Aden we were headed to Kandla on 072 and on our
port beam was Akbar headed to Bombay on 077, converging and at same
speed (Old Man on Akbar was T____ F______ and 2nd Mate on Akbar was
E____ M______) we had G_____ E____ sleeping as Master and B_____ as
Mate also sleeping, so i called B_____ and asked him to give engine
speed to exactly matcjh Akbar and as they came closer I refused to give
way, finally our crew were talking to the Akbar Haj pax on deck like
50 metres apart, T____ came on the bridge and started howling at me, I
showed him the finger, finally they had to alter to port and go around
behind us.

One more time, R______ was cadet 20-24 and I was 2nd Mate 00-04
and when I came on the bridge I darkened the ship downstairs totally
and then switched off the navigation lights,and started aiming for
oncoming traffic, again torpedo movements Red Sea approaching Suez -
every ship going past would go nuts and call up on VHF. We would say
we were on secret mission and not supposed to show lights. Those days,
clear vis, radar was not used, remember?

I guess those were the days. can't do stuff like that anymore. Still
want me as your 2nd Mate?

the New Year's message I sent out to my batchmates: REFLECTIONS

Sabko wish kar liyaa, what next, just a few random thoughts as we go into a New Year, decade, and on another cold day in Delhi - most of all, I am glad and thankful to be alive and mostly healthy.

If we look back at how life has evolved for us since 7th of June 1975 . . . what are the common threads, how do we ever rationalise them, can we?

# the alma mater we had has long been scrapped, but for many of us, those were the best days of our lives.

# many of the ships we've sailed on have changed name, gone on to Alang or similar, or gone through changes we don't even know about.

# the abiding memories I have of my short stint at sea are wondering about how small we are in infinity and how big we are in the same infinity too.

# looking at those sparklets of water rushing past us especially if we went for a walk pre-dawn to the focsle and saw them rush past, hypnotic.

# the lottery of life, some gone to that whaler in the sky, some adrift, some mainstream and some doing their own thing, up and down.

# spouse and more, children, parents, siblings, relationships, all those evolutionary elements which can not be quantified.

# money in the bank or not, savings or not, bust or boom, many of us have seen fiscal ups and downs which people ashore can not even begin to comtemplate.

# new countries, flags, loyalties, food preferences, coasts, mountains, cities, cillages - some have even found their own new Gods.

# hair on the head or lack thereof, aching bones or paunches, less teeth than before and more kilos, 4 stripes on the shoulders or none.

# the joy of children, validation being the day they did better than their parents, I remember the day I got my first appointment letter as a 2nd Mate with a basic salary that exceeded my wildest dreams then, and how happy that made my parents. I also learnt money is not everything the same day.

# And then, the finer things in life - single malts, cognacs, a good smoke, snazzy cars, holidays, books, music, theatre, families, (other women??), we all had our choices.

And a lot more.

Point I am trying to make is this - what was or is the constant?

I tell you my take on this - the constant as far as I can make out is that the TS Rajendra helped many of us learn how to roll with the punches, and take life as it came. As probably the guy with the longest tenure ashore on extended shore leave (since January 1983 . . .) that has been the most important element, constant, in my life.

In 2011, as we grow older better wiser and the whole nine yards - this is what I wish for all of us - that we roll with the punches better than everybody else and that we come out, lotteries aside, smiling.

With best wishes to all of you and especially to some of you who have been by our side over the last few decades while we've had out ups and downs . . .

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One of the many responses:- Malik very well said. Please keep up the musings. The time we were in Rajendra we could not wait to get out. ( DTGH) But it made boys into men. I credit our days from Rajendra for all I have achieved in life. Now we have Kitoo for keeping us smiling and Malik to keep us thinking. Thanks to all who wished and also the silent majority. Wish everyone Happy New Year and best wishes.

(APS Dhillon)

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Wow !!! KB Singh would have been proud of you.... Did you ever write for the "Indian Cadet". With your permission can I send this to them.??

A) Haircut or without, your style is inimitable.
(That, by the way is a compliment... I am feeling charitable this morning!!)

B) Indian Cadet was/is the annual TS Rajendra magazine.

(Rajesh Tandon)

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Halloa!!! Below there.

(Rajesh Saigal)

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Hi Veeresh, thanks for reminding the date june 7th. That is  the day we left TSR to go home.

(Bikash Chaudhary)

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Bhai-saab, problem is there's no time. I have thought at least a thousand times how much happier I was at sea, mainly because I had the one commodity we can never retrieve, time.

(Kaustub Kirpekar)

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Good day

Things have changed at sea! No more of that lovely commodity - TIME.  Maybe its just the company I work for. So I am going to look for a coastal Indian company now. Yeah! Or maybe BSM again.

(Anon)

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I thought Subra taught us English especially "forums of pawar", while Sharan was doing "we men of literature", and between the two of them a whole generation of us were influenced more by the Inglisi by Mungoo and BoBo while we got our "ek do teen char" VHF skillsets from HashPash, not to forget "if you are obedience I am politeness" Sharma ji and "dit-dit-dah-dit bloddee" from Randhawa while Mitra was good for I still dont know anything more than "V for Victor" balancing the "you tattee" vaala Kotwal. Never to ofcourse also reduce the importance of Soda Loda and Hathoda as well as quarter diamond Savanoon in Hindi for which I don't remember who got the best Hindi advance prize though I do recall MO and Chinta messing with my psyche more than anybody else in junior form.

Oh well, it is a wonder we can all think straight, leave alone speak inglisi.

(me)

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Post Piracy care of Seafarers

The Seamen’s Church Institute (SCI) has published Preliminary Guidelines: Post-Piracy Care for Seafarers, outlining preliminary strategies on caring for seafarers (merchant mariners) affected by piracy. The document, based on cutting-edge mental health research and ongoing discussions with shipowners, crewing agencies, representatives of governments, and other stakeholders in the industry, provides practical guidelines for the maritime industry.

SCI presented the Preliminary Guidelines to Working Group 3 of the United Nations Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia on January 27, prior to the Plenary Meeting of the Contact Group the following day. SCI also plans to submit the document to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) at the meeting of the Maritime Security Committee in May.

Based on experience gained through the clinical study and stakeholder responses, SCI will update Preliminary Guidelines, available online at:

http://www.seamenschurch.org/law-advocacy/piracy-trauma-study

SCI desires to speak with seafarers who have experienced piracy, including attacks, hostage-taking, or simply sailing through high risk piracy areas. Contact Clinical Researcher Michael Garfinkle, PhD at +1 212 349 9090 ext. 240 or by email at mgarfinkle@seamenschurch.org.

SCI researchers strictly protect privacy.

SAILOR TODAY Awards 2011 . . .

Hello Friends!!!
The 10th ANNUAL SAILOR TODAY SEA SHORE AWARDS
In Association with: Videotel London,
Supported by :BIMS, Thailand
Endorsed by: INSA, MASSA, FOSMA
Will be held on 12th of March 2011!!!
If you think, you or a friend of yours deserves to win this prestigious awards, click on the link below, & fill up the nomination form right away!Join us to make sure only the deserving walk home with the trophy!!!
The entries will be evaluated by a panel of judges and the recipients announced prior to the function. Since the awards are non-competitive in nature, there can be more than one recipient in a category. The recipients will only be selected from within the entries received, and the decision of the panel of judges will be final and binding on all nominees.
Other Upcoming Events:
Sailor Today Cricket Cup 2011- Mumbai
Thank You!!!

Indian seafarer jobhunting feedback for owners/operators/managers

Anybody got any more ideas or comments? Identities shall be protected . . .

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Here's a collection of feedback from seafarers in context with their life at sea, as well as when they visit the shipping company offices ashore:-

# Ship owners and managers should send more inhouse information, especially as pertains to casaulty reports and also company's internal issues, so that those at sea can remain informed.

# Ship manager and owner offices must have better facilities for seafarers. Sitting in open plan offices discussing terms and conditions is not good. Seafarers must be called into small conference rooms for all pre-joining facilities where those who have business with them can come to them instead of seafarers standing in front of clerks like slaves.

# The first point of contact is usually a security guard, who is familiar with regular shore staff, but usually disrespectful to the seafarer who comes occasionally. This needs to be resolved. Seafarers should be accompanies into offices by specially designated people who will coordinate other issues too.

# General waiting areas for seafarers must be cleaner, as well as provide full facilities for refreshments, beverages and cleaning up. Toilets, especially, must be of high standard. If shipping companies want their offiers to behave like officers, then they need to treat their officers like officers, too.

# Ship owners and managers are sending seafarers to look after investments costing millions of dollars. But at the shipping offices, this simple fact is lost on especially the juniormost staff, who need to be educated and taught as well as trained to be aware that they are there to serve.

# Wages are often the subject of verbal agreements, which are then broken, so that needs to be sorted out. In addition, companies must inform prospective hires that this is the number, gross salary, without trying to fool people with offers of hazy bonuses, and "tax saving" schemes.

# Seafarers too should rely on guidance from their own tax consultants on the best way to save tax. With so many changes coming by way of NRI status and service tax, seafarers working on contract need to be very clear well in advance on possible tax implications.

# Most of all, in the forthcoming days of seafarer shortages, companies must bring in programmes to look after the families of seafarers at sea. It usually will not need anything more than outsourcing such work to specialist agencies, including hospitals.

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On batchmates, TS Rajendra, 1973-75

For many of us at sea and ashore, yardsticks of success have often got to do with how fast we clear our tickets, how much we can earn and save as well as spend, and a host of other aspects. On the non-material parameters, this word called success is also related to how we have done with our families - spouse, children, parents, relatives and friends. Then there are the spiritual - and spirited - points of view too, cheers to them.

 

Fair enough, all these - and more - are important. We would not be here in this comfortable lifestyle with all its trappings if we weren't succesful in some way or the other.

 

But the one very important yardstick of success I want to stress today, and I say this with all humility, is the success of the effort of trying to bond together as a group of batchmates. The reasons are not just for the sake of pleasant memories of some of our deepest thoughts. Nor are they only for the sake of stressing that there is strength in unity. Getting together to try to do business together - or being very good competitors if it comes to that, all that and more. The sheer personal growth that comes out of regular interaction with people who have grown up with each other without anything hidden - what could be hidden when 250 of us were marooned together on a small ship - goes beyond any potential of improving oneself by any means. I know for a fact that most of us know each other's strengths and weaknesses, and do not hesitate in learning from them, whenever required.

 

So, I would like to place forward a point of view - the most important thing about being batchmates is that we can turn to each other for all forms of incremental knowledge and benefit from each other without having to feel worried about losing face. And to me, that is the best hallmark of success, that I have over 375 people around today who I can use as a sounding board. That's invaluable, and you can not put a price to it, material, spiritual, or spirited.

 

I really thank all of you who have made the effort to be here today. It means a lot to me, and I am sure it means a lot to you, too. This is my Royal Salute to the strength of batchmates.