NO. 13 WINTER 2022 Magazine for maritime industry and sea lovers
WHAT'S INSIDE...
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MAEM's new production manager Elegance safety and ecology Commitment MAEM after hours Product range Magic of Christmas Harbour cities. Sea of attractions Sailing across the pacific III
MAEM'S NEW PRODUCTION MANAGER
‘If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at will change.’ - Wayne Dyer. This is a quote that aptly describes the changes that have taken place in one of MAEM's key departments, namely the manufacturing department. When talking about the work of the department, we have typically focused on the technical innovations and the incredible level of technology that fills us with pride in providing customers with the highest quality products. Until now, while observing the progress, we did not pay attention to the fact that machines, processes and technology are just tools in human hands. On the occasion of the personnel change in the position of production manager, we would like to thank Lech for bringing the department to a level that we are proud of and welcome the new manager, Zbigniew. Z b i g n i e w, t a k i n g t h i s h o n o r a b l e position, agreed to tell us about his vision for the department.
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Zbigniew, working at MAEM is not the first on your professional path. What inspired you to apply to our company? I've known MAEM since 2012 - while working for one of its suppliers, I witnessed its growth, empowerment and branding for seven years. When the time came, when I finally decided to change my job, I first checked if MAEM was looking for someone. I was lucky they were recruiting for the position of Process Engineer and my application to MAEM was the only one I submitted at that time. MAEM has always had that something, that unique combination of aspiration for high quality and excellence in products offered, high level of organization of key processes, with simultaneous family atmosphere and very human, warm approach to employees and contractors. Working in a new place always brings with it an element of uncertainty and surprise. What were your first impressions after joining the MAEM team?
My beginnings came at a rather diff icult time in the histor y of MAEM (and beyond). The onset of the pandemic caused by COVID -19 forced Management to introduce remote working and other restrictions, so the world dosed me with elements of uncertainty and surprise for several months. Already during this extended period of getting to know the company from the inside, however, it quickly became clear that every person I was given to work with was unique in what they did, that everyone was a high-level professional, a true expert within the scope of their responsibilities, and that the whole formed a unique mechanism designed to achieve the goals clearly set by the Board. From the beginning it was, and still is, a lesson in humility for me because, although I have always had a fairly positive view of my abilities, I have been forced to undergo severe self-criticism on many occasions. After more than two years in our organization, you take care of probably the most important department of
a manufacturing company, namely the production department. What does this nomination mean to you? Obtaining this position is a great honour for me, an expression of great trust placed in me by my superiors . It is a great responsibility and a big challenge to manage this area, especially that my predecessors set the bar high and the Machining Department was handed over to me in very good shape. I am motivated to do more, so of course it is also a great opportunity for personal development. Working with a team of great specialists and the opportunity to learn new things from them will allow me to improve myself, to push further the boundaries of my own creativity and resourcefulness. What will change at the MAEM production headed by Zbigniew? Should we expect revolutionary changes in the functioning of the department? Revolutions are against nature, I prefer evolution - continuous improvement, gradual but relatively smooth development. Over the past two years, a number of projects have been initiated
within the Machining Department, such as the implementation of an automated tool magazine and the rebuilding of the technology module. So we will continue our efforts to improve the flow of tools, instruments, controls and measurements as well as raw materials. A lot of work is ahead of us with powering the ERP system with additional technological data, and in the near future, I hope, also with implementation of a module for recording measurement results. These investments will allow us to move on to the next stages of development of the production area and to take on new challenges, as well as will force a slight alteration of the organizational structure, with an emphasis on strengthening the department responsible for designing technologies and the production support area. What new challenges does the department face in 2022?
production process smoothly, and from the point of view of the quality planning process and pricing of newly implemented parts. To meet these challenges, we will improve our methods of data collection and analysis, refine or redesign operating procedures, and increase the precision of cost classification. All this is done in order to be able to react efficiently to the needs of the market and potential customers, and to improve our flexibility in the currently quite difficult realities of the raw material market. What can you wish for as you take on your new position? Quick implementation in the new reality, receptive mind and brilliance in using the acquired knowledge to overcome future difficulties. And to all my colleagues and superiors - patience and understanding.
The biggest challenge is to improve the planning process, both from the point of view of achieving the goal (ensuring availability on the required date), maximizing the use of company resources and running the series
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ELEGANCE SAFETY AND ECOLOGY Receive them in a package
High quality parts require packaging worthy of the measure, and the discerning customer deserves to receive these products in environmentally friendly, modern and aesthetically pleasing packaging. As a proud partner of the most demanding customers, it is a priority for MAEM to provide such a solution. With these statements in mind, we have introduced a new line of outer packaging and repair kit packaging. Along with the packaging line came new product labels on MAEM products.
the packaging according to our guidelines. He also provided space for the new type of packaging and developed a system to ensure a continuous supply of cartons.
Packaging and product labels are a joint project of the logistics, marketing and IT departments.
Klaudia and Kamil from the Marketing Department are the originators of the look and content of the packaging. We made sure to include our product range, social media icons and contact information on the packaging. Additionally, the packaging for the repair kits includes a phone number operated by the sales department. This allows mechanics installing our spare parts to get detailed product information or request technical support in this way.
Mateusz from the Logistics Department made sure that in difficult times of raw material shortages we had a supplier who could guarantee the best quality solutions and was able to personalize
Jerzy and Tomek from the IT department were an indispensable help with the topic of product labels. Thanks to their support we have rolls for printers containing our logo and website. The IT
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guys additionally linked our operating system so that the product information imported from it was printed in a clear and transparent way. Thanks to the labels, customers who reach for spare parts even after a long time after delivery know that they were manufactured by MAEM. Elegance, safety and ecology. The introduced line of packaging means not only a new standard of aesthetic values for the customer. Clearly labelled MAEM products ensure that the customer does not confuse top quality parts made by a trustworthy European brand with other products. The packaging we use at MAEM is produced from recycled material, and thus, we jointly reduce our negative impact on the environment.
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COMMITMENT Extraordinary employees make remarkable organizations
Committed employees are the unifying factor for all successful companies. Engagement pushes you to take action and to go off the beaten path, ensuring growth and competitive advantage. Where does MAEM's uniquenes s come from? From it s employees' unique approach to the company, its customers, suppliers and other partners. To begin another article on the values that build our organization, let's trace the scientific definition of commitment. According to one of them, commitment consis t s of three element s: identification with the goals and values of the organization, the desire to belong to the organization as well as the willingness to gain effort for the organization. Each of the more than 120 employees of our company, like the vast majority of people with an employment contract, has a job description agreed upon with their employer. Each of us could simply perform the duties listed there. This would be quite sufficient to create a company like thousands of others.
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What unites MAEM's staff is their constant desire to improve themselves and the processes for which they are responsible. Going beyond the usual standards is a feature of MAEM as an organisation but also of the people who make it up. There is a lot to be said about commitment - many scientific studies have been written on the subject. However, nothing can say more about it than a few selected examples from MAEM's life.
start the new week in renovated and clean premises.
In describing examples of committed workers, let's go back to the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Back then, in order to safeguard plant operations and the uninterrupted delivery of MAEM products to customers, a group of employees voluntarily separated from their loved ones as a matter of higher necessity and began weekly shifts during which they did not leave the plant.
These are just a few examples from MAEM's life, illustrating how employees approach the company.
It is also worth mentioning the spring 2021 and the completion of renovation works in the Krakow branch of the company. Then, on a free Saturday, willing employees cleaned up their offices and other workplaces so as to
Another example is a sales department employee carrying by car an order for a ship, which without that order, would not leave the port on the same day, or an order delivered to a railroad station to arrive by train to its destination on the same day - this does not happen in ‘ordinary’ sales departments.
The extraordinary people who define MAEM, through their dedication, achieve extraordinary results, making MAEM as an organization today a marker of positive extraordinary in many ways.
MAEM WEBSHOP
J O I N
T H E
P R O G R A M A
PA C K A G E
A N D O F
R E C E I V E B E N E F I T S
W W W . M A E M . C O M
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MAEM AFTER HOURS Klaudia - Graphic Designer
A simple calculation shows that a person between the ages of 20 and 65, working forty hours a week on work duties, is just spending more than 10 years of his life on work during that time. One third of the day of the working week is spent performing work duties. Where do we get the strength and motivation to derive, above all, satisfaction and contentment from work? Let's focus on the well-known slogan: ‘Man does not live by work alone’. We invite you to a series of articles in which selected MAEM employees will show us their passions and unique interests. In subsequent issues of ‘M Magazine’ we will present MAEM employees who will talk about their work and share their hobbies. The character of the next article from the ‘MAEM after hours’ series is Klaudia - graphic designer, designer; marketing department employee. The work she does for MAEM can be seen in many areas. Modern design of packaging, commercial documents or company presentation are just some of the projects Klaudia performs. Our ‘M Magazine’, which you are reading right now, is also one of the projects that would not be possible without Klaudia's involvement. Privately Klaudia has several passions. In this article we will tell you about one of them, namely - folk dancing.
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You are a new member of a company that consists of many dancers. Only a few of them perform on stage. Isn't it like in a soccer team - you are a newcomer and you have to work to get into the first team? That's right. The newly joined member is placed in the second lineup, where he or she prepares for dance advancement. I was fortunate enough to get a chance to perform on stage in Group I three months after joining, all the while working hard in rehearsals. Practices were t wo/three times a week and lasted two to three hours. In order to be promoted to the first dance company, apart from technical skills, the ability to harmonize with the other partners and the ability to find oneself on stage plays a key role. My dance partner at that time, Szymon, is now my husband, so our love for folk dance made us dance our lives away. Coming back to the beginnings of a novice in the group, it is certainly not easy, but the joy of the first performance compensates for the tiredness and stress. A music band means constant rehearsals, performances, concert tours... I guess dancing professionally interferes with your other job? How does it look like for you?
Where did your passion come from? H ow old were you w hen you f elt you wanted to try your hand at such a field? I have had a special interest in music from an early age. As early as in kindergarten, I enjoyed rhy thmics and music classes. My serious adventure with Polish folklore started quite late, at the age of 16. At the school I attended, we had workshops on Polish folk dances and national dances as part of the extracurricular activities. Right after the class the instructor invited me to audition for the Krakowiak Song and Dance Group where she led the dance groups. That is how it all began... 16-year-old Klaudia is convinced that she wants to try her hand at folk dancing. What does the road to realization of such a dream look like?
The workshops made me catch the ‘folklore bug’. I immediately accepted an invitation to a casting, feeling that folk dance can be an amazing artistic adventure. In order to apply to join a dance company, you must meet a number of requirements that are scrupulously evaluated during the audition. The key factors here are height, good looks, and presentation in folk costume. When the candidate meets these requirements, he/she can start the actual rehearsal. It consists of repeating the basic steps and figures of Polish national dances. A candidate for a member of the folk group also undergoes a vocal audition. After verifying these skills, the commission and the candidate must decide together whether they want to continue working together.
A professional career in a folk song and dance ensemble is challenging. It is a very interesting way of life, but unfortunately not for long. A career in a professional group is absorbing and makes it difficult to find other permanent work. Now I dance only for pleasure, physical health and social aspects. The fact that I treated dancing, which I love, as a hobby and not as a way of life is a matter of deliberate choice. Does your passion help you in your career? Or is it rather a distraction from it? For me, dancing is a source of harmony, which allows me to separate from everyday life. It gives me a lot of satisfaction and makes me look at the world in a positive light. Thanks to the fact that I have my own way of getting rid of everyday worries, I am creative and full of good energy at work. T he S ong and D ance Group con sists of people whose cooperation results in recognition and admiration of the audience. It is an analogy of
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a well-organized company in which the co op eration of the p e ople in the company's departments results in it s re p u tatio n an d cu s to me r s ' appreciation. Of course, I think it is an apt comparison. I think the best reward for involvement in the concert is the joy of the audience and the knowledge that they have experienced the concert with us. Usually 8 to 12 couples perform on stage at the same time. It takes a lot of effort, willingness, concentration and commitment to synchronize all of them, that is to make each pair perform the figures in the right moment, in the right place on the stage, conveying the emotions set by the director. The result of this work is a beautiful performance, with which we give joy to others. The two-hour concert is a performance of four age groups, formed by a certain number of dancers. Coordinating everyone is a difficult issue. In a company we have departments, built by employees. The ability to ‘dance together’ when it comes to activities determines the success or lack thereof.
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The existence of a company in the form of a ‘dance company’ is not just the dancers we admire on stage. It is a large group of people whom we do not see, but without whom no concert would be right. I mean the people responsible for the tailoring and maintenance of the costumes, which pass from generation to generation and require constant care. Set designers, lighting designers, choir and orchestra are another group supporting the band during the concert. We have here, as well, a direct analogy to a well-organized company. So you went from being the front man in the band to this invisible to the viewer support group in MAEM? You can say that. My graphic designs and various compositions are created not only for the marketing department but also for any employee who needs my help. Can you still be seen on stage? The last concert of the band in which I c o uld b e s e e n w a s th e O c to b e r
concert celebrating the band's 35th anniversar y. I p er formed there as a ‘graduate’ of the band. It gave me a lot of joy to know that, despite ending my career, I was invited by the band's management to perform at the jubilee concert. For me and other ‘graduates’ it is the best proof that our work and contribution to the band is still appreciated. Some of the photos in the article come from this concert. I hope that on the occasion of the next jubilee I will appear on stage again. If you could turn back time, would you join the team again and steer your career the same way? Being a member of the band is a kaleidoscope of colors, emotions, dancing, singing, regions and our history. It is a beautiful adventure marked by hard work, but also by great satisfaction. I am proud to share this part of my life. The Krakowiak Song and Dance Group has provided me with beautiful memories and taught me perseverance in pursuing my goals, for which I sincerely thank everyone involved in my adventure with Polish folklore.
fot. Kamil Szmidla
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PRODUCT RANGE
NEW SOLUTIONS Alternative spare parts for Kral pumps (K) Alternative spare parts for Desmi pumps (NSL, MODULAR S) Alternative spare parts for Alfa Laval pumps (ALP – sizes 15-85)
At MAEM, we strive to provide our customers with the highest quality marine solutions. We have built our whole business on this concept and since the beginning we have continued to seek ways to improve every product that we manufacture. In order to achieve this goal, we have developed our unique reverse engineering method which relies on duplicating in 1:1 ratio the more durable machine component that works identically to the original. Nowadays, our production plant, which employs around 120 people, provides about 10,000 different, totally interchangeable, alternative spare parts and complete marine solutions which are shipped worldwide. We are confident about the quality and functionality of them, but for our customers’ convenience, each of them is covered by warranty. Choosing MAEM solutions, you will definitely get The Smart Value.
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STANDARD SOLUTIONS Alternative spare parts for Alfa Laval & Westfalia separators Plug and play separators
Alternative spare parts for Nirex fresh water generators including plates and gaskets
Reconditioned separator bowls
Alternative spare parts for IMO pumps (ACD, ACE, ACP, ACG, LPD, LPE, ACF) and Allweiler pumps (BAS, SPF, SPZ, TRD, TRF, TRE, ZAS, ZASV)
Alternative spare parts for Jowa bilge water separators
Complete brazed plate heat exchangers
Electronic control systems (reconditioned and brand new)
Alternative spare parts for Aquafine water sterilizers
Replaceable gaskets for plate heat exchangers
Alternative spare parts for Moatti back flushing filters
Scrubber nozzles for pollution control
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MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS
December at MAEM is traditionally a month of Christmas excitement and magic. It is a time when you can forget about the hustle and bustle of everyday life and focus on doing good. As every year, we want to share the magic of Christmas with our partners by preparing occasional gifts for them. Project preparation in the marketing department begins in the summer, when we discuss the theme and general concept of the gifts our partners will receive. So much time is needed to compose the contents of the sets in no hurry and to agree on all the details with the suppliers. This year our partners received selected products characteristic for Polish cuisine and made by Polish f amily
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manuf ac tures . We made sure that the typical smells of our cuisine would fill the homes and offices of MAEM's friends. For specialties we approached local small manufactories producing their products far from the noise of big cities. This year's suppliers were united by the fact that none of them mass-produces and the products they delivered to us were made almost to our order. The localism and heart that small manufacturers put into creating their items meant that we could share the best with our friends. The idea of Christmas gifts fits perfectly with the approach to business that we nurture at MAEM. When organizing this year's gifts, we did not forget about ecology at its best. One of the components of the gift is a kit necessary to plant your own tree. We hope that some of the trees, nurtured by MAEM partners, will someday decorate their homes during Christmas.
The gift preparation, although it is hard work, as every year gives us a lot of fun and joy. See what this year's gift preparation looked like @maemcompany
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HARBOUR CITIES SEA OF ATTRACTIONS
In the nex t edition of our tour of the most attractive port cities, let's move from the Baltic or North Sea ports to slightly warmer regions. To add a touch of summer to the winter edition of our ‘M Magazine’, we will take you to Italy's most important commercial port on the Adriatic - Trieste. Before taking a closer look at this charming city and its sights, let's focus on the port itself, the city's gateway for those arriving by sea. The Port of Trieste is the work of the Habsburgs who ruled here from 1382 to 1919. The Free Port of Trieste was founded by Austrian Emperor Charles VI in 1719 and was strongly developed by his daughter Maria Teresa who considered Trieste as the only port of the empire. Over the centuries the port had a reputation
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as one of the mos t prosperous Mediterranean seaports. The port city was well connected by modern railroad lines to the main cities of the Balkans and to the southern lands of the empire. Trieste was for centuries the main hub connecting the Habsburg Empire with the ports of India or China. In 1920, with the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the por t of Trieste was annexed to Italian territory. During World War II, the city and the fascist-run port suffered from Allied bombing raids. The post-war period saw its renewed development. Today, the port of Trieste specializes in the handling of container units, with a throughput of over 1,000,000 TEU. However, let's leave the harbor quays behind. Trieste is a multicultural city that lies adjacent to Italy, Slovenia, and Croatia, offering a combination of
historic cafes, art, and heterogeneous architecture woven into the Adriatic coastline. Trieste's main attractions are centered around the city's main squares, where you can find grand buildings and pubs, but also observe the bustling city. Everything is arranged in an almost perfect setting of wide streets and squares facing the Adriatic Sea. The heart of Trieste is the Canale Grande, a wide basin that stretches deep into the city and reflects the colors of the elegant buildings that line its shores. Enjoy an overview of some of Trieste's sights.
Piazza Unita d’Italia The heart of the city is the most beautiful and symbolic of all its squares, the Piazza Unità d'Italia. The buildings surrounding it perfectly sum up Trieste's history, including the Art Nouveau government building, the Assicurazioni Generali building and the Lloyd Triestino building, as well as the City Hall, which was the last to be built. Piazza Unità d'Italia is the main square of Trieste but it is also the largest square in Europe open to the sea. The square was completely renovated between 2001 and 2005, and a lighting system with blue LEDs was installed on the sea side to commemorate the ancient mandracchio (a small sheltered harbor designed to moor small boats and fishing vessels), which was completely buried in the mid-XIXth century.
Piazza della Borsa Piazza della Borsa is the second main square in Trieste, located right next to Piazza Unità d'Italia. Throughout the XIX century it was the economic center of the city. An important element of its space is a Greek temple style building from 1806 built by the architect Antonio Mollari. The etymology of the name of the square derives from this building. Today, it is one of the most important examples of Trieste's neoclassical monuments. The square serves as the headquarters of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Crafts and Agriculture of Trieste, and it is called ‘Borsa Vecchia’, which translated means ‘Old Exchange’. The square also features: a stone column that supports the figure of Austrian Emperor Leopold I, Neptune's Fountain, the new stock exchange building - Dreher Palace, Rusconi House, Steinfeld Palace and many others.
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Audace Pier The Audace Pier, formerly the San Carlo Pier, is a place close to the heart of Trieste residents. This walkway extending for about 200 meters into the sea, is a magical place for strolls and a breath of fresh air at any time of the day or year. Originally, the pier was 95 meters long, connected to the mainland by a wooden bridge. Gradually, it was extended and now measures 246 meters. Although at first glance the concrete pier does not stand out with anything special, it is still an excellent walking point. In the evenings, both tourists and locals like to sit on it. Audace pier is also a good vantage point and a place to take panoramic pictures of Trieste's seaside buildings.
Castello di Miramare Another place worth visiting during your stay in Trieste is the Miramare Castle. The structure was built between 1856 and 1870 on the tip of a rocky cape, right on the coast. This majestic white castle is located in a beautiful setting, surrounded by a huge park full of rare and exotic species of trees. It was built for Archduke Maximilian of Austria and his wife Charlotte, who fell in love with the view of the small bay. The couple lived there for less than 4 years before they left for Mexico, where Maximilian was crowned emperor and died shortly thereafter. Legend has it that Charlotte, grieving wife, still wanders the park calling his name. ▶
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▶
Muzeum Revoltella The Revoltella Museum of Modern Art presents a rich selection of artworks from the XIX and XX centuries. It is located in the city center, a short distance from the sea. It was founded in 1872 by Baron Pasquale Revoltella, one of the most representative figures of XIXth century Trieste society. The elegant Neo-Renaissance building of the museum was built between 1854 and 1858, designed by Friedrich Hitzig. On summer evenings, besides admiring the magnificent works of art gathered in the interior, you can spend time in the museum's café. In addition, on the roof of the building there is an observation deck, which offers a beautiful panorama of the city, overlooking the harbor and the Adriatic Sea.
Wzgórze San Giusto San Giusto Hill (Colle di San Giusto) is the historical center of Trieste. You can find there Roman ruins and the place where the city has its roots. The history of the hill is as long as the history of Trieste itself. The Cathedral of San Giusto which is the main Catholic religious building in the city is located on the hill. Right next to it is a XVth century fortress built on the ruins of a Venetian castle, the Castello di San Giusto. The hill itself is quite an attraction - it offers a beautiful view of the city and the sea. ▶
We do believe that we managed to convince you to get to know this charming city better. In the next edition we will also stay in slightly warmer regions. From Italy we will travel to Portugal.
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SAILING ACROSS THE PACIFIC III TOWARDS DISTANT HORIZONS - PART I
We invite you to read a series of articles that will take us back to the harsh reality of the 70's and 80's, known to most of us only from stories told by our parents or grandparents. Their author is Mr. Andrzej Buszke, a graduate of the Naval Academy in Gdynia, a sailor who worked 28 years of his life at sea. The stories are accounts and descriptions of subjective feelings of the author. The stories describe the reality of communist Poland, as well as the world, which no longer exists, seen through the eyes of an adept and then ETO (Electro-technical Officer).
‘Politechnika Slaska’ - I was told in the office on Malopolska Street in Szczecin. Af ter half a year's daymanship I was completely financially washed out. The ship stood, as I was informed, at the mustering, at the coal pier in the North Port. At that time the largest bulk carrier in the Polish fleet (apart from two others) was to carry 55 thousand tonnes of coal dust to the other end of the world, to the port of Hirohata (Honsiu) in Japan. Well, at that time - in the 70’s - we did not have anything to trade, and such goods as Inka coffee, our ‘Wyborowa’ vodka and just coal, even transported so far, brought us foreign currency.
function - I lived with four occupants (‘Phoenix’), two (‘Oder’, ‘Sola’) or on the stern oble (‘Miner’), this cabin was spacious, with a couch, windows instead of portholes and had a bathroom with shower! We docked the next day. What a terrible ‘quake’! Those three bulk carriers ( ‘ Manife s t L ip cow y ’, ‘ Polite chnika
It was December 1976. There was no tunnel cros sing under the Mar t wa Vistula river then. I could get to the ship from Stogi district only on my own legs. Snow had fallen, I was trudging at night along an unknown road ‘with my soul on my shoulder’ through deep snowdrifts. The distant lights of the North Port were leading me. Getting acquainted with cabin II El was a pleasant surprise. After several previous ones, where - depending on the After heading south, it was getting warmer every day
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Szczecinska’ and ‘Politechnika Slaska’) were known in Polsteam (Polish Marine) for terrible vibrations, coming from the badly bearing main engine shaft. It was the worst on the first of the ‘Manifest Lipcowy’ series (During sea trials, the lamps in the engine broke off and the wings of the bridge, which were flapping, had to be supported by pipe brackets in the shipyard. The crew
of the convicts were packed in a food net and hung over the deck on a crane (this was later forbidden). They had to bail themselves out with whisky, purchased with redeemable dollar balton vouchers, from the ship's canteen. I was the Astrologer, and had to pinpoint the exact moment of passage through the EQUATOR. Everything then proceeded according to the nautical routine, as the photos illustrate. The only difference was that the electrician from my department, not very popular with the crew and nicknamed ‘the crooked snout’, was cured of his bad habit with an inductor for measuring resistance, which, as we all know, generates voltage of 500 V.
numbered 42-45 people? It was a form of patching up the hidden unem ployment in the times of the People's Republic of Poland, similarly numerous or even more numerous crews were only on Russian ships. There were three electricians, yet overtime on long-distance voyages was a welcome addition to earnings. We sailed around Africa. The Suez Canal was not available for deep draft ships as it was only dredged by the Japanese in the second half of the 1970s. It took about 40 days to cross the Atlantic and the Indian Ocean to Japan. The temperature in the cabins exceeded 30°C, in the engine room it was 20°C more. If it hadn't been for the fans... The momentary blackout was a real pain. Witek, a fat ‘motorman’, was on the watch of the fourth engineer. Despite warnings he was cleaning the centrifuge plates under the supply fan, covered in sweat, with a dirty wet rag on his shoulders. And it happened - he got ‘rootlets disease’ and got twisted. Placed in a berth, he could not handle himself, and he weighed over 100 kg.
into glasses during dinner time. The air conditioning was also turned on (high-pressure). Fights broke out on the ship because those living downstairs, closer to the climate compressors, where the air pressure was the highest, would take the covers off the cabin air conditioners, set them on full blast, and steal cold air from those upstairs, where there was barely any wind. The temperature differences in the cabins were significant due to this practice. The ‘baptism of the equator’ was approaching. ‘Grandfather’ - Captain Anthony G., who celebrated his 70th birthday on this cruise, took care to continue the maritime traditions. I was already baptized and luckily did not forget to bring my certificate with me. After many days of oppressing the neophytes with scary stories, the day came. A few
According to tradition, a feast followed, during which Bogdan, the mayor, repeatedly ran to the canteen for supplies. The days ran, varied with Saturday and Sunday movie screenings. However, something began to happen in the Indian Ocean. The ship made a sharp turn through the stern, circled the loop - returned to the course and stopped. This was the famous maneuver called the ‘Butakov loop’, which is performed on the alarm - ‘man overboard’. Indeed, a pole was spotted on the bridge over, presumably, a castaway. According to the movements of the waves, dressed in an orange jumpsuit, he was floating on the water. An albatross staggered over him... We lowered the lifeboat very efficiently. The crew took their seats, some were joking. They swam up, turned over the body with a bare foot. They came back
Af ter crossing the Tropic of Cancer and entering ‘ the tropics’ the wine ‘TROPIK’ appeared on the table with a nice sailing ship on the label, produced by the Cooperative ‘L AS’. It was issued in the amount of 1 bottle for 3 days (later for 5 days), for health purposes. Supposedly, it helped to regulate the body's ionic balance with increased sweating. There were those who did not drink every day and collected portions to ‘celebrate’ with several bottles so the captain ordered that wine be poured
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a constant threat to safe navigation. We sailed into Singapore. ‘Politechnika’ in the roadstead dropped anchor, bunker ship and shipchandler's dinghy with fresh vegetables and fruit came up. And not only. ‘Mazowsze’! Boat s with beautiful, smiling girls . Malay, Siamese, Chinese. Wrapped in colorful skirts, black-haired, swarthy, they gracefully climbed the gangway. We instantly became their friends . A normal workday w a s out of the question. ‘Grandma,’ the captain's wife, whom we mostly saw knitting something, was indignant. – Anthony, throw those fu***rs out. – Let the boys have their fun... in a completely different mood. No one was willing to joke... It turned out that the castaway had been carried by the capok with his back up and he no longer had a face because it had been eaten by fish. We had 4 refrigerated rooms on the ship, two of which were ‘heavy’ - Fish Room and Meat Room. Fully loaded. To take the body, one of them would have to be emptied, then the chamber would have to be disinfected. However, the captain decided to cut off the capok after taking the documents, which were found in a watertight pouch at the belt, and let the ocean become a graveyard for the castaway. From the documents and from subsequent conversations with the shipowner (whose representative visited the ship after it docked in Japan), it was clarified that he was the only crewman of the Taiwanese ship that was found and sent a message about entering the hurricane zone and the dramatic situation in which he found himself.
One sunny day I had work to do on deck. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed a female passenger - the steward's wife - walking on the tank with a deckchair in her hand. A pretty redheaded girl with a fair complexion speckled with freckles. ‘She's going to sunbathe,’ I registered. And I forgot about her... We came back at the same time for lunch (12:00 p.m.). She was very red. It turned out that she fell asleep on her deck chair. She didn't show up for later practice lifeboat alerts until we arrived in Japan. She was badly burned.
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I enjoyed hanging out on the decks at night. The constellations were different from ours, the smell was different... As we approached Malacca Street there were more lights on the water. Our huge ship lit two vertical red lights on the main mast and sped forward. These were the days when wooden boats were home for many Malay fishermen. Away from land, on the shipping lane, at night, they would light a kerosene lantern on the bow, giving off a yellow light, and sleep. There may have been times when the lantern went out. It seemed to me sometimes that I could hear a crackle coming from the bow. The waters were then free of pirates, the air was clear, there was none of that hanging smog of later times, the fog mixed with smoke, burned by jungle planters in Sumatra and Borneo, which limited visibility to a few miles and was
Vicinity of the Indochinese Peninsula, Malacca Street
Along with the girls appeared two-litre cans with ears of ‘Nikka whisky’, ‘Hi hi whisky’. Hustle and bustle, laughter in the mess hall... Traffic in the corridors. Friendships were made, which moved to the cabins. After some time the girls appeared again. Hey, guys reading these words, you were born too late.... The captain arranged for two rounds of motorboating into town. In the morning at 8 a.m. for the watches and at noon for the deymen. The city - a metropolis in the 60’s and 70’s - was very different from the later city crowded with skyscrapers, with gardens on roofs and terraces. There was a harbor with colorful jonks, a large Chinese quarter, of which in later years
an area, maybe 200 × 100 meters, was left for tourists. Low bamboo and clay houses, streets in the middle of which ran a stinking gutter covered with a metal grate. Bazaars, piles of garbage. Streets red with the spitting of red betel by the Chinese. Opium smoking rooms. We returned to the ship in the evening on a singing motorboat: ‘ We ' re g o in g to drink o ur gr an d mother's ship whole. The whole ship, the whole ship. ... Grandma's gold teeth and mantals. Still today, still today, still today.’ I looked in the cabin and my entire berth was covered with Christmas tree lights. The flashing ones. It was a business hit back then. The captain! He was the only one who had the ‘master key’ to all the cabins and rooms on the ship. He later told me:
Singapore. The Lion City
– After all, you're not ‘doing business’ anyway. Right. I had no money for a business start-up. And the duty relief - for every day I was abroad - it was a shame not to use. – In Hirohata we were unloaded in two days. The waterfront of a huge thermal power plant was well away from the city. We took a cab there. We walked along narrow streets lined with colorful vertical signs. Japanese people not very polite, Japanese women - some dressed in national kimonos, on their clogs with transverse rungs, as if brought back to our times from the ‘Madame Butterfly’ opera. Very stiff and were aloof. We wanted to have fun at their disco. We were not allowed in. – This is where the Japanese are having fun. The Americans are playing on, oh there... - they were showing. What chauvinism. I never thought... We had been planning to visit Kyoto, the former capital of Japan and the seat of the emperor, just a few dozen kilometers away, but time was so short. The return voyage along the same route began, with a call at Karachi along the way. To be continued...
Lifestyle | Winter 2022 | 25
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