BLOG 55 - "Marine Musings 14" - A Life Jacket Floats By - A 200 Ton 'Stulken' is Load Tested

A SEVEN YEAR OLD BOY PICKED UP FROM THE SEA

The first Norwegian Captain was an old sea dog. After seeing the way I had tackled and solved recurring problems and the co-operation I was giving the Norwegian Chief Officer, he became very friendly with me. During one of the discussions at the dinner table, he related an incident of picking up an Indian boy from the sea.

He was on a Norwegian ship, crewed fully by Norwegians, sailing in the Arabian Sea en route to the Suez Canal. This happened after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1975.

The 2nd Mate was sunning himself, lying on his stomach, on a bench facing the railing, near the swimming pool. While doing so, he thought he saw a life jacket floating by, close to the ship. He immediately ran up to the Bridge, checked with binoculars and called the Captain. The ship was turned around to check and they found a boy, seemingly asleep, floating in a life jacket. A boat was lowered and he was picked up, revived with some water and nourishments.

The life jacket had the ship’s name, which was a Shipping Corporation of India ship. Once the boy revived, he became quite chirpy and said he was the Captain’s son, that he did not know how or when he went into the water. He was intelligent and knew the call sign of his ship. An immediate ‘priority’ message was sent and, within an hour, the relieved Captain of the Indian ship answered, stating his son had been missing for more than 24 hours and they were on their way to Mumbai. He thanked the Norwegian Captain, got off the ship at Mumbai, flew to Aden and picked his son up. Nobody knew the reason why the boy was in the water. That he had survived in the sea for more than 24 hours was a miracle in itself.

LOAD TEST OF A 200 TON SWL ‘STULKEN’

Cranes are easier to handle as they are less complicated, as they involve three functions – hoisting, slewing and luffing. Derricks are a little more complicated, as they require more specific knowledge of rigging. Knowledge of derricks, spider bands, lift guys, side guys, lifting purchases, gooseneck for plumbing, single span or purchase, head block, slewing guys and more are essential to the operation of derricks.

‘Stulkens’, which are used for heavier cargoes, are even more complicated. Crews and Officers who have worked on General Cargo ships have this specialised knowledge, which a Tanker or Bulk Carrier man does not possess. I don’t remember which type of ‘Stulken’ was on board the Taronga. I could be confusing it with another ship. But, since the Stulken could plumb two hatches, I think it must be similar to below photographs from Google.

Courtesy Google

The 5 yearly load test and survey of the Stulken was due. We prepared for it for nearly ten days. It was under the Chief Officer’s directions and I was actively involved in every facet of this preparation. Overhauling blocks, clearing blocked grease holes, renewing grease nipples, checking wires, electrical servicing, trying the winches – we all worked together towards a common goal.

The day came when we completed cargo in Yokohama. We had to pick up a ballasted barge loaded with an anchor chain weighing a total of 220 tons (200 + 10%). The top four, me included, had a small side bet as to what maximum inclination the ship would list, when a 220 ton weight is picked up. Mine was 7 ½ degrees. The ship listed to 7 degrees when the load was picked up.

It went well till it came to railing height, at which time the Class Surveyor was happy and left the scene to complete the formalities. The water in the barge was then emptied and the barge lowered back on to the water, unhooked and the hook lifted up. Just as we got everything back into position, the main winch burnt out, although there was no load on the Stulken. Shore workshop, being already on board, removed the motor and took it for re-winding.

After we sailed out, I asked the Norwegian Chief Engineer to check old records. Records showed that, whenever a weight of over 80 Tons was lifted, this same motor used to burn, after which it used to be rewound. This had been happening for the past 6 years or so, whenever a heavy cargo was lifted. We received the motor back in Singapore 8 days later, it was fitted, tried out and found good. Subsequently, I got off the ship without the ‘Stulken’ being used.

A HOLE IN THE SHIP’S BOTTOM

The 'Taronga' had been 'jumboised' a few years earlier, with the ship being cut into two and 2 holds with container bays were added, capable of carrying about 700 containers. 2 x 25 ton cranes were also added to handle containers. We had ballast tanks under the newly built container section.

The Chief Officer was regularly asking for a particular ballast tank, under the container section, to be pumped out on a daily basis. On the third such occasion, I asked him why are we pumping out the tank daily. He explained that whenever he took the sounding, he would find a certain amount of water, which was also causing a list and needed pumping out. I told him that there was something wrong if we needed to do this daily.

Later, I checked along with him and found that the level in the tank was the same as that of the level of water in the sea – that is, the ullages were the same. After eliminating other means of ingress, I had to conclude that there was a hole in the ship’s bottom, in the proximity of this double bottom tank. The 3 Norwegians were sceptical and eyebrows were raised because the bottom plating of most ships were about 40 mm thick.

To humour me, the tank was ventilated and the Chief Mate and I went in to inspect, keeping the ballast pump running to pump out water. There was a 100 mm jagged hole in the ship’s bottom, close to the bell mouth for the suction / discharge and water was gushing in from this hole. We managed to stop the water leaking in by plugging it. The reason why the hole came into being is that there was no striker plate where the suction / discharge pipe was fitted. Cavitation had occurred, followed by erosion of the metal.

In Japan, the workshop sent a diver down, plugged it from the outside bottom and poured concrete and filled up that area. This section was cut out and the steel renewed during the dry dock, a few months later.

EXPLOITATION

The Norwegian Captain and Chief Officer signed off a few months after I boarded the vessel and were replaced by two others. The Chief Engineer extended his tenure, as he was having the time of his life with me doing all his work also as preparation for my promotion to Chief Engineer.

The new Captain and Chief Officer were quite racist and treated the Indian Officers badly. It did not affect me as, being in the Engineering Department, I could just ignore them. But the Indian 2nd Mate and 3rd Mate were suffering. A week after the new Captain and Mate joined, the Chief Officer was taken off watch, ostensibly with the reason that there was too much of deck work which needs to be supervised full time. With this, the 2nd Mate and 3rd Mate were put on 6 hours on – 6 hours off watches even while at sea, rather than the normal 4 on – 8 off watches. During port stays they were doing 12 on – 12 off. It started taking its toll on them and they quietly came to me and complained, as I was the senior most among the Indian Officers. I quietly checked if the deck work was as heavy as was projected and found it was not so. The Chief Officer would go on deck at 0800H and, after an hour or so, would go into the Captain’s cabin, where a drinking session would start. The Chief Officer never stepped on deck the rest of the day.

My Chief Engineer also fell into the trap and would join them quite often for drinks. I spoke to him about drinking during working hours and it bugged him, but he reduced his visits to the Captain's cabin. As far as I was concerned, his absence suited me fine, as there was no interference. But the 2nd and 3rd Mates were really suffering and were not getting sufficient rest. I had to tell them that they had to, at least presently, either speak up or else keep quiet till we reached Hong Kong where, I told them, I would speak to whoever boarded the ship from the Office.. They kept quiet and did not confront the situation. I told the Chief Engineer but nothing came of it.

SHAME

One more thing that was happening during this time was frightening on the one hand and heart breaking on the other. The new Norwegian Chief Mate, along with the Singaporean Bosun and crew, were regularly breaking open a few targeted containers and stealing stereos, cameras, watches and quite a few other valuables and consumer goods meant for Persian Gulf Ports. Not just one or two pieces, but by the dozens. The new Captain was also a participant.

How did they manage to get all this stuff to Norway? Their plan was ingenious. They kept them ready in sealed packing cases and transported them to other Wilhelmsen Ro-Ro ships in Dubai which were to call Oslo or a Norwegian port later. We used to be berthed practically next to each other, making the transfer easy. I was ashamed, more because they were so very well paid and yet they stooped to the level of stealing cargo, for which we were the supposed trustees when it was on board our ship.

We reached Hong Kong. Our General Manager, Mr Vijan, came on board for an inspection. He specifically made it a point to talk to me – I would have sought him out, in any case. He told me that I was slated for promotion soon. I spoke to him about what the 2nd and 3rd Mates were being subjected to by racists who thought we were their slaves. I also told him about the stealing of cargo and how it went on to Oslo. Both the events upset him. After about 10 days, the Norwegian Chief Engineer went home to be replaced by an Indian Chief Engineer. Another ten days later the Captain and Chief Officer were taken off and replaced by Indians.

PROMOTION

I was a little upset that I had not been promoted but did not comment. A few days later, I was told to be ready to fly from Kuwait to Japan to join the ‘Artemis’ as Chief Engineer. Kuwait was a week away. The 3rd Engineer, Parasher, was to be promoted to 2nd Engineer and a new 3rd Engineer would be sent.

Just a day before reaching Kuwait, a message came to the ship “Due to unforeseen circumstances, we are unable to transfer and promote Mr. AR at the present time. Please ask him to bear with us a little longer”. Although the message was clear enough, to me it was inexplicable. A few days later, details were revealed that the ‘Artemis’, on a voyage from Vancouver to Japan with a cargo of logs, had run into a severe storm about 300 miles from Japan and had sunk. All lives were saved.

Later, I came to know that my batch mate, Gopakumar, had become a Superintendent in the Hong Kong Office and had been assigned the “Artemis”, along with other ships. He had flown to Japan and made arrangements for all to be picked by the Japanese Navy.

So my promotion and the promotion of the 3rd Engineer was delayed.

I was aghast and remembered the old gentleman back in Chennai, who was an astrologer, telling me more than two years ago that I am to get promoted around end 1980, but it gets delayed by six months, for a cause he could not fathom.

The Indian Chief Engineer and I had a slightly strained relationship; I am unable to remember the reasons. But I do remember thinking that I don’t seem to get along with my seniors – maybe the fault lies within me. It afforded introspection, after which I tried to be less aggressive, more friendly.

I took the delay of promotion in my stride and continued as 2nd Engineer for the next three months. I prepared an exhaustive set of hand written notes on the condition of all machinery on board, what to do, what not to do, how to do, etc. and handed it over to my reliever, who sailed with me on a parallel voyage for 4 days.

I signed off the ship on 3rd April 1981 at Singapore and flew back home to Chennai, nourishing the hope that I will join the next ship as Chief Engineer.

MONEY AND ALLOTMENTS

I was sending almost 90% of my wages to my bank account. The method of sending was to fill in an Allotment Form and hand it over to the Radio Officer, which would then be sent to the Company. After a few months of being on board, I realised that none of our allotments were getting credited fast enough, sometimes taking as much as 4 months or so. Families were suffering.

We stopped sending allotments, as our complaints to the Office went unheeded.

The Electrical Officer was the one who found a quicker method. We would all take our full dues in Dollars in Dubai. One or two people would go ashore carrying small bundles of notes with a note attached by a rubber band, giving bank details in India. There were any number of Foreign Exchange Centres that would give good rates of exchange for such large amounts and also transfer to the respective bank accounts without an additional fee. The next day the money would reach our accounts.

Years later, I found out the cause; it was particularly odious.

Chapter 6 – What I learnt on this Ship – What were My Takeaways

I realised that, more as a defence mechanism, I was becoming more terse over the years, especially with my seniors. This approach was, possibly, triggering antagonism in them, some of whom became abusive. I needed to tone this down to improve myself.

Mechanical problems that have a history of repeating themselves, have a mistake made in their overhaul or assembly in their past. Patient analysis can get you to the root of the problem.

Your ultimate aim should be to improve the ship by at least 10% during your tenure.

On joining a ship, give yourself a little time to settle down and get a ‘feel’ of the ship. Only then can you conceptualise an overall plan, which then can be broken down into smaller plans. This is apart from the Scheduled Maintenance Plan that the Company has.

On this ship, when on watch, I made it a point to spend at least 15 minutes in each small sector, just standing, observing, listening, smelling. Later, anything amiss can easily be traced.

Giving time to your perceptive senses – sight, sound, smell etc. – pays dividends later.

Treat your juniors in a fair manner. I am alluding to the harsh treatment meted out to the 2nd and 3rd Mates.

It was with this ship that I seriously started taking the matter of teaching all my staff for at least an hour every day. Large sized white boards and white board markers became items that I would either requisition or buy on Master’s Cash Account for every ship that I sailed on. I would hold classes during the tea breaks. The feedback was that it was appreciated - at least there was no overt grumbling. The Norwegian Chief Engineer would often sit and listen.

Charles Darwin wrote "Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge." One has to first realise that he is ignorant, before he can begin his quest for knowledge. “I don’t know” is a better start than “I know everything”.

In order to know you don’t know anything, you have to know something.

Rangan

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