06/039 - Canal Transit

Ship_Type: RoRo

Report: Here is a typical car carrier / roro vessel schedule coming from Japan, transitting the Panama canal, caling at a local port for cargowork and then proceeding her voyage to US East coast.
Arrival Balboa - 2200
Pick up anchor - 0600 next morning (Master on bridge since 0530)

Panama Canal transit - 0630 to 1800
1800 - Out of Pan canal, approaching Cristobal bwtr
2000 – Cargo port pilots on board
2200 - Vessel berths at cargo port
2400 - Finished with Masters port formalities (No sparky, and the chief CTO can’t do this alone)
0400 - Notice to engine room (and master!)
0500 - Sail out of cargo port
0600 - Pilot away
0700 - Captain - you better get some sleep! There is no more traffic, but his watchkeepers are overworked so it is better to be on the bridge till 1100.

During the canal transit, the Master has already got tired, he is further tired in a port stay, and what is more - this transit requires his attentiontot eh fullest.

All of us Masters do it, most of us would even deny that it tires us (something to feel proud about??!!)

Ah - yes, the STCW rest hours page is right there - on the filing cabinet next to the garbage in on the bridge.
The US River ports are worse ... Baltimore needs the master staying on the bridge during pilotage (often in fog .. no master could get sleep even if one wants to!!) from 0600hrs right upto 0600 hrs next day. God forbid if soething goes wrong...... I wonder how many operators would accept a Master delaying his ship so that his watchkeepers are well rested ...

Most car carriers and container ships operate in this regime.

Why not just have one additional 3rd officer?!

Rank_Occupation: Master