my first ship-tulsidas

This is my first ship in my life. I reported in Chennai office of SCI after 40 days of leave after pre sea training. I was to join a ship “M.V.Tulsidas” in Madras Harbour on the 4th of Jan, 1991. I left home after packing my belongings which included my civil clothes, uniform, working clothes and other essential things. All of us, Appa, Amma, Vidya and me went to the port by a taxi. Amma and Vidya were not allowed to enter the container terminal. I went in with Appa along with my baggage. Appa came to the ship with me and left soon. I changed into my working clothes and got into action.

There were two senior Trainee Nautical Officers (TNOs) there. The junior of them was from Madras. He took me around the ship and showed me what was going on. The ship was loading containers and was bound for UK after a brief halt in Colombo. As I was tired due to the running around the whole day, the chief officer told me to go and take rest. I went to my cabin and unpacked a few things and went to sleep. I fell asleep and was awaken by a call from the seaman-helmsman, at 0345 in the morning. I went to the bridge, as the ship had left harbour somewhere during the night. The chief officer asked me some general questions and explained what I was supposed to do there in the bridge. I came down at 0600 and went round the

ship to know more about the ship. The seamen came to deck at 0800 for their work. I was instructed by the chief officer to follow serang’s (head of the crew) instructions. I was asked by him to start chipping (process of removing rust by a special hammer).

That was a needed to maintain the ship in rust free condition. We reached Colombo and the ship docked in the harbour. After discharging some containers, the ship left on the long journey towards Suez, where the next halt was supposed to take place.

Days passed by. I continued to get up at 0345 everyday, stay on the bridge till 0600. Then I used to go down, assist the PoM(petty officer, maintenance) in taking the soundings of all ballast and FW tanks.(sounding is a process where we put in a small weight attached to long wire or rope into a sounding pipe to ascertain the level of the liquid in a tank). My other jobs included taking inventory of various stores on board, greasing various equipments, chipping and painting. We reached Suez Canal after about 10 days of sailing and dropped anchor. Barges came for supplying fuel oil and diesel oil. Boats also came for supplying provisions, vegetables and fruits. The Suez Canal transit was a memorable event. Ships go in a convoy, the convoy being decided by the ship type, speed, type of cargo and many other factors. The transit is under pilotage and usually it takes about 10 hrs to reach the other end of Suez Canal, which is known as Port Said. On reaching Port Said, the pilot disembarked and we were on our journey towards Europe. My daily routine was bridge watches along with Chief Officer, chipping on deck, greasing, taking inventories of stores and Chief Officer’s paper work. I had to check the temperatures of reefer containers and log it down in the log book.

We reached the beginning of English Channel and we picked up deep sea pilot, who guides us in the North Sea as it is very difficult to navigate there due to the traffic and weather conditions. We reached Felixstowe, a port in England and discharged containers there. Our next port was Rotterdam. The distance was very less and we reached there within a day. We discharged and loaded containers there and were on our way to Hamburg, which was a river port, situated in the river “Die Elbe”. The river passage was done with the help of pilots. It was very beautiful sight on both the sides of the river- green grass, trees, and beautiful buildings. We reached and berthed in the port and cargo work started, as usual. The temperature was -13⁰C. There was a thin film of ice on the river water. It was very difficult for anybody of us to stand outside for even a few minutes. The stay was longer than other ports because we had to discharge and then load containers. This was the chance to go out. I went out along with two or three crew members, all I had was a single sweater to protect myself from that sub zero temperature. This was the first foreign port I was going out and maybe that’s why I did not feel the cold. I returned back after a couple of hours only to find the Chief Officer standing near the accommodation entrance giving me a cold stare(Cold Stare because I didn’t inform him before going out). He asked me to change and be on the deck and not to enter the accommodation till the ship sails out.

Then I realised my mistake of going out without informing Chief Officer. As soon as we sailed out Chief Officer ordered me to start chipping on the deck, it was very difficult even to hold the hammer due to the cold. We came back to Felixstowe loaded some more containers and came to India via Suez Canal. Our first port was Bombay.

Both of the senior TNO’s signed off for the exams and a Third Officer joined the ship to perform the duties of Second Officer I had to look after the Third Officer’s duty in addition to my other jobs which meant that I had to work for at least 18 hrs a day including 8 hrs of navigational watches on the bridge (from 0800 to 1200 and 2000 to 2400). After discharging there the ship came to Madras. I managed to come home for a couple of hours. I was so happy to see my parents and sister. From Madras the ship went to Haldia (port in Hoogly River). We discharged the balance of containers there. We loaded containers came to Madras, loaded here and then some more in Colombo before proceeding towards Suez Canal. On our way to port Suez just before entering the Gulf of Suez we were asked to stop the ship by US Naval ship. They asked all the crew members to assemble in the poop deck (the after portion of the ship). After taking the head count and ensuring that all the crew members were accounted for we were escorted to the officers mess room and were asked to remain there until further notice, two security guards were posted at the entrance to ensure that nobody goes out. They checked the Ship’s Certificates, Cargo related documents and all spaces inside the ship before allowing us to proceed, all these procedures took almost a full day and we were all inside the mess room for the whole day. All this was due to the ongoing war in the Persian Gulf and to ensure that no help goes to Iraq or its allies. After crossing Suez Canal we went to the same ports

discharged/loaded and came back to India. After discharging in Bombay, Madras and Haldia the ship went to Colombo for Dry Dock. I had to prepare the dry dock repairs specifications before the ship reaches dry dock which was a very tiresome job as I had to take measurements in several places.

On reaching Colombo we entered the dry dock and the dock gates closed as soon as we were tied up. Divers went inside to check if the ship was in position. After this, the water was pumped out of the dock. After some time the shipyard personnel confirmed that the ship was sitting on the blocks. Now the ship was given shore power. The Ship’s generators were stopped which will remain so, till the ship floats again. People started cleaning the ship side with high pressure water to remove growth on the steel plating. Once the cleaning was finished, they started sand blasting the ship side areas where rust had formed. This was a dangerous job. It took quite a long time to get the blasting completed. Once the blasting was finished, inspection was carried out by chief officer, shipyard engineer, paint supplier representative and company superintendent. Once found satisfactory, primer was sprayed all over. This was followed another coat of primer. The underwater area was coated with a special paint called anti-fouling paint, which prevents under water growth. All the painting is done under careful supervision of the ship’s staff, paint supplier representative and shipyard engineer. The humidity must not be too high.

The paint will have to be applied to specific thickness, which will be measured by instruments specially made for the purpose. We will have to keep a check on the paints received and paints issued. Other work on deck included changing of hydraulic pipelines, renewal of steel plating on the ship side, as this was dented and had to be renewed as per instructions from the class surveyor. The anchor cables were ranged down in the dock and the thickness of each link was measured. Links, whose thickness was less than the required, had to be renewed. The entire anchor chain was completely blasted to remove the rust and painted. Each anchor had 10 shackles of cable(1 shackle= 27.5 mtrs). The chain lockers were completely cleaned and

painted, before picking up the anchor chain.

One day, there was a holiday for the shipyard. All the officers of the ship were taken on a picnic by the shipyard to Kandy, a hill resort nearby. We saw the famous tooth temple (Lord Buddha’s tooth is kept there). We went to a falls nearby and had a great time. We returned back in the evening. I managed to go out quite a few times during the stay in Colombo. I visited a temple nearby, went to the beach, and had good idlis and dosas there. I also bought some Ceylon tea for home.
The dry-dock was finally over after 1 month. The ship was shining like a brand new ship, and having completed all the trials and surveys, we sailed out from Colombo.
We loaded in India and went on a voyage to Europe again. There, we loaded steel products, machinery parts, pipes and other break bulk cargoes. I went to two new ports this time, Swansea, in Wales and Antwerp, in Belgium. Other ports were the same old ports.
Loading of such cargoes took more time and so got more time to go out and see the world. Lots of precautions had to be taken during the loading and lashing the cargo, to prevent them from becoming loose and damaging each other or the ship, which can lead to a major catastrophe.
After loading, we came to India, our first port, as usual being Bombay. Upon berthing in Bombay docks, we got a message from Office that I was being transferred to another ship. So they had asked the Captain to sign me off and asked me to report to the office.
I packed my belongings and got ready to leave the ship. It was very difficult to leave the ship, as it was my first ship and I had got so much attached to the ship. Tears were literally running out of my eyes, when I was disembarking the gangway (ladder used for entering/leaving the ship) .
With a heavy heart I got down with my baggage, saying good bye to all those people with whom I had worked for 8 months. After all, they had taught me what a ship is and how to work.
My Chief Officer said that his right hand is going!!!

More to continue.......


TOTAL TIME SPENT ON BOARD: 8 MONTHS AND 3 DAYS


PORTS VISITED: IN INDIA- Bombay, Madras, Haldia                        
OUTSIDE INDIA : Colombo, Suez, Port Said, Aquaba, Felixstowe, Hamburg, Antwerp, Rotterdam, Bremen, Muscat, Marsaxlokk, Swansea