Prateek Rishi's story - a tribute to Capt. Prem Kumar of the RAK AFRIKANA

We all have a story. It is not only about where we came from, who or what our parents were, and what we or our families have become today.

But it often gets stuck there. That's OK, that's not our fault, but it is the fault of the day and age we live in.

Never mind. So, over the last few days, I've been digging deeper and deeper into the stories of people who were on the RAK AFRIKANA as well as the ASPHALT VENTURE. And I've received a fair number of telephone calls from people who I did not know before.

One, ofcourse, was a series of calls and eMails from the Big People at the Big House in Ballard Estate where it began for many of us, Directorate General of Shipping, DGS, Jahaz Bhavan. A few days after the demise of Captain Prem Kumar, and a few weeks after the big media circus on his return from the RAK AFRIKANA for which everybody from the Foreign Secretary to assorted politicians and union leaders and others took credit - they wanted to know where Prem's family lived so that they could condole.

Make what you want of this - but it just goes to show, there is no time or room for post episode debrief.  A seafarer dead and gone is a statistic. A seafarer who returns is an embarrassment. And one who returns and then dies is extra work.

I got quite a few other calls around the same time, in connection with the ASPHALT VENTURE, and what do I say - as one put it, if we had announced a cocktail party, hundreds of seafarers in and around Delhi would have made it, but to visit and offer simple moral support to the families of the ASPHALT VENTURE detainees - see DGS above, an embarrassment and extra work.

Private and quiet salutes to the few who did reach across, especially the wives, thank you SC, TC, RK, PM, RR, and RR . . . and others.

But the call that really brought me back to my story was one from Prateek Rishi, from far away New York, and I shall reproduce one of his eMails below. It says it all, and it gives me the strength to place my next post in a few hours from now, even at the risk of curdling my own future story.

See, I have reached a point where my memories of being at sea have become bigger than the dreams I have of my future. That's kind of dangerous, the next step would be senility. So,  spent over a year getting my old ticket re-validated, and getting ready to go backl to sea - and now, by taking DGS head-on, am risking all that again.

Fair and square, if Indian seafarers have gone on ships through RPS companies, then the responsibility is with the DG Shipping to ensure their safety. If, on the other hand, the DG Shipping made conditions so lax and unethical that RPS companies could send Indian seafarers onboard ships which were registered behind the usual "care-of" kind of tax-haven FOC addresses, then that was and is certainly DG Shipping's fault.

And that's where this is heading for next - even if I risk my return to sea, as people tell me I am doing. But then, I would not be doing justice to my story, on why I chucked up sailing decades ago, right?

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If I were to sign on a contract of a foreign ship, I'd ask to see the anti-piracy measures the Company is taking, and how they are equipping their vessels that are going anyway near the South of Suez and the African East-Coast. The Shipowner/Charterer/Managers HAVE TO convince me with documentation, as to what measures would be taken when the vessel is hijacked and I am taken hostage and become a bait to torture. I'd simply like to see BAGS AND BAGS of money being handed over to my family for each form of torture I undergo, right from when that damn skiff comes within boarding distance of my ship and psychological torture begins. With each slapping, spitting, choking, pressure-point pushing, crushing, skin scalding, skin burning, burning of the balls, strangling, flogging, shoving, pushing, beatings, the money bags have to be flowing. The amount of money flowing to my family needs to be MUCH MORE than what the pirates are asking for. (By the way, all of the above torture methods were REPEATEDLY used on Capt. Prem Kumar.)

 

If this can not be done, then, weld some Automatic Weapons on the Port and Starboard Poop Deck and front of the accommodation bulkheads, under life-boats, and on the Focsle.

 

My 'Serang' will sew canvas covers for them and Cadets can stencil them. Put a freaking grease-nipple on it and my Mate will put it in his maintenance schedule. The guns should be on a separate electric circuit and firing should be controlled by the Ship's Authorized Users only. The guns should be Top four or 6 folks should be given the codes to open interlocks, load and fire the guns. The guns should be able to be panned and tilted and fired from the Bridge or Radio Room. CCTV should be able to show personnel around the guns and deck PA system to warn them of "Gunning Stations"!! Gun-sights should be interlocked with additional CCTV, remotely available to the Bridge, for targeting, aiming and firing.

I am asking for fixtures on the vessel that can not be carried around to settle a drunken brawl.

There should also be a couple of handguns in the Master's Safe.

These are active measures.

 

Passive measures would be having something like removable barbed, bladed, wire, installed along the ship's rail while at sea, or any other measures like high-voltage pulsating current, or whatever the design allows to afford active prevention of persons boarding the vessel.

Only then, would I sign on, onto a vessel!

It is EASY to fire a gun. Especially easy once you paint a picture of how you can be tortured when caught. Training for all this is easily available. Send a polite email to Somalia with a photo of the vessel. And then, "Bring 'em on!!"

 

I DON'T CARE, at this point, FOR THE CARGO, THE SHIP, THE CHARTERERS, THE SHIPOWNER, THE BANK, THE FLAG STATE, CLASS, LLOYDS, UNDERWRITERS, whatever. Any skiff coming within 50 yards of me and not declaring their intention, will be warned, my Owners/Charterers/Underwriters/Class etc. will be "informed", and threat will be awaited. I will be the first to fire - after reasons have been obtained and logged, and it has been determined (I determine, not the authorities sitting behind in front of a computer-screen!!) that firing was in the best interest of the Ship's crew and the vessel/cargo.

 

I'll die fighting, if need be. Not getting tortured. 

And remember those BIG payments to my wife ...

(It may all, then, be worth it!!)

Authorities don't have a consensus on the issue of piracy. The Bank, Shipowner and Charterers have their individual interests. Then there is somebody waiting for that crap that was made in China and is in that container, and somebody is waiting for his car to be offloaded so that he can drive it from the dealer and park it in his driveway. 

"Honey, I don't care for which car we drive or how much Chinese crap we have in our home! All I care for is seeing that you will be paid well enough in case I am not to come back, and that you'll be able to bring up our kids the way we had imagined. I know you'll need more than emails and phone-calls of condolences when I am gone. Flowers are not going to be enough to feed the family!!"

Aaah! Felt nice to write all the above!

 

For those who may worry about how I put bread on my table, rest assured, it has not been coming from Sea, since a long while now! Yeah! With an attitude like above, who'd offer me a contract, right?!!! However, I do have strong sentiments to the fraternity and really wish to see a sea-change in the Industry.

The community, as a whole, needs to do something together.

Really thinking, does it cost much to put 7 automatic guns on the vessel, and linking them to remotely aim and fire from the Bridge? At the going rate of approx. 3 Million dollars of ransom, plus the off-hire times, this retrofit, I can do for the Shipowner - for under 3 Million. Shipowners, are only playing the lotto by going in that area and hoping that their vessel will not get caught. Freight rates for that area have already been up by almost a couple of dollars per tonne. That covers CARGO - dumb, useless Coal, Iron Ore, Crude, etc. Nobody is talking of the Master - the one who'd get tortured, or his Crew!

Have a nice day, folks. Thanks for reading it through!

Prateek

 

 

+++

 

Thank you, Prateek, you put it better than I have been able to do in decades. And now, bring them on DGS . . . as we head towards something that will make the IOA, CWG and DGCA scams look like so much spray on deck. . .

RPS guidelines on employers of seafarers - DGS rules - essential reading

For anybody in the business of commenting on Somali pirates, please do a 360 and read these rules as applicable to employment of seafarers, and try to work out who else are the pirates as far as seafarers are concerned.

It is easy to blame piracy, but let us look within, also?




http://www.dgshipping.com/dgship/final/rules/ms_recruit_placement_seafarers_2005_Cov.htm

http://www.dgshipping.com/dgship/final/rules/ms_recruit_placement_seafarers_2005.doc

Defined - employer, bank guarantee amounts, and much more which the average seafarer just does not know about, to start with . . . consider this - from the day the aspirant seafarer answers her or his first advertisement on the subject of wanting to go to sea, how many pirates do they meet who take them for a ride?

What is inside your "soft drink"? (Pepsi, Coke, Sprite, Mirinda, Fanta, 7Up . . .

Much is made about how seafarers are provided with a healthy and nutritious diet onboard. Ofcourse, things are hopefully far improved from when I was at sea in the '70s and early '80s, when all we got was excessively over-fried food, lots of white bread, plenty of unknown kind of cooking mediums and absolutely no attention to health as long as the food was edible. But even now, one of the biggest issues is the easy availability on board of one of the biggest possible cause of ailments in the world - sweetened coloured carbonated waters. At cheap duty free rates.

The truth behind many of these "soft drinks" is that they contain, for example, aspartame as a sweetener and benzoids as colouring agents. BOTH of these ingredients, even in minute quantities, can and do cause a variety of ailments - hypertension, diabetes, cancer and similar, including over-weight. The "diet" versions are even worse.

Seafarers should stress with the management that there should be easier availability of organic green tea, non-sweetened and non-preservative fruit JUICES (specifically the word JUICE needs to be stressed again and again) and other healthy liquid options.

Go for it!!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/vm2827/5617848459

Now, what exactly are those "natural flavouring substances"? And, see the smart way in which "Added Flavour" has been listed, brilliantly vague.

There is much more in Pepsi and Coke than meets the eye. Especially the versions made in countries where controls are lax.

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Added on 17th of May 2011:-

After the usual run-around, I finally got a definitive answer on the status of aspartame in India, and it is shocking. There has been absolutely no risk analysis of any sort by any Government department on aspartame in India.

Vide her letter No. Dy. No. L-257/Dir (M) FSSAI/2011 dtd the 10th of May 2011, Ms. Sumita Mukherjee, the Director & CPIO of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), which is a statutory regulatory body under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, has stated emphatically and clearly that risk analysis on aspartame has not been carried out.
How, then, did the Ministry of Food processing as well as the other authorities, including Customs & Central Excise, even permit this product in India?

Families and friends of seafarers who are stuck due to piracy in Somalia or elsewhere.

Dear family members and friends of seafarers who are currently stuck onboard ships hijacked or pirated. Our hearts go out to you. And we understand your problems like only other seafarers can.

Kindly contact the undersigned at any time by email in case you need any help or information or simply wish to seek advice or propagate your case with other seafarer groups.

Thank you.

Veeresh Malik

Actual email received wrt piracy off Indian Coast

Here's an email from a friend onboard an Indian flag ship sailing India to Red Sea, left East Coast, stuck close to the west Coast but then struck out towards the Gulf of Aden . . .

+++


dear veeresh,

left indian shores on 2/03.

managed to thwart piracy attack on us on 3/03  evenning abt 260 miles off goa.
had two crafts one  on port bow sailing parrallel to us other approaching from
stbd side managed to ivade by altering to port n increasing cpa to more than 2
miles. more than ten guys on deck of the boat.

tdy morning joinrd  naval convoy in gulf of aden. proud to be in cnvoy led by 
ins talwar.

convoy is from entrance of gulf of aden to 100 miles short of babel mandap.

cheers

Festivals on board ship . . .

One way of looking at it is with mixed emotions - it is a sailor's lot
to be regularly missing out on festivals while at sea, especially in
this day and age of instant communications, when you can even listen
to the festivities at home. You can choose to feel sorry for yourself,
or you can make the best of it, the choice is yours.

There is really not much to be said or written about this part of life
at sea. We all know that ships sail 24x7, and now we also know that it
is the earnest effort as well as desire of all those involved with
shipping ashore to see that if nothing else, the ships sail out of
port before the celebrations and festivals shut the port down.

All of us probably have ample number of experiences along this line -
leaving port just before the long holiday weekends or arriving just in
time after they got over. One incident I recall very clearly is being
asked to please help co-operate and sail out well in time on 31st
December - otherwise they would miss the office party!

Likewise, as a seafarer, you would have missed out on umpteen number
of occasions at home. Religious and other festivals, different types
of celebrations, Parent-Teacher Association meetings, RWA gatherings
which often turn out to be more interesting than anything else, and
similar events. All this, and more, we take in our stride.
But if you are the sort of person who sees a rainbow behind every
cloud, then festivals spent while on ships can really take on new
meanings, as well as be an important part of your larger evolution as
a human being. After all, your friends on your ship are your family,
too, and so why not make more than just the best of things?

+++

Festivals take on a totally new meaning on ships, easy to say, but
worth repeating, especially when you are lucky enough to sail with
multi-cutural and multi-national colleagues, and subscribing to
religions from across the board. Most festivals, with some notable
exceptions, are about unbridled joy and unrestricted happiness, so it
is always great to be able to take part in them.

After all, much of international tourism is designed around going to
see and experience different kinds of cultures, and the festivals as
well as celebrations they engage in. Here we are lucky enough to have
the same, or at least mini versions, free of charge literally at our
door steps.

We just have to reach out to celebrate them. Chances are that alcohol
may not be permitted in large quantities nowadays on board your ship -
that has never been a reason to prevent celebrations, has it?

Likewise, the date and timing of the festival may clash with a high
work load period - fair enough, easy to solve, simply move it around!
There are many ways to ensure that festivals and celebrations of all
sorts can be enjoyed on board ships. You just have to be innovative
enough to seek the opportunity, and then take it forward - and then
see your reputation as a good manager of men and morale onboard take
off.

+++

In addition, there are some "festivals" which are unique to seafarers,
and for which the routine of celebrations was taken charge of with
great enthusiasm and gusto a few decades ago. This lot can be salvaged
and revived easily, again, keeping latest safety and other regulations
in mind.

These would include:-

# Equator Crossing Ceremonies.
# Date Line Crossing Ceremonies.
# Ships' Birthday (Launch date)
# Company specific celebrations. (Find out what they are celebrating
in the office ashore and do paralel ones onboard)
# Birthdays of children or family members onboard or even if ashore.
(Brings out the best in people, especially if the family member back
at home are celebrating)

All this, and more - in addition to the regular festivals. There has
never been a better time to celebrate on board ships than now - wages
are good, job prospects are better, companies are looking for ways to
improve HR fundamentals, the works.

It just needs that one catalyst on board to help do things - and
celebrate any and every occasion. Is that person you?

One way of trying to join cruise ships . . .

Advice given to a young man in Delhi on how to join cruise ships - comments and corrections as well as views apprecited and welcome:-

To join cruise ships now, you will need:-

1)  To do 4 x basic courses called STCW/78, these can be done at  SIMS/Bijwasan, and would take about 2 weeks, cost about 15k.

2) An InDOS number, which the institute will apply for you, costs about 800-1000/-

3) Then, with these two things in hand, you simultaneously start looking for jobs, for which you have to check out the newspapers, catering colleges, etc.etc.

4) Once you have an offer, that company will or may sponsor you for a CDC of that flag which their cruise ship flies. There are hardly any Indian pax ships, and they dont require anything like what you have in mind. So it will be Panama and similar. Take a look here:- http://www.tsrahaman.org/  . . . you can do the 4 courses listed in "1" over here and hopefully pick up some grapevine on agents/jobs etc. Pleasant place, residential campus.

5) One more 3 day course called Passenger Ship Course, this is done in Cal/Madras/Mumbai. But is better done AFTER you have acquired a CDC or atleast got somewhere.

6) To acquire a CDC, a govt document, involves some run-around in Mumbai as well as the courses listed in "a". Also a job offer from some shipping line. All the foegin flag consulates are de-facto present there.

You can also do the 4 courses listed in "1" at SIMS (Sriram Institute of Marine . . .) Bijwasan,
http://simsnd.org/courses.php,

These are the 4 courses you will need to do, either at SIMS/Bijwasan (day course) or at TS RAHMAN (residential, nearest station by train from Delhi will be PANVEL, do not go by air or by train to Bombay central)

Personal Survival Technique

Personal Safety and Social Responsibility

Fire Prevention & Fire Fighting

Elementary First Aid
http://simsnd.org/courses.php

+++

Please also apply to:-

mumbai.leisure@vships.com

___

What do you think, short and sweet?

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!!!

HE-Alert - the magazine for safety on ships

Now also available online at:-

http://www.he-alert.org/index.asp

Here's my short response to an article on a subject dear to me . . . read on:-


Richard Sadler's column (Alert/issue No. 23/May 2010) makes some very valid points on the relationship between finance/financiers and shipping/seafarers.

Here's my point of view, and please don't put it aside as "3rd World" because of my physical/geographical location on date - as an ex-seafarer who has been a shipbroker, into politics, as a freight forwarder, been part of bringing unitised cargo inland into India, on television as an anchor, within all forms of media and headed the Asia operations of a Silicon Valley tech company in the business of transaction management for 3 industries - financial, gaming and preventive defence - as well as fathered two investment bankers - and so I do think a bit of world view comes from New Delhi, too. Please also excuse the syntax and grammar - for the last one year I have been at it trying to also revive my CoC issued 1980 and that has been an experience, too.

1) The biggest flaw is that the seafarer is seen by everybody ashore as an over-worked donkey - which she or he is. The rest of the world has moved on, not just in reduced working hours, but the seafarer is still flogged on 4-on/8-off, or worse. Between IMO, ILO, STCW, ILO 147, ILO 163, ILO 180 and now ILO Super - everybody knows that the seafarer they visit on the ship is still subjected to something called "not undermining the authority of the Master" - in this day and age. The first thing that needs to be done, therefore, is to bring down working hours onboard, especially for deck watchkeepers, by the simple method of adopting a Master + non-watchkeeping First Mate, and 3 independent watch-keepers. At the very least.

2) The training for seafarers is still stuck in arcane subjects like magnetic poles, theory of gyro and other ancient art forms - when what is needed for interaction with shore staff is more a PR cum legal person. An average seafarer by the time he is 30 or so has spent more than 4 years learning about stuff that is going to be of no use to him, while the same time could be spent better in understanding the simpler art of collision avoidance, pollution prevention and acquiring basic economic skillsets. That's the next thing that needs to change. You want respect from your banker - you have to understand what he is saying.

3) Industry meaning shipowner - and I have spent some quality time lately with shipowners as well as taken part in piracy/hijack release discussions - considers the seafarer on board as a standing expense - whether alive or dead. As long as the CoC and other certification is in order keeping the ship seaworthy, it does not matter - the seafarer is a commodity to the shipowner. Barring passenger and cruise ships, it is better to treat the seafarer as somebody who eats too much food, and then cribs about everything.

4) Industry meaning cargo interests, port state staff, insurance the rest of them - in my part of the world, treats the seafarer as somebody from the bottom rung, like the hapless truckdriver. Somebody to hold as hostage for a period of time at no cost to anybody other than the shipowner, so why feed the seafarer in the period ad interim. For "food" read salaries, and other expenses. I have heard shipowners crib about paying salaries to seafarers who have spent months onboard ships arrested, hijacked or similar - or been jailed for alleged crimes committed while on duty.

5) On crew shore leaves, and the comparison to airline crew, very valid points. Where do we start - should seafarers demand shore leave as a right? Good heavens, even earned leave is deemed to be a "privilege" extended at the mercy of the owner, so what cost shore leave? So
would owners now start insisting that charter parties include clauses on shore leave for seafarers, or ensure additional "bonuses" in lieu, is that a thought the time for which is very overdue?
What I can not agree with, Sir, is the approach that we leave it to the bankers to administer these changes. Having been a vendor to the banking industry for the last decade, I would suggest that change in inertia level is one thing they hate. What we have to do is look within. Take, for example, the whole wonderful concept of GMDSS. Great. But how on earth did it evolve into something which did away with a Radio officer onboard, when in actual fact we need a Super Elecronics and Communication person on every Merchant Navy ship?

The cure, Sir, is from within. It is the seafarer who needs to say, OK, I am a Master, and I consider this ship unseaworthy if it does not have at least 1 more watch-keeping officer - and he then needs to work with the Port State, since the Flag State and its bankers sure will not assist.

Sincerely,
Veeresh Malik
New Delhi
India

(Courtesy of Alert! - The International Maritime Human Element Bulletin)

Bulk Iron Ore Fines Loading in India, by Capt. T. Rajkumar, Master Mariner.

(Kind courtesy Capt. T. Rajkumar)


TOPIC: Bulk Iron Ore Fines Loading in India.
Course objectives – Safety & prevention of accidents being the main criteria. 

Ref  IMO Bulk Code.

·        Review situation in India.

·        Application of the BC Code (IMO)

Introducing the topic---

·         In the year, 2002 Iron  Ore “Fines” was sought for by Buyers abroad --to replace “Lumps” and the GOI had approved. This was a major change in iron ore cargo specs from the earlier Lumps to Ore Fines in Exports. Ore Lumps of larger size does not usually become a slurry if wet as the water drains out.

·         With Ore Prices just soaring and China Buying  the all and sundry in the private sector came into the fray.... to Mine & Sell & Ship Out.

·         Exports hit an an all time high but, Loading norms of the IMO- BC Code was not understood or heeded and the trade took many aspects for granted.

·         Also many ports that used to close in Monsoon season just continued all time.

·         With increasing demand for steel, the export of Bulk Ore Fines steadily increased since 2002.  With boom time, many older ships were chartered at lowest freights and soon shoddy operations took its toll. This eventually gave rise to  numerous Bulk Carrier casualties and especially the case of  m.v. Asian Forest, sunk outside at Mangalore and m.v. Black Rose sunk off Paradip drew attention. Refer List of Casualties on last page. This finally got  the attention of the Media- !! -then the trade and industry took notice..

We need to now ask a few queries.

·         After the 12 nos. casualties  reported  and follow instructions  by the  DG, MS Notice,  IMO 2009 Revised, P&I  Club Advice to members & Reports from the Shipp Enquiry Committee--                  What is the position today ?

·         The  awareness and application of the IMO code on loading norms , much less it’s usage is still very poor. The scene all over India is just one of total disregard with compartmentalised working.

·         Shippers need to address the instructions listed in IMO BC Code.

Q: Who will control this ?

·         Refer current practices in the Iron Ore trade and -it is a shocker. Ore Fines is exported all the year round and no stoppage in Monsoon season.

·         Ore is mined and crushed at Mines from Bihar to Jharkhand/AP-Karnataka  and transported in open trucks /rakes to shipment ports. During the monsoon rains the ore piles remain  in the open yards and the moisture content exceeds limits . With heavy rains, pools of stagnant water are seen water but many Shippers wish to continue  loaded Wet Ore.

·         Refer current practices in the Iron Ore trade and Media Reports-it is a shocker. Fines is exported all the time and no stoppage in Monsoon season. Ore is mined and Crushed at Mines from Bihar /Jharkhand/AP-Karnataka  and then  transported in open trucks /rakes to shipment ports. During the monsoon rains they remain  in the open yards and the moisture content exceeds limits . With heavy rains, pools of stagnant water are seen water. This has been photographed and even reported with a caption "Ore in a lake of water!!

·         However despite all circulars and guidelines many Shippers wish to continue  loaded Wet Ore. How does the Ships Officer - Owners and relate with Shippers and Port Authority here on such matters .

·          If a Prudent Master stops loading-- will his vessel be shifted to Outer Roads. (It appears that Ports can be quite unreasonable to achieve a fast turnround).

·         In monsoon rains and cargo soaked on open stacks results in - “Ore Fines getting soaking wet. Thus M- TMT does increase beyond permissible limits  ...will turn into a Slurry and this is unsafe for loading for sea passage.       The Mangalore casualty was seen as a direct result of this as Reports will indicate.

·         The excuse given by Shippers and Assayers to the Shipping Enquiry Committee -Quote “Unable to assess M, FMP of large Bulk Quantity” unquote. This is quite an absurd statement.

·         Loading even in heavy Rains continues today despite various guidelines.

·         The problem really begins here.

·         Who will Monitor this?

·         What Loading supervision and control do we have ?

·         What is the role of Port Authority .

OPEN HOUSE –

Addressing key factors:

What can ships personnel do ?

·         How is the   Ship’s Officer managing the loading ?

·     Does the ship’s officer  inspect cargo  stack on jetty and do the ‘Can Test’.

·         Does the Ship get a  correct   quality Certificate from the Shipper’s Assayer ?

·         P&I Intervention – What is the experience on this assistance on application of the BC Guidelines ?

LOOKING AT SOLUTIONS.-Start at Fixture time with Shippers and Load Port—seems like a good place to begin but this is entirely a Ship owners decision. 

·         Supervise Loading -don't leave to chance.

·         Be totally informed and communicate.

·         Have Sampling & Testing organized  standard, calibrated equipment please-

·         Trained and competent samplers & analysis.

·         Inform Pre-shipment  specs. to Owner & Master in advance by email.

LET US NOW ADDRESS COPING SKILLS --

1) The 2009 edition of the IMO Bulk Code is really  an excellent doc; Possibly the best edition seen till date and is most comprehensive.

The first 44 pages of instructions itself tells it all- .So also, DG circular on ore loading.
Q:  Have Shippers ever read this or much less used it. 

2) In all fairness, the problem is more in Monsoon conditions with soaking wet ores. Then we also see the lack of regard for Trimming & levelling in stow.. the Shipper is quite oblivious to all this and rests in his "Angle of Repose!! (Sorry about that dig, but it is a fact).

3) The situation in 2007 & the casualties was mainly with old ships and poor management in all aspects of PSI- Load -stow-trim  sail-  fast turnround go.. go--.

This problem mainly arose due a total disregard for the IMO- Bulk Code norms and too much of commercial pressures and this  is quite evident. No doubt 2007 was a bad year-see casualty statistics.

4) The Port Authority's role in this seems to be a limited one, despite what ever legal instruments may exist. The Major Ports Act itself is nearly a 'century old' and  Ports  only respond as Custodian or bailee of cargo etc-so no real proactive role is seen on Cargo Loading matters. The Ports main priority being the turnround and Qty-Output/ shipped mainly.

5) With so many new ports and "inexperienced” personnel, mostly untrained in BC Code the "awareness’ to BC code  is  a key to correcting the situation. Regrettably, we also have today much confusion caused by some dubious Operators  who have not read the directives on loading of Iron ore fines. Then some Operators inc Shippers just do not cooperate and disregard all risk control guidelines.. 

The paradox is whilst all loading directives and control is about due diligence being exercised in the interest of safety, the fact is that few shippers cooperate.

ADDRESSING THE MATTER

Finally, a Preshipment inspection procedure was laid out by end of 2009- and has slowly gained acceptance.i.e. even before loading commenced as the Port Rules do not permit  "Wet Ore" once loaded in holds to be discharged, resulting in an impasse. P&I support and loss prevention measures came to assist the ship master from the arrival of Cargo, with sampling and testing ( PSI ) to loading and final topping when sought by Owners.

REFERENCES:  

IMO, BC Code 2009.

DG Shipping Circulars & MS Notice

P&I Club Circulars

Apart from the above, the National Shipping Committee also met. The GOI Circular from Delhi of May 28, 2010 "guideline" was issued.

Finally in 2010 we seem to have arrived at a reasonable consensus to Monitor the work with P&I support as follows:

Ship & cargo survey attendance to include:

1)  To inspect the cargo at shippers stock yard before arrival of the vessel and to carry out joint sampling with shippers representative / surveyor.

2)  To carryout analysis of one composite sample for Total Moisture, Flow Moisture Point & Transportable Moisture Limit.

3)  The test results of TML to be made available to the Master of the Vessel prior to loading for reference.

4)  To attend the vessel on arrival and carryout monitoring survey of the cargo to be loaded.

5) To Carryout Regular CAN Test and Instant Moisture Test of the sample at hook point during loading.

6)  If a parcel of cargo is suspected to be wet during loading and bringing it to the notice of the concerned. 

7) Surveyor will allow such cargo to be loaded where moisture content is found to be less than TML.  If moisture content is more than TML then please recommend Master to reject such cargo. 

8) OPTIONAL- To carry out initial & final Draft survey and assist Master in stowing and trimming of cargo after loading.

SUMMARISING: 

Ships condition apart--bulk loading can be well organised and managed if basic norms are followed  I do believe this can be well managed with Cooperation from all, plus a better knowledge of the BC Code in loading and esp. due respect by shippers for the specifics.

As a former Surveyor to the mechanical ore Terminal at Chennai (commissioned in 1978 ) operated by the Port & MMTC- we had good results and work progressed with due cooperation from all with successful outcomes.

Time changes many things with expansion and costings and degeneration often sets in when unchecked. This matter was earlier taken up for Masters Revalidation Course. It was  also presented at the Nautical Inst. Chennai Chapter seminar by me this year.

All P&I Clubs have published papers on this matter and it is just a matter of taking this procedure across to Trade –i.e. Shippers and all connected inc. the Port Authority,

There is a serious need to build better Awareness to the BC Code within the shore support sector attending bulk cargoes. 

NOTE: In the 1987 -1992 period Bulker Casualties  were reported all across the world and esp at high loading terminals. In the1990s when the Master's Revalidation course was set on stream "Bulk Carrier disasters" was a key subject- Senior mariners will recall the case study  of the m.v. Derbyshire. The Nautical Institute and later the Classification societies had done much research on Bulkers and provided valuable data. Sadly, all is now archived in vaults. History repeats is a truism. A few problems had also surfaced in India--but did not lead to a sinking. Generally it was Improper loading/overloading, heeled and with torsional deflection - inability to  close hatch covers with disregard for trimming

RECENT CASUALTY STATISTICS

No	Vessel	Load Port	Sailing	Incident	Date	+
1.	m.v. WEN  QIAO	India	..08.07	Capsized and sank at North Korea.	17.9.07	1
2.	m.v.CHANG LE MEN	Mangalore	05.09.07	Beached with 35 deg list near Mangalore	6.9.07	-
3.	m.v. DISCOVERY II	Haldia	18.9.07	Developed severe list and entered Port of Vizag for disch.	21.9.07	-
4.	m.v.VIEN DONG 2	Haldia	26.9.07	Beached with 20 deg. List off Car –Nicabar Islands	30.9.07	-
5.	m.v. HENG TAI	Haldia	27.9.07	Capsized and sank at Andaman Sea – West of Bangkok	2.10.07	2
6.	m.v. ASIAN FOREST	Mangalore	17.7.09	Sank off Mangalore	18.7.09	-
7.	m.v. HODASCO 15	Calcutta	…8.09	Capsized and sank off Malaysia	30.8.09	-
8.	m.v. BLACK ROSE	Paradip	..09.09	Sank shortly after departing	9.9.09	1
9.	m.v. VINALINES MIGHTY	Paradip	..09.09	Serious list short after sailing and returned to load port.	10.9.09	-