200309 ISM Does Work

ISM Does Work
Report No. 200309

I quite enjoy the contrasting views presented by other seafarers in the MARS articles. I recently had a chance of seeing both the ISM code and STCW being put to practice by a 42 year old Master (3 years in command) on a 2,000 TEU container vessel with officers employed by a reputed European company. The vessel, on which I was Chief Officer, was managed and owned by a reputed Japanese company, flying a FOC and manned by multinational Asian crew (typical scenario?!!).

Our vessel was berthed at Singapore for 10 hours for cargo work and stores. Engine room folk were black with soot doing unit work (they somehow managed to go to the phone booths in shifts!). Three hours after the vessel set sail, (at approx. 2000 hrs), one of the engine liners cracked and had to be changed. The vessel was stopped in the Malacca Straits (20nm from land, barely any current) and the deck crew put on anti piracy watches, the entire engine complement set to work to change the liner. The job was completed at 0600 hrs. The Master informed the management company that since all the crew was not properly rested, the ship would stay put and the crew given a rest period until noon.

Other than the remaining anti piracy watch keepers, the engine and the bridge watch keepers, all the other crew were rested. The vessel started at 1200 hrs and continued her voyage. The master kept the office staff up to date from beginning to end. The superintendent never asked for explanations, neither did the time charterer ask any further questions about the ETA delay after he was told the reason. The Master continues to sail with the same company and was asked to command the same vessel again after his leave.

As a Chief Officer, this was indeed an interesting experience for me, seeing all that I have studied being practised - right from rest hours to commitment from the top. I remember the instructor on the ISM Code familiarisation course telling us, "If the owner is likely to kick you out of the company for being zealous about safety, you should leave his service before that happens. Do you think it's worth YOUR pride and professional integrity to work for such unscrupulous "fly by night" operators? " I thought what he had said was hogwash. now, I am starting to believe it!!