Wavelength #58

ISSUE 58 DECEMBER 2016

To reach our Seafarers

In this issue Manila Forum Oil Contamination Radar Usage Dental Hygiene Campaign

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Safety First Dining at Sea City and Port of Manila Famous Vessels

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Editorial

Dear readers, If there is one lesson that the events of 2016 have taught us, it is that making assumptions can be risky. It is also a lesson that is highlighted in this issue of Wavelength. In the Marine Operations article, the assumption that a sole watch-keeping officer could cope with an excess of information in heavily congested waters was firmly dispelled. Making assumptions based on precedent can lead to false expectations, too. The article on the UK High Court ruling clearly illustrates how the appellants to the tribunal decision along with many interested observers assumed that ruling would be overturned. It wasn’t. Similarly, the Safety First analysis of a repeat accident occurring due to an assumption made clearly shows how important it is to be sure rather than just to assume. From a slightly different perspective, the Technical article focuses on the need to abide by manufacturers’ recommendations instead of assuming that another approach can be taken.

Fortunately, in the shipping industry there are several mechanisms in place that allow for a reduction in the number of problems that arise due to assumption-based decision making. These range from in-house policy changes to laws and regulations. However, it is far too often the case that such mechanisms are forgotten, overlooked, misused or quite simply ignored. When they are, something is bound to go wrong at some point. So, it is imperative that the direction available in such instruments and tools as charterparty clauses, LMRA cards and instruction manuals should always be utilised correctly.

Another point that was brought into focus in the articles submitted was that of not allowing an assumption to impact on a campaign. More specifically, the Manning and Training campaign on dental hygiene went ahead despite the Department’s awareness of dental care procedures being regarded as common knowledge. The results of the campaign proved they were right to dismiss the assumption in favour of a proactive approach. Indeed, our Seafarers felt the benefits of the campaign to such a degree that they requested it should be extended. Successes such as this may appear somewhat ordinary in the grand scheme of things, but they are testament to the principle that assumptions should not guide actions, especially when there are proven alternatives available that can drastically reduce risk.

I sincerely hope you enjoy this issue of Wavelength. If you have any comments, suggestions or questions about the content, please do not hesitate to contact me at comment@wavelength.gr

Best wishes, Nick Seaman

Port of Manila Read about the city and port on page 14.

Disclaimer: The contents provided herewith are for general information purposes only and are not intended to replace or otherwise contradict the detailed instructions and procedures issued by the owners, managers, flag etc. The articles presented and the views expressed in the bulletin do not necessarily reflect those of the publishers.

Editor: Nicholas Seaman Email: contact@wavelength.gr Design-Production: www.remdesign.gr

Company News Officers’ Forum 2016 The annual Officers’ Forum was held at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Hotel in Manila on Monday 7th and Tuesday 8th November 2016.

The representatives from head office consisted of Mr. Anthony Lambros (Q&S Manager), Mr. Dimitris Sarandis (Technical Dept.), Capt. Yannis Papageorgiou (Marine Operations Dept.) and Ms. Elli Moretti (Q&S Dept.) Furthermore, SBTRN officer Capt. Rommel Reyes participated in the Forum. There were over fifty accomplished officers in attendance, forty-four of whom were Filipino. The rest comprised ten officers from India and another five from Bangladesh.

Century Maritime Agencies, Inc.

Additional external speakers were also invited (i.e. from Class and Training Centres) and a variety of topics were covered, including Safety Equipment, Oil Record Books, Preparation for Inspections, SEEMP, Regulatory Updates, Personal Safety and Accident Prevention, ECDIS, Electronic Bills of Lading and Security at Terminals. The Forum culminated in Capt. Panagiotis Bartzis presenting a commemorative plaque of appreciation and a symbolic gift to some of the longest serving officers and CENMAR staff. On the whole, the officers who attended the forum were satisfied and thought the topics presented were of great interest and value.

Detailed information will follow in the next edition of Wavelength.

Issue 58-Dec 2016

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OIL & WATER NEVER MIX! This old proverb applies perfectly to a ship’s boiler feed water and the cooling water system of any machinery. Any contamination of boiler feed water with crude oil or fuel oil can lead to a boiler burn down. Similarly, fuel contamination of the Low Temperature Cooling Water system can cause serious damage to the ship’s main engine, diesel generators, compressors or any other machinery in the cooling circuit.

OIL CONTAMINATION OF BOILER’S WATER SIDE Bunker Tank Heating coils

Cargo Tank Heating coils

Fuel Heaters

Any of the above systems may contaminate the boiler’s condensate water through leaking coils or heat exchangers.

Heavy fuel contamination can be observed in time by regular checks of the cascade tank at every watch.

Clear condensate water in the cascade tank is proof that there is no fuel contamination.

Oil Detection Sensors are a valuable aid as they monitor the condensate water continuously and raise an alarm when a fuel interface is formed on the surface of the water.

In the event of fuel ingress, which is not observed in time, the boiler could be completely destroyed by overheating due to the insulating effect of the oil film which deposits on the surface of the tubes:

NOTE: Oil Detection Sensors must be tested and maintained according to the maker’s instructions and operating experience to ensure uninterrupted operation.

Cascade tank with evidence of serious fuel ingress

Boiler water side heavily contaminated with fuel oil

Such serious oil ingress can only be rectified by shutting down the boiler and circulating suitable chemicals with pumps and heaters. This is a tedious process requiring a minimum of 2-3 days downtime, including the manual cleaning of the cascade tank, piping, heat exchangers etc.

The point of ingress should be identified before refilling the system with clean distilled water.

Heating coils and heaters are to be pressure tested and repaired as required.

Steam return piping and heat exchangers are to be carefully cleaned along with steam drums, boiler tubes and the cascade tank/hotwell.

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PREVENTIVE ACTIONS 1. The heating coils return lines of the cargo and bunker tanks should be regularly checked through the return line drain valve to ascertain that clean condensate water is flowing and there are no traces of oil (crude oil or fuel oil).

2. The drains of the steam return lines for the fuel heaters should be regularly checked for any traces of fuel.

3. The cascade tank should be inspected through the porthole glass at every watch.

4. The cascade tank oil detection sensor should be tested regularly.

5. The cascade tank’s filtering material (loofah sponges, coconut fibres or similar) should be renewed frequently according to condition.

NOTE: The first course of action to be taken after oil contamination has been verified in the cascade tank and at the boiler water level glass is to carry out SURFACE BLOW DOWNS. Do not blow down the boiler from the bottom as the whole boiler and the tubes will be covered in oil and then chemical cleaning must be carried out by the recirculation of the dispersant at high temperatures.

The boiler should then be shut down and released from pressure. Boiler water can be drained slowly until water stops flowing from the loosened, upper manhole door before opening up the manhole for inspection. The oil will now only cover the boiler over the normal water level range and can be manually removed. Hot or cold high pressure water jet equipment can be combined with suitable chemicals to remove the oil.

FUEL CONTAMINATION OF FRESH WATER COOLING SYSTEMS Modern engine rooms are equipped with low and high temperature fresh water systems for cooling a range of equipment, including the main engine, the diesel generators and main air compressors.

The fresh water is cooled in a centralized cooler using sea water as the cooling medium.

The cooling water is treated with chemicals to keep it slightly alkaline and to prevent scale formation.

This common cooling system is kept under pressure with cooling pumps.

A header tank (Expansion Tank) is fitted high in the engine room to compensate for any leaks and venting of the system.

The Expansion tank must be checked once per watch and replenished with distilled water if required.

Contamination of the Fresh Water Cooling Water System may occur through the fuel heaters or injectors of diesel generators

Expansion tank water fuel contamination

Main engine cooling water spaces with fuel oil

Oil in the cooling system will coat the internal cooling jacket spaces of cylinder liners, cylinder covers, turbochargers, piping and coolers.

Oil is twenty times more insulating than normal scale and reduces the heat transfer from cylinder liner walls to the cooling medium, eventually leading to overheating and the formation of cracks in liners and covers.

Substandard overhauling of a single fuel injector in one of the ship’s generators can cause serious fuel contamination of the entire Fresh Water Cooling System of a ship.

A major diesel generator manufacturer gives such a warning in a service letter where the importance of the proper overhauling of fuel injectors is emphasized:

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Marine Operations

Flaws in Radar Usage Exposed

Introduction

or the past 60 years or so, radar, an acronym for Radio Detection and Ranging, has played an important F role in improving safety in marine navigation. The principle behind radar, a compulsory tracking system as per COLREGS, is a relatively simple one. It basically comprises a transmitter and receiver. The radar transmits radio waves and when these waves strike a solid object, they bounce off it back to the receiver. As the frequency and wavelength of the radio waves are known, the distance between the radar on the vessel and the object being tracked is calculated from the time elapsed between the point of transmission and that of reception. As such, radar is used to track the bearing and range of other vessels and utilised to monitor and regulate ship movements in busy waters.

Under normal circumstances, this old yet effective technology is an efficient means of enhancing safety at sea. However, as the report below reveals, when the human-technology interface is compromised, accidents can occur.

Incident

There was a collision involving a container ship and a cruise ship in waters notorious for heavy traffic.

The radar/ARPA aboard the cruise ship had not been set correctly, which led to excessive amounts of information being fed to the watch-keeping officer as the ships drew closer to each other. Furthermore, the only measure taken by the crew on the container ship, the stand-on vessel, was a VHF call made to the cruise ship shortly before the two ships collided.

Further factors in play during the incident were the restrictions imposed by the Traffic Separation Scheme and a number of other vessels in the vicinity as the two ships were on a collision course. These two factors made it extremely difficult for either vessel to take timely evasive action. Fortunately, no crew members or passengers suffered injury and both vessels involved were able to reach port without assistance.

Findings

The reports submitted following the collision revealed that the large quantity of information being transmitted together with the manner of its transmission had resulted in the watchkeeping officer aboard the cruise ship becoming confused. Such an amount of information being relayed to the cruise ship at the time was primarily down to congestion in the area in question as exemplified by the manoeuvres of the vessels directly and indirectly involved in the accident.

The container ship was in the process of passing the cruise ship on the port side and, at the same time, another vessel was overtaking on the starboard side. Thus, the lights from both the vessels that were overtaking the cruise ship may have caused confusion when observed from the bridge on the cruise ship. Moreover, the watch-keeping officer’s concentration was broken as he had to open the locked bridge door in order to allow in a crew member who was on an administrative errand.

Causes

1. A major cause was that the watch-keeping officer aboard the cruise ship did not have adequate support at a time when there should have been assistance provided due to the heavy traffic present in the area.

2. The watch-keeping officer failed to carry out enough visual inspections and placed far too much reliance on radar for his anti-collision checks. In addition, he was receiving ARPA data from two radars rather than one, which meant that he was not provided with a single plot that he could rely on.

3. The watch-keeping officer was distracted at a crucial time by the crew member wishing to gain access to the bridge.

4. There was little effort on the part of the container ship to prevent the collision from occurring. The only preventive measure of any consequence was the VHF call five minutes prior to the collision.

Marine Radar Display as part of an integrated bridge system By kelvin hughes - kelvin hughes, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15164832

Block diagram of basic radar Courtesy of: http://en.citizendium.org/

Action Taken

1. The watch-keeping officers on the cruise ship have been made fully aware of the need to set a single anti-collision plot when more than one radar is being used. Arrangements have also been made to provide further training in the use of radar.

2. Clearer standing orders regarding a request for assistance by watch-keeping officers when they are alone are to be formulated.

3. The layout by which the Traffic Separation Scheme functions will be examined with a view to alleviating traffic density in the area where the collision took place.

Conclusion

This incident highlights the need for the seamless integration of technology into practices for avoiding collisions both on board vessels and within schemes drawn up by administrative bodies. It is also imperative that systems we depend on such as radar should be operated by highly trained personnel who can use them efficiently and in an error-free manner.

Sources: www.marineinsight.com/marine-navigation/marine-radars-and-their-use-in-the-shipping-industry www.marine-knowledge.com/ship-radar-theory-use-of-radar-in-ships The Navigator: Issue 13 October 2016

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Manning and Training DENTAL CARE

A Health & Safety Campaign (02_2016) on Dental Care was launched in March 2016 and lasted till September 2016. The material for the campaign was drawn from www.seafarershelath.org . During this six-month period, all Seafarers were asked to review the contents of the campaign, which covered the following topics:  Risks for Seafarers  Tooth Anatomy  The Right Way to Brush  Fluorides  Emergency Toothache  Tooth Filling  Root Canal Treatment  Crowns and Bridges  Bleaching, Whitening and Bonding  Dry mouth  Bad Breath  Tips for the successful implementation of a dental care campaign  Where to find advice The Seamen assessed the campaign as being thorough and complete as it covered a wide range of topics. The various topics were discussed during monthly Health & Safety meetings. On the whole, all fleet vessels evaluated the campaign as being successful. More specifically, the risks that the Seafarers encounter and the ways to maintain a good dental hygiene on board were the topics that attracted most interest. Even though the basic principles of dental care are common knowledge, the specific campaign served as a reminder to most of the Seamen on board and raised their awareness of the importance of dental hygiene. Furthermore, the frequent change of toothbrushes, the use of dental floss and brushing of teeth twice per day have become a routine for the Seamen on board.

Suggestions were made to forward additional information about keeping teeth and gums healthy by using a mouth wash as well as caring for teeth in the best possible way by being able to select the appropriate toothpaste to meet individual needs. In addition, there was a suggestion to extend the length of the campaign from six months to one year and to re-circulate the campaign due to the change of officers/crew on board the vessels.

During 2015, there were 35 reported cases related to teeth. On completion of the Health & Safety Campaign 02/2016, there was a 15% drop of reported cases concerning dental problems. By re-circulating the campaign and forwarding additional material on dental care, we believe that tooth-related medical cases will be further reduced. Dental care and proper dental hygiene contribute to the general overall health of an individual and should become part of each Seaman’s daily routine both on board and ashore. Proper dental checks and any necessary treatment should take place prior to the Seafarer’s embarkation. Indeed, a dental check has already become an integral part of the pre-recruitment medical examination.

Please remember that prevention is better than cure.

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SAFETY FIRST! Pay Attention to Lessons Learned and Best Practices!

Source: CMS ANALYSIS (in-house)

“1st Fleet Vessel” Hand Injury of 2015: Instructions/Photos sent to all vessels with 2015/ICR03 • 1) This is where the AB’s finger was caught.

• 2) This is where his grip should have been.

The root causes of the accident to the AB were: • a lack of concentration, • his hands being in the wrong position while he was lifting the mechanical stopper, • inadequate communication between the Bosun and the AB, • the ship’s design on the starboard anchor stopper and • the lack of a warning system.

“2nd Fleet Vessel” Hand Injury during 2016: While the CO was removing the bow stopper for the STBD ANCHOR, he got the middle finger of his left hand stuck between the lever of the counter weight and the protective railing of the Hawse pipe.

The counter weight moves in a circular direction, and the gap in between the holding lever and the railing is negligible.

The CO’s middle finger got firmly caught in the gap, which resulted in a deep cut on the finger. The Chief Officer was wearing gloves while removing the bow stopper. This incident happened during a Berthing Operation on 04/09/16.

In 2015, the 2nd Fleet Vessel on which the 2016 accident occurred was asked whether they had a similar problem with their chain stopper. Their reply was “NO”.

This railing could have been easily modified with a cold work permit so as to have a greater clearance from the lever. This was actually done but only AFTER THE INJURY HAD BEEN SUSTAINED.

TRUST

Ten Really Useful Safety Tips

SAFETY FIRST: USE YOUR LMRA CARDS! Preparation Tips during the Daily Work Planning Meeting • The steps involved in each job should be made clear to all participants.

• The risks associated with each step of the task should be highlighted.

• Suggestions for improvement should be made by team members.

• Permits and safety requirements must be communicated to all team members.

• Any previous accident or near miss related to the specific task should be mentioned and things that could go wrong should be identified.

• All team members should be actively involved in this talk.

Tips At the Job Site • Take 5, i.e. stop before proceeding with the task, consider how to do the job safely • Observe and identify all possible hazards in the work area.

• Implement control measures agreed at the preparation stage, e.g. proper PPE, correct tools etc.

• Identify things that could go wrong and PROCEED only when satisfied that all points have been covered.

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If the measure shown above had been taken, it is CERTAIN that the 2nd injury would have been avoided.

Safety Bulletin 16-04 Refresher topic: MAKE SURE ALL CREW MEMBERS HAVE LMRA CARDS AND ARE ACTUALLY USING THEM!

Refresher topic 2: DISTINGUISH BETWEEN UNSAFE ACTS/CONDITIONS & NEAR MISSES

Source of the design: Seahealth.dk

LOSS OF CARGO CONTAINMENT! Source: Safety Message from IMT (for Tankers)

In the recent past IMT has noticed an increase in the loss of cargo containment incidents due to the excessive pressurization of pipelines during cargo operations. These incidents occurred during : • a changeover of cargo tanks; • the blowing through of cargo lines; & • the restarting of cargo operations after a stoppage.

The common causal factors in the incidents above were the incorrect line-up of cargo, inadequate ship/shore communication and inadequate supervision. In order to reduce to number of cargo containment incidents, • all personnel involved in cargo operations should be aware of and MUST comply with the tank change over procedures.

• detailed steps concerning line blow through are to be discussed with the terminal representative as part of the ship/shore information exchange.

• a double-check of cargo line up should be carried out by a responsible officer prior to the starting / restarting of cargo operations.

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Dining on the High Seas Seafarer’s meals from the 17th to 19th centuries and in modern times In 1677, Samuel Pepys, who was secretary to the Admiralty at the time, stated that English men, “especially seamen, love their bellies above anything else”. This statement is a clear indication of his recognition of the significance of food to the sailors of that era and given his position, meals should have been given top priority in the Royal Navy. Whether this was actually realised or not is still up for debate as there seems to be a distinct difference of opinion on the matter. What is generally agreed upon, however, is that seafarers in the Royal Navy had their bellies looked after much better than those of their merchant navy counterparts.

Those who claim that seafarers in the Royal Navy were not adequately fed point to the fact that rats often found their way on the menu in the form of a kind of rodent stew. This would appear to indicate that there was a desperate need to supplement official rations. It seems to be a valid point as in the 18th century there were only 13 items on the strictly regulated ration list, which obviously led to a significant lack of variety on the weekly menu. An example of such a menu is shown below.

Beer (gallons)

Beef (lbs)

Sun

1

Mon

1

Tue

1

Wed

1

Thurs

1

Fri

1

Sat

1

2

Total

7

4

Pork (lbs)

Peas (pints)

1

1/2

Oatmeal (pints)

Butter (oz)

Cheese (oz)

1

2

4

1

2

4

1/2

1

2

4

2

3

6

12

2 1/2 1

2

1/2

At the beginning of the 17th century seafarers preferred beef, but in the latter part of that century and in the early 18th century, pork gained popularity, especially when served with peas. Both types of meat required salt and brine for preservation, so salted meat was the norm. As regards vegetables, there was little choice. Being grown throughout England, peas were abundant and, therefore, readily available. The staples for non-meat days were primarily dairy products. There were two kinds of cheese: Cheshire and Suffolk. Sailors preferred the former full-fat cheese to the latter, which was hard and made from skimmed milk. The other dairy product, butter, mainly came from Suffolk. Beer was the normal beverage that washed down the sailors’ food. Compared to modern beer, it was approximately a half to a third as strong, but as the ration was one gallon a day, the blood alcohol level of the average seafarer must have been quite high by modern standards.

Although the table exposes the lack of variety in the sailors’ diets, there were alternatives that could alleviate the boredom to some extent. According to the Table of British Navy food rations, which was in force from 1677 to the 1740s, fish was on the menu before it was replaced by the three pints of oatmeal.

Portly sailors of Nelson’s navy Source: bonesdontlie.wordpress.com

Each seaman was given 3/8 of a 24-inch-long cod fish per week or its equivalent. There was also a bread substitute in the form of unleavened biscuits made from just flour and water. Each sailor received 3 to 5 plate-sized biscuits per day. Another change that was made in recognition of health needs concerned the production of suet pudding, which consisted primarily of the raw fat of beef or mutton and had a high calorific value.

Of course, it was possible for sailors to eat other foods as substitutes depending upon where their vessel was. For instance, if the ship was in the Mediterranean region, olive oil might be consumed instead of butter. Other vegetables such as cabbage, onions, turnips and carrots could also appear on the menu. Additionally, fresh bread could give seafarers respite from ship’s biscuits when they were stationed in a port with a baker. As for an alternative to beer, rum could be drunk by seafarers in the vicinity of the West Indies.

Another argument put forward which supports the notion that sailors had a hard life with respect to culinary offerings relates to illness caused by deficiencies in the Royal Navy ration list. In 1747, James Lind, a Royal Navy physician, conducted what is regarded as the first clinical observation on sailors who suffered from scurvy. Lind discovered that the first symptoms of lethargy, tiredness and sore arms began after a month to six weeks at sea and that as the disease set in, sailors could exhibit personality changes and subsequently die from infection and bleeding. At the end of his study, Lind concluded that green or fresh vegetables and ripe fruit were the best remedies for scurvy. He was correct, but it took the Navy over 40 years to act on his findings, a delay, which might be construed as revealing indifference to seafarers’ nutritional welfare. On the other side of the Atlantic, it was not until 1795 that the Admiralty Board sanctioned the issue of lemon juice to sailors.

While much of this evidence indicates that seamen were inadequately fed, there are those who have leapt to the defence of the Royal Navy’s feeding policies. One such individual, N.A.M Rodger, points to the fact that Royal Navy men got three square meals, a reference to the square wooden plates they ate off, every day. He also states that officers ensured that there was a fair distribution of food and that following the introduction of lemons on to the ration list, the health of seafarers was good. These claims are backed up by Janet MacDonald in her book Feeding Nelson’s Navy. According to her calculations, sailors consumed around 5000 calories per day. She also notes that there was a distinct absence of mutinies caused by food complaints due to the efforts of commanders, including Nelson himself, to supply their ships with fresh provisions of produce and meat. As such, she dispels the myth of captains being totalitarian. A further argument of hers relates to the captains shipping livestock and how this introduced the risk of ratings seeing them as pets, something that would certainly not have occurred if the sailors had been hungry. This was particularly true of the poultry-keepers who had to be changed at regular intervals in case they became too fond of the fowl. Such fondness extended to a pig on one ship. Indeed, the animal proved so popular that it actually died of obesity on board a vessel off the coast of China. Finally, the 1799 prints of various ranks and trades of the Royal Navy drawn by Thomas Rowlandson, a political cartoonist, clearly show that sailors were by no stretch of the imagination malnourished.

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This evidence supports the idea that health among Royal Navy seafarers was good, especially from the end of the 18th century. In addition, the claim of negligence with regard to the 40-year delay in distributing lemon juice on board vessels can be put down to the times rather than blamed on the Royal Navy. This assertion is based on the fact that despite suspicions of lead and mercury products being harmful, they continued to the used in British homes for decades before being banned.

If the strictly regulated menus of the 17th and 18th centuries led to boring eating, then the freedom afforded to the cooks and chefs on modern vessels mainly as a result of canning and refrigeration, has resulted in a wide variation of standards. This applies from vessel to vessel and not to rank since there is now little difference between what officers and enlisted people eat. Therefore, quality is essentially dependent on the culinary skill level of the onboard chef. For instance, in the Royal Navy, those serving aboard the Trafalgar Class submarine, HMS Tireless, on which PO Andy Bailey is in charge of the galley are extremely fortunate as he was the winner of the top chef award in Britain’s Armed Forces for 2016. His cooking has gained recognition due to his ability to achieve a balance between providing three meals a day dedicated to producing fresh home-made food high in vitamin C and essential nutrients and at the same time retaining such traditional favourites as steak and kidney pudding and fish and chips. It is not an easy juggling act but one that Andy Bailey has managed to accomplish and others seek to emulate with varying degrees of success. The same variation is witnessed on US Navy vessels, where food options on the USS Nimitz, for instance, are considered excellent and those on smaller ships less impressive.

As for dining on merchant ships, there is clear evidence that the food provided on merchant vessels is not only comparable to that offered on Naval vessels but also ties in with Andy Bailey’s policy of satisfying acquired tastes without compromising nutritional input. This is apparent in the galleys of Company fleet vessels, where the dishes reflect the ethnic preferences of the crew, provide essential nutrients and deliver sufficient calories for the seafarers to carry out their demanding duties. Thus, a Ukranian crew’s menu is primarily meat orientated, but is supplemented with vegetables for vitamins and sea food for variety.

Likewise, an Indian crew’s food comprises spicy dishes, rice staples, fish, assorted vegetables, salads and fresh fruit, while a Filipino seafarer is catered for with a wide variety of appetising soups, salads, meat dishes as well as delicious Filipino porridge for breakfast.

Little has changed with regard to seafarers’ bellies since Pepys made his observation about them back in 1677. What is completely different, though, is the quality of food served on board both Royal Navy and merchant navy vessels. Indeed, in certain cases, it can easily be claimed that dining at sea on such vessels is comparable to eating at home or at a restaurant ashore.

Andy Bailey carefully preparing food while a colleague looks on Source: www.dailymail.co.uk

Sources: www.savoringthepast.net | www.csphistorical.com www.telegraph.co.uk | www.kps.org | www.uncoveringhiddenlives.com

UK High Court Ruling on Performance Warranties Imperator I Maritime Company v Bunge SA (Coral Seas) [2016] EWHC 1506 (Comm) Liability for underperformance caused by fouling due to Charterer’s orders Background The Coral Seas, a newbuilding vessel, was chartered on an amended NYPE 1946 form to Bunge SA. This company then sub-chartered the vessel to C Transport Panamax. In the charterparty, it was clearly stated that under the standard clause 8 obligation that “The captain shall be under the orders and directions of the charterers as regards employment and agency.”

Rider clause 29(a) determined the vessel’s speed and fuel consumption warranties with regard to those expected from a new building. Rider clause 29(b) added that “Throughout the currency of this charter, the owners warrant that the vessel shall be capable of maintaining and shall maintain on all sea passages, from sea buoy to sea buoy, an average speed and Hull fouling which can cause fuel consumption to rise by up to 40% consumption as stipulated in clause 29(a) above, under fair weather conditions not exceeding Courtesy of Nepia Beaufort force four and Douglas sea state three and not against adverse current.”

When the vessel was delivered to the Charterers, she was able to meet her speed and performance warranties. Then, around 12 months into the charter, the Charterers gave orders for the Coral Seas to proceed to a Brazilian port, where she stayed for a month waiting to load during the summer. The vessel’s prolonged stay caused the hull to become fouled. When the vessel left the port, it was immediately clear that her speed had been reduced and that her fuel consumption had risen. After incurring a loss in voyage time, the Charterers argued that the Owners had breached the performance warranties in clause 29(a) and deducted $389,379.51 from the hire. The Owners argued that the only reason for any underperformance was that the vessel had stayed at the Brazilian port for a month waiting to load in compliance with the Charterers’ employment orders. Therefore, the Owners asserted they had a defence to the claim because any underperformance was directly attributable to the Charterers’ orders.

The Ruling The case first went before an arbitration Tribunal, where the decision went in favour of the Charterers. The Owners subsequently appealed to the Commercial Court, a sub-division of the High Court, where the Judge, Mr Justice Phillips, concurred with the ruling of the Tribunal and dismissed the Owners’ arguments. Thus, it was found that the Owners had agreed to bear the risk of the hull becoming fouled in this way, which meant that the Owners could not then have a defence to the underperformance just because it was caused by following the Charterers’ orders.

Comment This decision that an owner is responsible for a vessel’s underperformance even when this is result of underwater fouling that has occurred following Charterer’s orders may have been surprising to some owners. Thus, in light of this ruling, which sends a clear message that any ongoing performance warranty will be read to the letter, owners should consider the following so as not to encounter the same difficulties.

1. Not giving an ongoing performance warranty. This may be commercially difficult to agree on, but when an NYPE form charter is agreed without an ongoing performance warranty, the owners are required to make sure the vessel can perform as per her speed and consumption warranties at the time the vessel is delivered to the charterer. After this time the owner is only required to exercise due diligence to maintain the vessel during the charterparty and so arguably they would not be liable to a speed and consumption claim.

2. Including in the charterparty a prolonged stay/hull fouling clause such as the BIMCO Hull Fouling Clause for Time Charter Parties. This clause should state that if the charterers order the vessel to remain at a port beyond a certain number of days, then the vessel's speed and consumption warranties will be suspended until any resulting hull fouling is cleared. It may also state that any hull fouling caused by the prolonged stay will be cleaned at charterers' expense. It is important to include this second part, because charterers will not otherwise be responsible for hull fouling even if caused by a lengthy stay at port at their order.

3. From a practical point of view, if orders to call in tropical waters for a lengthy period are received, owners should be mindful of any precautions they can take such as daily shifting of the vessel to help repel fouling, and may put charterers on notice of the potential consequences of such a stay.

Source: www.incelaw.com | www.nepia.com | www.eniram.fi

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Humankind’s Marvels and Nature’s Wonders

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Flevopolder - a massive reclamation project Due to its proximity to the sea and its low-elevation flat terrain, Holland has been battling the sea for centuries. This battle to prevent flooding has extended to land reclamation in the estuary region of the country. One way this is done is by draining the lakes created after dams have cut off large bodies of water from the sea. This reclaimed land is called a polder and the largest polder in the Netherlands is Flevopolder, which covers 970 square kilometres.

Almere skyline - By Bartholomeusll from nl, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3161885

Lelystad nature reserve Source: http://www.holland.com/

Damming for Flevopolder began in the 1920s, but drainage did not start until 1950, when the seven-year draining process was initiated to create East Flevopolder.

Then from 1959 to 1968 South Flevopolder was established. Completion of the artificial island was realised in 1986. As the time scale of the project indicated, the whole process was extremely slow, primarily due to setbacks caused by the sea flooding the area. Once the draining, which revealed crashed WWII aircraft and fossils of Pleistocene mammals, had been accomplished, Flevopolder could be maintained by continuously pumping water away.

Today, three pumping stations ensure that the artificial island’s 400,000 inhabitants do not have their homes flooded. As a result, Flevopolder’s two main cities of Lelystad and Almere have been able to flourish and the area has become a major player in the country’s agricultural and tourist industries. There is also a nature park where flora and fauna have settled in a habitat comprising shallow ponds, islets and swampland.

Sources: www.worldatlas.com | www.visitholland.nl/flevoland -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rangitoto

- an island in Auckland’s volcanic field

Volcanic islands can be found in many parts of the world and are, therefore, not considered anything particularly out of the ordinary. However, Rangitoto, which is located in the Hauraki Gulf near Auckland is unusual in that its formation was actually witnessed by human beings. Approximately 600 years ago the Maori living on Motutapi Island suddenly felt the sandy ground beneath their feet shake violently. They heard a thundering roar.

They saw numerous fires masked by steam and lightning all around. Then they witnessed a bright glowing mass emerging from the sea. The wind blew sulphur dioxide, a pungent Rangitoto Island viewed from North Head - By ChewyPineapple - Own work, CC suffocating gas, towards them. Sticky wet ash rained down on them. When black clouds BY 3.0 nz, | https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14989367 rose from the vast columns of steam and boulders were blasted into the air before splashing into the sea, the Maori fled. When they returned, they saw a 5km wide island where there had only been sea a month earlier. They also found that much of the forest had been destroyed by ash, but there was fertile new soil that would facilitate cultivation of their crops. Plants began to grow on Rangitoto, which means “bloody sky”, and thus, alludes to the spectacular nature of the birth of the island.

Today, Rangitoto is popular with hikers and day trippers. It is a short ferry ride away from the mainland, which means that visitors have more time to discover the island by 4WD road train or explore black lava caves before walking to the summit that affords incredible views of the island and beyond.

Sources: www.nzgeo.com/stories/rangitoto | www.newzealand.com/int/rangitoto-island

The Causes and Effects of Changes in Salinity The salinity of a body of water is its dissolved salt content, which is affected by such factors as evaporation, rainfall, river water inflow, glacier melting and the wind. Of these factors, evaporation and rainfall are the primary determinants of salinity levels. Simply put, more evaporation leads to an increase in salinity and more rainfall results in a decrease in salinity. If all the other factors remain fairly constant, an equilibrium can be achieved.

Such a balance, however, has not been maintained due to global warming causing glaciers to melt at a faster rate. Instead, a greater disparity has been observed in the salinity of sea water in the subtropical Indian, Pacific and Atlantic areas and that of the tropical and higher latitude regions. More specifically, it has been found that the former bodies of water are becoming saltier, while the latter are getting fresher. This conclusion, which has global implications, has been reached from data generated from The ARGO array that gathers invaluable data on the effects of three independent sources: ARGO buoys, the NASA Aquarius instrument on Argentina’s SAC-D satellite global warming | Source: http://www.argo.ucsd.edu/ and its European counterpart, the Soil, Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) satellite. The autonomous ARGO buoys provide readings from the surface down to two kilometres below it, while the satellites relay readings from surface waters.

Another finding concerns the intensification of the water cycle. Recent changes in the salinity of sea water have caused the water cycle to intensify by 4% and it has been predicted that 2oC and 3oC increases in global temperatures will lead to intensifications in the water cycle of 16% and 24% respectively. Such dramatic rises will have a significant impact on ocean circulation since there is an established link between salinity changes at the surface and those in deeper waters. Furthermore, variations in ocean circulation will affect weather patterns, which will in turn, cause greater changes in salinity levels.

It has also been discovered that salinity affects both sea levels and marine organisms. With regard to the former, changes have exacerbated rises in sea level. As for marine organisms, there have been a number of observations, including migration and the accumulation of metals in the tissues of such creatures as the shore crab, blue mussel and brine shrimp. As far as shipping is concerned, it may be speculated that further changes in salinity levels will have an effect on voyage times because of weather conditions becoming far less predictable.

Sources: www.piaster.genetics.uga.edu | www.seeker.com/oceans-saltiness-reaching-extremes/ | www.science.nasa.gov/earth-science/oceanography/ | www.oceanbites.org

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Issue 58-Dec 2016

Special Vessel

USS Nimitz – Aircraft Carrier The USS Nimitz was named after Chester W. Nimitz, a US Navy Fleet Admiral and despite being launched over 40 years ago, in 1972, this incredible vessel still remains one of the largest warships ever built.

The ship, which was the first of the Nimitz-class, stands 28 storeys tall from the keel to the top of the mast, is nearly 333 metres long and has a flight deck (angled and straight) which covers around 4.5 acres. Built at a cost of around $4.5bn by Newport News Shipbuilding Company in Virginia, the USS Nimitz is powered by two Westinghouse brand A4W nuclear reactors that allow for unlimited range. These provide power to four quadruple steam turbines and four shafts at 260,000 shaft horsepower which gives the vessel a speed of 35 knots via four fiveblade propellers.

Reefer Management Reaches a New Level After listening to their customers’ comments about the transportation of perishable goods in refrigerated containers (reefers), Maersk realised that updating its reefer fleet was a priority. So, the company began a five-year-long project to develop a system called Remote Container Management (RCM), which was fully implemented in 2016.

Maersk’s main aim was to ensure that there would be a higher quality of perishable goods delivered at the end destination.

This required the monitoring of live flows of data so that wellinformed decisions could be made. In order to achieve this, Maersk had to track the location, power status, temperature, humidity and ventilation settings of each and every one of its 270,000 reefers in real time on every step of the journey. It was a monumental task, but one that would be a game-changer in the transportation of perishable goods.

RCM involves the use of a box called a Remote Container Device (RCD) ,which is installed in the reefer and utilizes a 3G sim card, a GPS and an antenna to collect the transmit data to a VSAT dome on the roof of the bridge. The data is then relayed to satellites from which it is retransmitted to Maersk HQ in Copenhagen and to equipment management repair vendors. If the data reveal a problem, an alarm notification is sent to all the relevant parties so that the appropriate action can be taken. So far, in 2016, this RCM sensor technology has been responsible for remotely identifying around 300 cases of temperature malfunction, all of which were rectified in a timely manner. As regards data streams when the container is on land, these are transmitted

USS Nimitz - By United States Navy http://www.navy.mil/view_image.asp?id=74646http://www.navy.mil/ management/photodb/photos/090729-N-3038W-459.jpg, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7437588

he USS Nimitz has four hangar elevators that service the flight deck.

T There are four steam catapults, two of which are on the angled flight deck, and four arresting gear cables. The offensive arm of the vessel comprises up to 90 aircraft with state-of-the-art systems, including F/A/-18 Hornet Strike fighters, S-3B Viking anti-submarine warfare, SH-60/HH-60 Seahawk helicopters and EA-6B, Prowler airborne electronic warfare. As regards defensive armament, there are two Sea Rolling Airframe missile launchers and two Mk29 Sea Sparrow surfaceto-air missile launchers.

Needless to say, operating such a large ship requires a large crew. On the 18-level carrier there is a total of around 5680 personnel, 2480 of whom belong to the air wing. Catering for so many hard-working individuals requires massive amounts of food as the eating areas provide from 18-20,000 meals a day! In addition, the four on-board distilling units produce more than 400,000 gallons of fresh water a day.

Facilities aboard the USS Nimitz include areas for athletic activities, barbershops, one of which is reported to trim 1500 heads per week, a dental clinic and a 53-bed hospital attended by five dentists, five doctors and a general surgeon. There is also a post office that processes over one million pounds of mail a year and has its own post code.

The lifespan of the USS Nimitz was intended to be around 50 years.

However, following 20 months of maintenance, repairs and updates that culminated a successful six-day sea trial on October 12, 2016, there have been suggestions that she may be around for a little longer.

Sources: www.radiation_works.com www.militaryfactory.com www.pbs.org www.upi.com

Remote Container Device | Courtesy of: Gavin van Marle

through links with the local mobile phone network. Apart from enhancing cargo care, RCM is able to make predictions regarding the expected state of any reefer prior to its arrival at a depot. This is achieved through the use of an algorithm and if this mathematical tool predicts a healthy reefer, inspection time can be cut from 6 hours to a mere 12 minutes, thereby drastically shortening turnaround time.

The impact of RCM cannot be overstated. Despite the cost of its development, installation and implementation on Maersk’s own 270 vessels and some 130 long-term chartered container ships, it has proved fully worthwhile. It has given and will continue to offer customers peace of mind as perishable goods will arrive at their destination in the required condition. This will not only make a considerable difference to the customer’s supply chain and its management but it will also help keep the waste of precious foodstuffs to a minimum.

Sources: www.welcometomaerskline.com/rcm.html www.maerskline.com www.theloadstar.co.uk www.bbc.com/news/business-34531597

Issue 58-Dec 2016

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Cities and Ports

Manila

The City The name Manila derives from the nilad plant which used to grow in abundance in the

marshland near the shores of Manila Bay. Although the area was inhabited by the Talalog people, who named the area Maynila, it is widely agreed that the Spanish conquistador, Manvel Lopez de Legazpi founded the city of Manila in 1571. Manila soon became the capital and its founder the first governorgeneral of the Philippines.

After destroying much of the original settlement, the Spanish built the fortress city of Intramuros.

Spanish Colonial rule was established and Manila spread outside the fortress city. Spain remained in control for 300 years apart from a short period between 1762 and 1764, when it came under British occupation. Rule was restored to the Spanish in the Treaty of Paris. Other notable events prior to it becoming open to foreign trade in 1832 were the Chinese threat in 1574 and raids conducted by the Dutch in the mid-seventeenth century.

Despite the fact that Manila flourished in the latter half of the nineteenth century, primarily due to the Fort Santiago in Intramuros, a citadel built by Miguel Lopez economic stimulation provided by the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, anti-Spanish feelings grew in de Legazpi in 1590 the 1890s. These sentiments came to a head when insurrection followed the execution of Jose Rizal CC BY-SA 3.0, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index. in 1896. In addition to the internal strife, the Spanish had to contend with the Americans and on 1st php?curid=10153644 May 1898, the Spanish Fleet was defeated at Manila Bay in one of the battles fought in the SpanishAmerican War. On 13th August, the city surrendered to the US. The Americans engaged in the promotion of social and economic reforms and a move towards gradual Filipino political autonomy.

Following the outbreak of World War II, Manila was declared an open city. Japanese occupation began in 1942, but there was little damage done during the invasion. Conversely, during the struggle to recapture the city by the US forces in 1945, Manila was levelled to the ground. With US aid, though, the rebuilding programme was efficient but not fast enough to prevent Quezon City from being chosen as the new capital in 1948. This move lasted until 1976, when Manila became the capital once again and rapid growth followed.

Today, the city of Manila has a population of over 1.6 million compared to metropolitan Manila, which has a population of about 12 million, and it is a major economic centre in the Pacific region. Manila’s economy is boosted by manufacturing with textile production, food, tobacco and chemical processing, publishing and printing leading the way. Manila also produces lumber and wood items, rope, cordage and soap goods.

As regards transport, the centre of trade and finance in the Philippines offers public transport in the form of buses and jeepneys (small buses) and an elevated rail line, which is known as Light Rail Transit.

Taxis are also in abundance, but there is often serious congestion, especially during the rush hour, so progress can be slow.

Manila is the centre of performing arts in the Philippines with the Philippine Cultural Centre, the Folk Arts Theatre, the renovated historic Met Threatre and the Rizal Park open air theatre all providing first-class entertainment. The capital can also boast a number of libraries and museums. The most The Manila skyline with the Manila Central Post Office in the - By Patrick Roque - Taken using my own camera famous libraries are the National Library and Fort Santiago, which contains the original works of Jose foreground. with model DSC-HX5V, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://en.wikipedia.

Rizal. Kamayn Kamaynilaan functions as both a library and a museum, housing valuable carvings, org/w/index.php?curid=47097924 paintings and archives of great historical importance. As for museums, the National Museum with its superb collection of anthropological and archaeological exhibits and the National Institute of Science and Technology, within which there is the geological museum, are well worth visiting. Manila also hosts a range of annual events, including the Art Fair, Madrid Fusion Manila, a gastronomic extravaganza, and the Aliwan Festival, which reflects the cultural diversity of the Philippines. Since Manila is so crowded, outdoor space is at a premium. However, Rizal Park with its Japanese and Chinese gardens, a playground and promenade together with other botanical gardens do provide respite for the local population.

The Port

The Port of Manila, which lies on the mouth of the Pasig River and along Manila Bay’s eastern shores, is the main port in the Philippines. Historically, the Port actually predates the arrival of the Spanish because as far back as the 9th century there were trade relations with China, Japan, India, Indonesia and Malaysia. In the mid16th century, the Rajahs controlled the Port along with large sections of the Kingdom of Maynila.

Nowadays, the governing body for the Port of Manila is the Philippines Ports Authority (PPA) Ports District Office for Manila/Northern Lozon. The Port is a major employer with personnel working over the three areas of the Port: Manila North Harbour, Manila South Harbour and Manila. The entrance to the Port is 12 miles wide and the Bay, which is up to 30 miles in width, is surrounded by tropical foliage and volcanic peaks. The North Harbour is the largest and primary port for domestic cargoes. Its multi-purpose terminal covers around 52 hectares and can cater for general and containerised cargo as well as passengers. There are 5.2 km of quays containing 54 berthing areas that can accommodate a diverse range of inter-island vessels.

Part of Manila North Harbour The South Harbour is operated by Asian Terminals Inc. (ATI) and is larger at about 85 hectares. ATI handles By Matikas 0805 - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, containers, general bulk cargoes, Ro-Ro cargoes and passengers. The South Harbour International Container https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index. php?curid=6438531 Terminal (SHICT) has the capacity to handle 850,000 TEUs per year. The facilities at SHICT include a container freight station, a 30-hectare container yard, areas for refrigerated cargoes, an operations centre and a truck-holding area. It is also equipped with 7 high-capacity ship-to-shore gantry cranes, rubber-tyred gantry cranes, stackers and loaders, tractors and mobile X-ray machines. All these facilities and this equipment are supported by a variety of information systems that assist in managing and directing cargo movement. ATI handles general cargoes in the South Harbour through its General Stevedoring Division (GSD). There are 11 acres of storage for general cargo; which includes timber, motor vehicles, livestock, steel, bulk grain and heavy lift cargoes. There is also a wide range of handling equipment, including several 3-22 ton-forklifts and a 65-ton floating crane barge all supported by information systems. As regards passengers at the South Harbour, the Eva Macapagal Super Terminal is the point of destination and departure. It is the country’s newest and largest of its type, covering 2878m2 and able to accommodate the largest passenger vessels. Open 24 hours a day, it has air conditioning, a 1700-seat lounge with fast-food outlets, water, televisions, public phones and a clinic.

Located between the North and South Harbours is the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT), which is operated by International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI), which was established in 1987. This company is held in high regard as ICTSI is recognised by the Asian Development Bank as being among the world’s top five maritime terminal operators. The container-handling equipment at its disposal includes 10 quay cranes, 37 rubber-tyred gantry cranes, 15 stackers, 51 forklifts, numerous trucks and tractors as well as 10 container weighbridges, all of which are utilised to maximum efficiency.

Sources: www.ppa.con.ph | www.worldportsource.com/ports/review/ | www.britannica.com/place/Manila | www.megacities-go-services.com/Manila/

Quiz

Test your Brain 1. A mother and her son share the same birthday, which is today. Their ages also contain the same two digits. In 13 years from today, her son will be the same age as she was when she gave birth to him. How old is her son today?

2. A ladder hangs over the back of a yacht moored in a marina.

The bottom rung touches the water. The distance between the rungs on the ladder is 30cm and the tide is rising at a rate of 15cm per hour. When will the water reach the third rung from the bottom?

3. What is the next number in the following sequence? 4, 9, 20, 43, 90,?

4. Two seafarers are on a ship heading north. One is on the port side and the other on the starboard side. One is facing west and the other is facing east, and yet they can see each other.

How is this possible?

5. In the Wild West, a cowboy rode into town on Monday. He stayed five nights and then left on Monday. How can this be?

6. A person living in the country keeps goats and chickens. The animals he keeps have a total of 26 legs. How many chickens does he have if he has a total of 9 animals?

7. The first three letters of this insect’s name are the name of another insect. What insect is it?

8. What is the capital city in South America whose name contains all five vowels?

1. What colours are on the international maritime signal flag that means “I am altering my course to port”?

A. Red and black B. Yellow and black C. Red and yellow D. Yellow and blue 2. In which country was the Cutty Shark built?

A. England B. Wales C. Scotland D. Ireland 3. What is the currency used in Brazil?

A. Peso B. Rand C. Balboa D. Real 4. In which country is the port of Gdansk?

A. Romania B. Poland C. Russia D. Latvia 5. Which ship achieved fame after rescuing survivors of the Titanic on 15th April 1912?

A. Carpathia B. Campania C. Carthagenia D. Carinthia 6. Which Cunard Liner named after a queen was launched in 2007?

A. Queen Victoria B. Queen Elizabeth C. Queen Elizabeth 2 D. Queen Mary 2 7. In what year did the Torrey Canyon run aground on the Seven Stones rock pinnacles west of Land’s End? A. 1965 B. 1967 C. 1969 D. 1971 8. What kind of vessel struck Jacques Cousteau’s research ship Calypso in 1996, causing her to sink?

A. a liner B. a tug C. a frigate D. a barge 9. What was the name of the cat that served abroad the HMS Amethyst during the Chinese Civil War and was awarded the Dickin Medal?

A. Stewart B. Simon C. George D. Tiddles 10. Which of the following is not a knot used in sailing?

A. Bowline B. Clove Hitch C. Figure Eight D. Wild Rag

Answers at the foot of the page

Answers at the foot of the page

Crossword

SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 5. Almere 6. Prevention 9. Westinghouse 10. EvaMacapagal 13. Aquarius 15. Evaporation 17. Root 19.QuezonCity 20. Brazil 21. SamuelPepys 22. Concentration DOWN: 1. Hauraki 2. Reefer 3. Fountain 4. Copenhagen 7. Dentalfloss 8.Commercialcourt 11.Detection 12. Ahab 14. Virginia 16. Scurvy 18. Suet TEST YOUR BRAIN answers: 1.Fourteen 2.Never 3.185 4.They are facing each other 5. Monday is the name of his horse 6. Five 7.Beetle (or Antlion) 8. Buenos Aires

Issue 58-Dec 2016

15

Quiz answers: 1. B 2. C 3. D 4. B 5. A 6. A 7. B 8. D 9. B 10. D

Famous Vessels

It is said that stories are a reflection of the hopes, fears, emotions and actions which are part and parcel of what it means to be human. Thus, the setting of a story plays a pivotal role in allowing the reader to make sense of the message the writer is attempting to convey. In some notable cases, the setting is a vessel, which reveals how strong a connection we have with the sea. The following vessels are, therefore, not famous in the historic sense. Instead, they illustrate the importance of ships in our lives and provide a greater insight into the significance of the achievements of those vessels that have helped shape history.

Noah’s Ark

According to calculations made by converting the unit of the cubit into metric measurements, Noah’s Ark was almost 160 metres in length, just under 27 metres in width and almost 16 metres in height. The Ark was purpose built from gopher wood and its builder, Noah, was instructed to put two of every creature into the vessel along with his family. When every creature and his family were aboard, the door was shut and those on board were sealed inside, safe from the oppression and corruption that consumed society. There followed a cataclysmic event, which provided a fresh start for life.

Although the story of this vessel is one of the oldest, it still has relevance today. Scientists have categorically stated that human survival in the distant, or perhaps not so distant future may depend on our ability to escape Earth in a spacecraft.

Ghost

The sealing schooner, Ghost, captained by Wolf Larsen appears in Jack London’s novel, Sea Wolf. Captain Larsen is cruel and subject to violent mood swings, taking his anger out on anyone in his way. His crew are outcasts who are also violent and as such, there is a connection made between the function of the vessel which is to slaughter seals and the personality of the crew. Thus, Ghost is a metaphor for our passage through life and reveals how we can be affected by our fellow humans and the acts we commit.

USS Caine

The USS Caine featured in Herman Wouk’s 1951 Pullitzer Prize-winning novel, The Caine Mutiny.

The USS Caine was a destroyer that was converted into a high-speed minesweeper during World War II. The focus of this story is primarily on the necessity for the captain to carry out his duties correctly. On the USS Caine, the captains fail to fulfil these duties. Instead, they only concern themselves with trivial affairs and as a result, everything aboard the vessel becomes a shambles. It is, therefore, a classic timeless tale of the importance of responsibility and duty.

Pequod

The Pequod was a fictional three-masted Nantucket whaler commanded by Captain Ahab in Herman Melville’s Moby Dick. She was painted black and adorned with whale teeth and bones that portrayed the violent death of her quarry and ultimately symbolised her own fate. Melville also personified the whaler by describing her as ‘’a cannibal of a craft’’ whose ‘’tiller was in one mass, curiously carved from the long narrower jaw of her hereditary foe”.

In doing this, the author demonstrates that the vessel is inseparable from her function and duty and is a slave to it. In this case, her duty is to hunt down the unstoppable white whale that has been attacking and sinking boats. It is a hopeless task and as such makes the novel an allegory in which the facts of whaling are connected to the nature of human life. More specifically, her trophies represent what humans have managed to control and the white whale, her prime, target, remains elusive to the end. It is also interesting to note that her name is significant in that the Pequod were a Native American tribe destroyed by the white man.

Nautilus

In Jules Verne’s 1870 novel 20,000 Leagues under the Sea the Nautilus was a submarine commanded by Captain Nemo, a brilliant and most mysterious individual. The submarine had a cylindrical hull of 70 metres in length and 8 metres in width. The hull was tapered at both ends and had a four-bladed propeller 6 metres in diameter. For a submarine, the Nautilus was luxurious by any standards. Nemo’s cabin was 5 metres long, while the drawing room/salon/museum was 10m x 6m and contained an organ, a valuable art collection and marine specimens. Additionally, the vessel boasted a fountain made from a shell 2 metres across, a library containing 12,000 volumes as well as an exquisitely furnished dining room.

The exploits of the Nautilus reveal that she can be used for both good and evil. On the one hand, the submarine seeks to contribute to science, thereby benefitting mankind and on the other, she is used to destroy humanity. In this respect, Verne’s creation highlights how progress can be stimulate positive change, but also points out the dangers associated with new technology, something that is highly relevant in the shipping industry today.

By Alphonse-Marie-Adolphe de Neuville - Taken from Boston Public Library scan of 1875 edition hosted on Internet Archive at https:// archive.org/details/twentythousandle1875vern, Public Domain, https:// commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=40331

Black Pearl

After the vessel was just a set on a barge in the first of the Pirates of the Caribbean films, the producers decided to build the Black Pearl as a seaworthy vessel. She was built around an existing 109-foot-long ship called Sunset that was docked in Alabama. The construction was a massive undertaking that required marine architects and engineers to make the Black Pearl look good and maintain stability without busting the budget. To achieve the transformation, the capstan, wheel, fife rail, mizzenmast, mainmast and foremast all had to be manufactured while the rigging department was busy outfitting the vessel with black sails. She was also given a distinctive black hull and angel figurehead.

The Black Pearl has 32 12lb cannons, 18 of which are on the gun deck. She has no chase guns, which is not the norm for a pirate ship and a major tactical disadvantage. However, the vessel makes up for this by being the fastest ship in the region. Furthermore, being black she can sneak into port undetected when all her lights are extinguished. A major maritime theme in the Source: http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/ films is that of superstition and the idea that a ship may be cursed. It is an idea that still prevails today in some parts of the world. Another interesting point is that despite engaging in acts of piracy, her Captain Jack Sparrow refuses to transport slaves.

HMS Lydia

The HMS Lydia was a 143-foot-long fifth-rate frigate built in Woolwich in 1796. She was pivotal to the story in ‘The Happy Return’, the first of the Horatio Hornblower novels written by C S Forester. She had a 248-man crew and was armed with 26 18lb guns, 8 9lb guns and 2 2lb guns. Under her heroic Commander she engaged in many battles, managing to sink several larger ships in the process. Her main mission was to head for Central America, where Hornblower was to provide assistance to a local megalomaniac called El Supremo, who was involved in a rebellion against the Spanish. The ultimate aim was to defeat the Spanish and secure commercial treaties for the British government.

Hornblower carries out his orders successfully and proves himself a considerable asset to the Royal Navy. It is, therefore, a tale of leadership and power attained by nations with considerable might on the high seas. However, Forester does not make his hero a man without emotion as when Hornblower receives a request for passage back to England from Lady Barbara Wellesley, he finds himself unable to refuse even though it is quite unsuitable for a woman to travel on such a ship.

Sources: www.humancondition.com/asid-the-story-of-noahs-ark-explained/ | www.sparknotes.com | www.study.com www.enotes.com/topics/sea-wolf | www.acampbell.org.uk/book_reviews | www.wikia.com/HMS-Lydia www.vernianera.com/Nautilus | www.ign.com/articles/2006/07/11