Wavelength, issue 50, December 2014

ISSUE 50 DECEMBER 2014 To reach our Seafarers

In this issue Manila Forum Company News Eco Concept Part 2 Lifeboat Drills Safety First Leadership City and Port of Mumbai Plimsoll Line

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OFFICERS'

FORUM2014 After a brief absence, the Officers' Forum was repeated this year in Manila in November. The event lasted for two days, during which a lot of interesting points were raised by Agencies, all participants, Century Maritime Inc. and many items for improvement were noted.

A brief summary of this event can be found on page 3. However, it is our intention to follow it up with more detailed information of the topics presented and discussed during the subsequent editions of Wavelength.

Editorial Dear readers, First of all, as the newly appointed editor of Wavelength, I would like to welcome you to this 50th issue. Secondly, as the new editor, I will briefly introduce myself.

I was born in Liverpool. My father was English and my mother Greek. I was brought up on a housing estate on the Wirral.

Fortunately, I managed to pass an exam to get into a good grammar school. This made it possible for me to go on to higher education to study chemistry. After graduating, I taught in a school located in a deprived urban area before working in a laboratory as a chemical analyst. When my father retired, my parents and sister moved to Greece. I followed and began teaching in a language school. Since then I have worked as a private teacher and as an English Language Teaching (ELT) author. I have written or co-written forty-five books (mostly under my pen-name of Nicholas Stephens), including revised editions. These have helped students learn English in Europe, South America and Asia.

I sincerely hope you enjoy this issue of Wavelength. If you have any comments, suggestions or questions about the content, please do not hesitate to contact me at comment@wavelength.gr

Best wishes, Nick Seaman

Company News On 26 May 2014 the officers and crew of M/T LENI P. rescued an ill seaman on board the sailing vessel “Piccoli II”. He was successfully picked up in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and safely delivered for further medical attention in the Azores a few days later. The United States Coast Guard issued a congratulatory letter (right) commending the Master and the crew for their “outstanding seamanship and unwavering commitment to safety of life at sea”.

Continued on page 4

Disclaimer: The contents provided herewith are for general information purposes only and are not intended to replace or otherwise contradict the detailed instructions and procedures issued by the owners, managers, flag etc. The articles presented and the views expressed in this bulletin do not necessarily reflect those of the publishers.

Editor: Nicholas Seaman Email: contact@wavelength.gr Design-Production: www.remdesign.gr

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OFFICERS’ FORUM 2014 Century Maritime Agencies, Inc.

"Overall a very informative forum.

Should be conducted more often."

Sahai Shashwat Kumar C/O

The 2014 Officers' Forum was held on Thursday 13th and Friday 14th November 2014 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Manila. Turnout was good, with over forty officers attending from the Philippines, India and Bangladesh, as well as a team of six from Marine Trust Head Office and two from CENMAR Mumbai.

Over two days we had the opportunity to meet each other, listen to interesting presentations by a variety of speakers, exchange ideas and concerns, and interact in a relaxed environment. A lot of interesting ideas were thrown around, and it is definite that some good practices will come out of this event.

All agreed that the forum was useful and should be repeated every year, with many proposals raised for alternative locations and extended duration.

At the end of the event, loyalty awards and symbolic gifts were presented to the longest serving senior officers out of those present (Capt. Rolando S.G. Reyes, C/Eng Vincent R. Enriquez, C/Eng Manoj Bhaumik and C/Eng Aslam Bhuiyan) and also to the four longest serving ladies of the CENMAR Manila Office (Johanna B. Durana, Amelita C. Castillo, Maricel M. Baral and Maricel F. Marquez).

On behalf of the company, we wish to thank them once again for their loyalty and contribution over the years. It is our intention to extend this award over the coming years to many other officers that have honoured our company with their loyalty over the years.

In the next edition of Wavelength we will be able to present in detail a few of the topics that were discussed and that are of interest to all seafarers.

In the meantime, we thank Capt. V. Tsiris and CENMAR Manila for their kind hospitality and look forward to repeating such an event again in Manila and in our other key manning locations (Mumbai and Odessa).

Thank you, Anthony Lambros / DPA

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Refugee Rescues The issue of human trafficking in the Mediterranean Sea is becoming increasingly important. The frequency of requests for assistance is rising as refugees appear to be left to their own devices more and more often. Two company vessels, M/T DYNASTY and M/V APAGEON, were called upon to collect between 300 to 400 refugees in the Mediterranean en route to Italy. Both vessels successfully completed their rescues and all the refugees disembarked safely in Italy under instructions from the Italian authorities. Sincere thanks are expressed to all those who participated in this humanitarian effort.

Refugees and crew aboard M/V APAGEON

A few months ago the good vessels CE-WAVE and RUBY were sold and subsequently were taken to their final resting place in the Indian subcontinent. Both ships had served the company well over the years and will be fondly remembered by the seafarers and office staff. The RUBY in particular was commended as being the best vessel to hit the beaches of Pakistan – it is still debated whether this should be taken as a compliment or not… However, if the remark is taken from the perspective of pride of ownership and excellent maintenance then it should be accepted as complimentary.

Leni P./French sailor rescued on 26/05/14 (continued from page 2)

A rescue operation was conducted by the Officers and crew headed by Capt. Rommel Y. Reyes for the sailing boat PICCOLO II. The French sailor, Mathieu Le Page, was rescued at Lat:35-56N/Long:049-37W as he was suffering from severe abdominal pain. The vessel waited before making an ideal manoeuvre, giving the sailboat sufficient leeway as the sailboat had had a main engine failure and was using only her sail in mod/rough weather conditions. The sailor was then brought to the vessel’s hospital and the vessel connected to MRCC Norfolk-USA and MRCC Gris-Nez-France for medical advice. The vessel’s prompt response and action, leading to the patient’s successful treatment earned the Master, Officers and crew of the M/V Leni P. a commendation from the Republic of Liberia’s maritime authority.

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ECO CONCEPT

(continued from W49)

PART II

Other technologies applicable on Future Vessels: • Ballast Water Treatment System – In 2004, the IMO adopted the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments. The Convention calls for ships to conduct a ballast water exchange or to meet a concentration-based ballast water discharge standard in accordance with a gradually implemented schedule linked to the ship’s build date and the amount of ballast carried on board the ship. Regulation is applicable for both existing (class intermediate or renewal survey after 2016) and new building vessels (when the Convention is implemented).

Various technologies have been so far approved such as electrolysis & electro-chlorination, chemical application, filter, UV, de-oxygenating and ozone.

Installation of new systems complying with the aforementioned regulation will be a costly and lengthy process since various aspects have to be considered such as space requirements, ballast tanks coating specification, power requirements, control of stresses, sampling and in-service testing, health & safety. Ballast pumping capacity may be reduced due to height installation of BWTS. Frequent ballast/de-ballast operation may increase carbon footprints, require explosion proof equipment for installation in tankers and the training of officers. Therefore the time until the deadline in order to complete the modifications for all vessels may also be extended.

• In view of the Energy Efficiency Operational Indicator (EEOI) reduction, future vessels will have the necessary equipment for efficient slow steaming, weather routing, trim and route optimization.

• The application of new technology antifouling paint such as low friction SPC, silyl acrylate type or foul release antifouling (silicone based) will increase efficiency as most makers promise impressive fuel savings based on their own laboratory tests.

• The application of environmentally-friendly painting material for E/R and drinking water tanks (solvent free paint) will be necessary.

• Accommodation will also be redesigned to reduce air drag through wind resistance created by the accommodation area of the superstructure. To achieve this, a slanted-corner configuration is applied.

• Air cavity system (see figure opposite) • A waste heat recovery system will allow exhaust gases from the main engine to be used/utilized in turbo generator supplying both assisted propulsion and the ship’s service electrical power.

• High Efficiency/variable speed motors using less energy to perform the same amount of work as standard motors will save fuel.

• Alternative Fuels will be explored, but the only available alternative nowadays is LNG achieving significant reduction of emissions and increased fuel savings. However, the installation onboard a vessel other than LNG carrier is complex and costly. In addition, bunkering issues are expected. Other technologies currently investigated (at a preliminary stage) are bio-fuels, fuel cells, wind power and nuclear power.

• A volatile Organic Compound (VOC) reduction system for control of cargo vapour emissions will be deployed. Normally

the system includes a larger-diameter drop line(s) whose core volume is filled with hydrocarbon gases during loading, while the oil is spiralling down along the cylinder’s outer volume, eliminating sudden pressure reduction and associated production of VOC gases.

• There will be an application of non-corrosive materials (GRP) for piping and fittings onboard.

• The installation of electrical heat exchangers for reducing F.O. consumption and emissions, especially during anchorage time, will be necessary.

• The installation of waste fuel recovery systems to reduce sludge and increase quantity of burnt fuel in engines will further increase fuel savings.

And the existing ships?

Currently most of the regulations are applicable for new constructions. However, the trend will eventually (and stepwise) include existing vessels, since reduction in terms of emissions and fuel consumption will gradually become an one-way path for the shipping industry.

And the new vessels: Eco or not Eco? At the moment, there does not appear to be any choice since opting for eco design is the norm. Since the old speed of 14 to 15 knots has been lowered to 12 knots, the reduced size of the new bows and their innovative axe-shape allows for a reduction of 10 to 15 tons in weight. This increases streamlining and consequently increases fuel efficiency without compromising carrying capacity. In older vessels without the new bow design, appendages such as ducts and fins are added to make them more eco-friendly.

This technology uses air bubbles produced onboard in order to reduce water drag and improve fuel efficiency.

Figure: Working principle of air cavity system

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Marine Operations The following article is adapted from a contribution to HIS Safety at Sea November 2014.Vol 48.Issue 549. It was submitted by the Confidential Hazardous Incident Reporting Programme –CHIRPwhich is an independent system that allows for the reporting of incidents by anyone involved in marine operations. The Marine Advisory Board at CHIRP

LESSONS TO BE LEARNED ABOUT LIFEBOATS has entered into collaboration with Safety at Sea so that topical safety issues can be addressed.

It is possible for near misses to provide information that can enhance safety in all procedures that have associated hazards and dangers. However, it is often the case that seafarers involved in near misses do not provide enough information about an incident to usher in change. One procedure that has associated hazards is that of launching lifeboats.

As a result of the lack of evidence concerning the launching of lifeboats, the reviewing of safety procedures often highlights a particular aspect and ignores other possible contributory factors to the accident. As such, not all potential risks are identified, allowing certain some hazards to remain. Those that are pinpointed in casualty reports do teach lessons and do give ship managers and seafarers the opportunity to act and avoid similar incidents. While this is obviously a step in the right direction, the ultimate goal is to identify all potential hazards so that they do not lead to accidents. In order to reach this goal, it is essential that seafarers realise that there is no shame in reporting a near miss, but there is shame in not reporting one because by not doing so, a fellow seafarer will be exposed to the same previously unidentified risk in the future.

Furthermore, lessons can be learnt during lifeboat drills that are requested at a minimum of once every three months. These drills should give seafarers the chance to identify risks, which should then be reported so that safer practices are encouraged.

Since the majority of reported accidents concerning conventional davit-launched lifeboats happen during recovery, attention is drawn to the crew’s ability to reconnect the boat safely. Thus, such accidents are often attributed to human error and no further analysis of the incident is conducted, which prevents investigators from examining other factors like the design of the lifeboat itself and whether the design takes into account the difficulty in connecting a lifeboat hook.

This difficulty often occurs as a result of crew members having to work in confined spaces with a heavy block swinging in close proximity to their heads. In such conditions, seafarers may understandably divert their attention away from the immediate task at hand by focusing on the danger posed by the block. In this situation, a crew member may not realise that a connection has been improperly made, or that the fall preventer device (FPD) or the secondary safety device (SSD) have not been properly engaged. If this happens, a hook may be opened accidentally with serious consequences.

In the light of these potential risks, lifeboat drills may easily lead to serious injury or worse.

Consequently, the ultimate aim should be to make safety improvements. The way this can happen is to get hazardous incidents reported to the regulatory debating chamber at the International Maritime Organisation and heard by the manufacturers.

Only then will lessons learnt from malfunctions be properly reviewed and action taken to increase safety in the launching and recovery of lifeboats.

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Incident Information

ON LIFEBOAT DRILL NEAR CASUALTY

During a lifeboat drill at sea in good weather conditions, the starboard lifeboat was lowered to the embarkation deck.

In this operation the top link of the forward chain for the connection between the davit floating block and the hook on the lifeboat parted so that the entire load from the lifeboat was transferred to the aft hook/chain. As the aft chain could not withstand the excessive weight, the lifeboat accidentally dropped to the sea.

No crew members were on board the lifeboat at the time of the accident and no human injuries occurred. The lifeboat was considered a total loss due to extensive damage caused by the drop of the lifeboat from the embarkation deck level to sea level.

It is likely that the top link of the forward chain parted due to corrosion or damage of the welding of the link such that the load was no longer distributed to both sides of the link.

As the links/chain were painted it was probably difficult to detect the fracture that had developed over time. The Maritime Administration allowed the vessel to sail with an exemption certificate until a lifeboat could be put on board, provided that additional life rafts and immersion suits were in place.

LESSONS TO BE LEARNED • It is recommended that chains be either replaced or tested by DPI / Ultrasonic testing at regular intervals to eliminate / detect parts with potential risk. This should then be included in the ship’s maintenance system.

• The lifeboat chain, hooks and release system should be inspected and maintained according to maker’s recommendations, and be included in the ship’s maintenance system.

• It is recommended that lifeboats be lowered without person in the lifeboats and boarding is carried out after the boat has been lowered.

Initially top link of forward connecting chain parted.

Secondly bottom link of the aft connecting chain parted leading to the loss of the lifeboat.

Lifeboat, forward end with remaining 4 links without the top round link.

Sources: DNV / www.officerofthewatch.com/tag/lifeboat/

DAVIT SNAPPED DURING LIFEBOAT DRILL The following is applicable for all ships that are required to have lifeboats on board:

• Corrosion protection coverage of critical checkpoints such as clamps on wires should preferably not be used. If used, the protected area should be uncovered and checked before lowering the lifeboat during drills, inspections or surveys.

• It is recommended that lifeboats be lowered without any person in the lifeboats and boarding is carried out after the boat has been lowered.

On lowering the starboard lifeboat during preparation for survey on behalf of a Maritime administration, the forward attachment to the davit snapped when the lifeboat was lowered.

The lifeboat remained hanging vertically by the aft wire only. The aft deck of the lifeboat was found to be fractured.

It was found that an impregnated rope had been wound around the forward and aft wire end points fixed to the davit for corrosion protection. Thus a possible loosening of clamps could not be seen during inspection of the wire prior to lowering the boat. The impregnated rope was removed after the incident and an additional clamp was installed.

The Maritime administration allowed the vessel to sail with an exemption certificate, provided that additional life rafts and immersion suits were in place, until a lifeboat could be put on board.

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SAFETY FIRST! Wah Shan: Fatal injuries to a crewman while securing a tug’s tow wire Source: MAIB Report No 18/2013

NARRATIVE The carpenter on board the capesize bulk carrier Wah Shan was struck and killed by a messenger line while he was attempting to secure a tug’s tow wire in preparation for the vessel berthing. His neck was fractured by the blow. The investigation found that: the configuration of the aft mooring deck did not provide an obvious method of using a winch to heave up the towline safely; the risks involved in securing the tug’s tow wire had not been properly considered; and the aft mooring party used poor line-handling practices and did not function as an effective team. These factors resulted in the crew using an unsafe method to heave the tow wire on board, and led to the messenger line slipping under tension and causing fatal injuries to the carpenter.

Wah Shan arrived at Humber light float at 0430 in the morning. Two pilots joined the vessel there and at 0630 the master announced arrival stations. The carpenter arrived at the aft mooring station first, followed by the second officer and three other crew members. At 0655 four tugs met the vessel to assist it to berth alongside. The carpenter lowered the ship’s messenger line through the aft centreline Panama fairlead to the stern tug. The tug crew tied it to their messenger line which attached to the steel tow wire. Both vessels maintained approximately 6.4 knots speed. There was approximately a 13m drop from the ship’s aft deck to the tug.

The ship’s crew initially tried to hoist the tow wire by hand, but the tug’s mate asked them to use their winch. The carpenter took the messenger on to the warping drum on the port side as indicated in below the figure opposite.

He wound the messenger on to the warping drum from the underside leading it back towards the pedestal fairlead. Around eight to ten turns of the messenger were taken on the drum and due to the unfavorable angle of the lead onto the drum

the rope was bunched towards its outboard end. As the drum rotated riding turns developed, causing the excess length of the messenger line which was coiled on deck to be pulled back into the drum. The messenger line slipped off the outer end of the drum several times causing the tow wire, which was nearly at the aft bitts, to drop back several metres down to the tug.

The carpenter asked the other crewmembers to help him push the messenger line back on to the drum while the second officer operated the winch. In order to do this, the carpenter stood close to the warping drum with his head a few centimetres away from the outboard end (Figure). Suddenly, he was heard to cry out.

He was found slumped forward onto the messenger line. The coastguard was informed and it was decided to berth the vessel as soon as possible to let an emergency medical team board the vessel. At 0804 the vessel came alongside at Immingham; the paramedics who examined the casualty were unable to revive him and he was declared deceased.

Figure: Layout of mooring equipment and messenger line routing at the time of the accident

No job is more important than your safety. It is always better to delay a job than risk your life to complete it in time.

THE LESSONS Heaving up a tug’s tow wire is a relatively simple task on a vessel with well laid out mooring equipment. However, the arrangement of the equipment on the aft mooring deck of Wah Shan did not provide an obvious safe method of carrying out this task. This resulted in the mooring team adopting an inefficient and dangerous method of attaching the messenger line to the winch drum. As there may be other vessels similar to Wah Shan, either in operation or under construction, it is extremely important that ship yards, vessel operators and ships’ crew recognise this risk and take steps to mitigate it. The role of each party in controlling the risks can be summarised as follows:

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Issue 50-December 2014

• Senior officers on board: Display, in an easily accessible location, the arrangements for rigging the safest leads for mooring and towing lines.

Insist that the mooring teams carry out a dynamic risk assessment of the tasks they plan to do, especially if they are unusual, or the nature of the task changes part way through. Carry out familiarisation training for new crew members and demonstrate correct operating practices when there is a change of personnel in mooring teams.

• Individual crew members: When things go wrong, stop the operation and consider alternative approaches.

Discuss the issues with other team members and be prepared to listen to others, especially when they identify hazards.

Near Miss Reporting & Investigation Sources: 1) Company Near Misses 2) ICS: Implementing an effective safety culture.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN UNSAFE ACTS/ NON-CONFORMITIES AND MAJOR INCIDENTS 1 Major Injury (LTI) 30 Minor Injuries 330 Unsafe Acts or Actions

If 30 LTIs are prevented a life will probably be saved!

The objective of this article is to highlight the importance of near miss investigation and to encourage an internal review of near miss reporting and monitoring. However, through the years of Near Miss reporting, it has been noted that there are many repetitive cases throughout the fleet which are of simplistic nature. And even though these cases are discussed during Safety Meetings and lessons learned are circulated periodically (with quarterly and Annual Reports) throughout the fleet, several “uncomplicated” near misses, are still being reported, leading the whole Near Miss reporting procedure to a stall. Sometimes it seems like the only reason to report such cases is to satisfy the quantity of reports.

Having said that, the number of near misses reported is important but the quality of the cases reported is even more important, i.e. it is better to have fewer but more meaningful cases. The time has come to go a step further and report cases that are more meaningful for crew safety and pollution prevention.

All crewmembers should bear in mind the company’s “No blame culture” and be encouraged to report cases occurring during their day to day work, that are more significant and relevant corrective actions may help to improve onboard safety.

HOW CAN MEANINGFUL NEAR MISSES IMPROVE ONBOARD SAFETY An Accident is “an unplanned or planned sequence of events resulting in undesirable consequences”. A near miss is seen as ‘an accident that almost happened’. Since near-misses and accidents have the same causes, analysing near misses can help us understand safety problems and make corrective changes before an accident takes place. Near misses present a trigger for continuous improvement and can provide an early-warning indicator of when conditions have become unsafe and therefore highlight the need to implement corrective actions. To explain this further we can take as an example the injuries occurring onboard. According to OCIMF terminology, a “personal injury” is also mentioned as a Lost Time Incident, i.e. an LTI.

As shown in the “pyramid”, Lost Time Incident is an incident which results in absence from work beyond the date or shift when it occurred. The LTI rate is usually calculated as the number of LTIs that occur during one million working hours, although sometimes different multiples are used. The most common forms of LTIs are ‘slips, trips and falls’. By adopting a culture that will prevent these and other minor injuries from occurring, lives will ultimately be saved. More strikingly, research has also shown that for approximately every 330 unsafe acts or non-conformities, 30 are likely to result in minor injury. Of these 30 injuries one is statistically likely to be an LTI. Thus the prevention of 330 unsafe acts is likely to prevent a significant injury. Statistics also suggest that the prevention of 30 LTIs is likely to result in the saving of a life!

The International Safety Management (ISM) requires that a company provide a safe work environment and establish safeguards against all identified risks. Thorough incident investigation analysis helps a company’s management team to identify and understand the underlying causes of incidents.

This in turn helps strengthen work practices and leads to a safer working environment.

Near miss reporting has an important role in incident prevention.

Without a healthy reporting culture, there is a potential for lost opportunities to improve safety performance. Near Miss reporting and investigation complete with follow-up action and communication can play a significant role in enhancing the company’s Safety Management System.

Reporting of Near Misses is a necessary element of our safety management system because the frequent analysis of as many meaningful cases as possible is a vital tool of Safety Awarenessand it contributes considerably to accident prevention.

TRUST ΤΕΝ Really Useful Safety Tips COMMON CAUSES OF FIRE Fire aboard a vessel can be disastrous. If kept in mind, below mentioned tips will eliminate the most common causes of fire onboard vessels.

• Eliminate any faulty electrical appliances/circuitry • Avoid any overloading of electrical circuitry • Never be careless when disposing cigarette ends • Careful disposal of dirty waste/ rags is essential as spontaneous combustion may occur, especially if these are contaminated with oil • Do not store linen/materials if they are DAMP! • Contain immediately any oil spillage/leakage in machinery spaces.

• Cooking oils should not be overheated. Galley fires may be caused!

• Clean often and thoroughly the galley’s exhaust duct.

• Never be careless with hand pressing irons.

• Do not use incorrect methods of drying laundry.

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Leadership Dear seafarers, During World War II the growth of naval forces was extremely fast, both in respect of military vessels and merchant ships involved in the war effort. Apart from the technical challenge of constructing and maintaining such a fleet, a more difficult task was finding seafarers and especially officers to man these vessels. To put the matter into perspective, imagine that the Royal Navy had expanded from about 200,000 strong in early 1939, to an amazing total of 660,000 staff in June 1943, which means it had more than tripled within the span of just four years.

Recruitment, or rather conscription, was from a very wide base. Possible officers were selected as early as the basic training camp; mostly on the merit of their previous education. After clearing basic training, the ones selected - known as CW (Commission & Warrant) candidates - were sent to sea as ordinary seamen for a period of three months. Following this period they were assigned to HMS King Alfred (a training camp), and just after three further months of training they emerged as Temporary Officers (sub-Lieutenants). Those over 25 years old were likely to be promoted quickly to full Lieutenant. They received commissions throughout the Royal Navy. However, the majority ended up manning the landing craft (that would bring ashore thousands of troops in North Africa, Italy and eventually Normandy) and the escort vessels (that would protect the convoys in the North Atlantic and would eventually defeat the German U-boats).

It was not uncommon - especially for the landing craft which were smaller in size - for a new officer to take over as First Lieutenant only after a few months, and eventual promotion to commanding such a vessel was often quite fast. HMS King Alfred had been commanded by Captain John Pelly, a senior retiree from the Royal Navy since 1934.

In order to ensure that a consistent training system was followed, he issued “The Officer’s Aide Memoire” in an effort to compact years of knowledge and experience into an easy-to-use practical guide for new officers joining these small vessels. In particular the “leadership” section was originally taken from the instructions issued to newlyjoined officers on board HMS Hood, by Captain Francis Pridham in 1938.

In reading these instructions, I was surprised to find how many points were also applicable to today’s merchant seafaring. I find it fascinating that a document written to meet a specific need during wartime exactly 70 years ago, could still find applicability in today’s modern commercial shipping environment. Many things have changed in our industry with the advent of globalization and new technological innovations. Our officers and seafarers are now multinational & multicultural, and the vessels are safe, technologically advanced workstations. Still, the principles of leadership and seamanship that have evolved over centuries of seafaring remain as relevant as ever.

I invite you all to go through the following points which are extracted directly from the section on Leadership in “The Officer’s Aide Memoire”. Some points directly relevant to the war effort are excluded to make reading easier; however, others remain in their original form, so on occasion a dictionary should be at hand for those of us not so proficient in English, or unfamiliar with the language common to the time. I have taken the liberty to highlight in bold fonts the points that I personally feel are highly significant – even today.

I sincerely hope it makes pleasant and interesting reading.

Anthony Lambros Quality & Safety Manager / DPA

The ships badge of HMS King Alfred Artwork by Tony Drury

All photographs reproduced under license by www.mybrightonandhove.org.uk (as per Terms and Conditions stated therein), which is maintained by the My Brighton and Hove volunteer group. Copyright holders for each photograph are mentioned separately.

Leadership text extracts from the “The Officer’s Aide Memoire” by Captain John Pelly, as reproduced in “The Royal Navy Officer’s Pocket-Book, 1944”, compiled and introduced by Brian Lavery, Conway Maritime Books, London, 2007.

Officers under training practice gunnery drill at Hove Battery. These Sub Lieutenants were amongst the first to pass through HMS King Alfred.

Note the man on the elevation operator's seat has not yet acquired a uniform but is wearing a pin-striped jacket. Image reproduced courtesy of Royal Pavilion, Libraries & Museums, Brighton & Hove.

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Issue 50-December 2014

Captain Pelly and the senior staff officers pose with newly passed class of officers outside the main building of King Alfred. From the private collection of Tony Drury

• INTRODUCTION

Leadership is the one attribute which is common and necessary to all who wear the uniform of an officer in His Majesty’s Forces, whatever their technical qualifications. It is also the one attribute which cannot be learnt in a classroom or from a textbook. An inexperienced officer can assimilate a reasonable amount of technical knowledge through the medium of tuition and textbooks, which can be increased by experience. That is a comparatively simple procedure by contrast with attaining the art of leadership, which rests so much with the personality of the individual concerned. Some are born great - to them the ability to lead presents no difficulty - others have greatness thrust upon them. Some of these have latent powers of leadership, and others have these powers to a limited extent only, which is a worry to them.

To develop the first essential of leadership, which is self confidence, must be a matter of practical experience, possibly painful to endure, demanding courage and the will to avoid the shadow and to come out into the light.

Never forget that the Ratings have few rights; but they definitely have got a right to good Officers.

• BEARING AND EXAMPLE Be smart and alert in your bearing, and always be meticulous about your dress.

Develop your voice and word of command.

Your demeanour should be cheerful and enthusiastic - it is your business to inspire enthusiasm and pride of ship and Service. Never appear bored or fed up, however irksome the work may be. The British have a capacity for cheerfulness in adversity. Give this a chance; it is infectious.

Never allow panic to show in your voice or manner; there is an ever-present tendency in your men to turn to an Officer for their cue in emergency.

• KNOWLEDGE Do not be too proud to study the Seamanship Manuals or other technical books; they are the teachings of many generations of experience.

Do not despise advice tendered to you by your subordinates.

On taking up a new job, keep your eyes and ears wide open and, unless and until you know something about it, your mouth shut. As leaders of fighting men it is your business to do your utmost to acquire knowledge and to impart it.

Never be afraid to ask questions. Bluff is a trait of the bad Officer.

Men quickly form a very shrewd opinion of your ability and of your capacity for just dealing. It is on this assessment that their readiness to follow your lead and to work with a will under you, mostly depends.

You cannot be just without knowledge.

• FIRMNESS AND FAIRNESS You can only acquire these through knowledge and the resulting confidence in yourself.

Be precise in your orders.

Think ahead, and thus avoid indecision and contradictory orders. Remember that many mistakes and much apparent slackness may be due to ignorance of what is required. Your job is to teach as well as to take charge, and to find fault only if necessary.

Ignorance may be the reason, and there are times when you could, and should, be kindly.

To obtain the essential grip on your men, be on the lookout for opportunities to nip slackness in the bud. These will not be rare. Use your voice on these occasions so that others may hear you, but do not scream or use sarcasm; a short, sharp, hard word is by no means excluded, but it must be justly deserved.

Remember that is more difficult to tauten up a rope than to ease it away. Therefore, at first particularly, you must be alert and strict; but do not overdo it.

Do not deal harshly with a man solely for the sake of making an example of him. It sometimes happens that a Ship’s Order or Regulation becomes temporarily unenforced. The initial fault then lies with those in authority, and it is not just, therefore, to drop heavily on one man, when there are possibly many others equally deserving punishment.

There are other ways of getting the ‘buzz’ passed around then by giving a heavy punishment.

The latitude permitted in summary punishment is best used in relation to the man rather than to the offence.

You must study, and know, the varying effects of punishments.

Once you have discovered a bad character you must catch him by watchfulness, and not by guile. By using guile you may be tempting him to commit a second offence, which is akin to leaving valuables lying about in order to tempt a suspected thief to steal them.

In the next issue, further applicable points made by Capt. Pelly will be published. Until then, I believe you should make the ones presented above food for thought.

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Historic Space Mission The first ever landing of a probe on a comet took place at 16:05 GMT on 12 November 2014.When the Philae lander successfully touched down on a comet called 67 P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, it marked the end of a decade-long mission run by the European Space Agency (ESA).

On touchdown, Philae sank 4 cm into the surface and began to send signals to Earth. It took the signals 28 minutes to cover the distance from the comet, which was 317 million miles away. The descent of the probe, which took 7 hours, signalled the end of a four-billion mile chase by the spacecraft Rosetta to catch up with the comet travelling at over 34,000 mph. To attain this speed, Rosetta had to use the gravity of Earth three times (2005, 2007, 2009) and Source : ESA/Rosetta/ that of Mars (2007) in what MPS for OSIRIS Team is known as a gravity assist MPS/UPD/LAM/IAA/SSO/ or slingshot manoeuvre. It INTA/UPM/DASP/IDA is hoped that Philae will take pictures of the landscape on the 4km - wide comet of ice, dust and rock. The chemical composition of 67 P/ Churyumov-Gerasimenko will also be analysed by the lander delivered by Rosetta. As comets are lumps of primordial rock How Philae Lands on Comet originating from the dawn of the Solar System, the information gathered by ESA may give us an invaluable insight into the origins of this part of the universe almost 5 Source : ESA/Rosetta/MPS for OSIRIS Team MPS/UPD/LAM/ billion years ago.

Humankind’s Marvels & Nature’s Wonders The Spiral Staircase This 300ft staircase is expected to become a tourist attraction, but the proposed offer of the thrill of climbing a mountain without the danger is subject to age and health restrictions. As visitors ascend the creaking stairs, the wind gets up and birds fly close by.

The staircase is situated on the wall of the Taihang Mountains in the province of Linzhou, China. The mountain range spans 250 miles with the majority of peaks reaching between 5000 and 6000ft.

Source: www.raredelights.com/china-boasts-huge-300ft-spiral-staircase

Psychedelic Salt Mine Hundreds of feet below the Russian city of Yekaterinburg lies a largely disused salt mine. But this is no ordinary mine. The walls are coloured with psychedelic patterns that have been formed by carnalite, which ranges through the colours of the spectrum from red to yellow to blue.

The mines are extensive and it is easy to get lost as the tunnels are disorientating. Few people have seen them close up as visiting this dangerous underground network requires a permit that is difficult to obtain. Luckily, Mikhail Mishainik’s photos give us a glimpse of this subterranean spectacle.

IAA/SSO/INTA/UPM/DASP/IDA

Sources: www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Rosetta/ Touchdown!_Rosetta_S_Philae_probe_lands_on_comet

Source: www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2552245

Peru Investigates Deaths of 500 Sea Lions on North Coast Peru is investigating the deaths of some 500 sea lions found on a beach on its northern coastline. The local governor has accused fishermen of poisoning the mammals, which usually come close to the shore looking for food.

But Peruvian environmental police are looking into other possible causes for the deaths, including disease and the accidental ingestion of plastic.

The rotting corpses were found on Anconcillo beach in the Ancash region.

Agents said the bodies were of young as well as old animals, the official Andina news agency reported.

They were considered a health hazard and quickly removed from the beach, which lies some 400km (250 miles) north of the capital, Lima.

Earlier this month, a similar incident happened further north, in the Piura region, where the bodies of nearly 200 sea lions, dolphins, turtles and pelicans washed ashore.

Officials are still investigating the causes of those deaths.

Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-30172690

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Special Vessel

Otso –Finnish Icebreaker– The icebreaker Otso may not be as imposing a vessel as her Russian cousin, 50 Years Of Victory, but there can be no doubt that she is special. Otso has been operating on the front line of ice-breaking missions in the Gulf of Bothnia since 1986, when she replaced the Karhu class of icebreaker. Otso is both sleeker and smaller than her predecessor, which improves her ice-breaking capability and makes her more fuel efficient.

Obviously, Otso comes into her own during the winter. In the harshest winters, ice is most extensive in March, when it can cover the whole 420,000 km2 of the Baltic. In the middle ones, only the Gulf of Bothnia and Eastern parts of the Gulf of Finland covering 50,000 km2 have ice. As such, Otso is essential for keeping shipping lanes open even when the winter is not so severe. In Bothnian Bay ice normally reaches a thickness of 70cm-120cm in coastal areas, but there can also be ridges comprising 20-30m high walls.

In the open sea, the thickness of the ice depends on its movement, the temperature and snowfall.

Source: www.arctia.fi The Ice class 1A Otso providing assistance super is 99m in length with a beam of 24.2m, a draft of 8m and a displacement of 9103t. Otso has a Bollard Pull of 160t and its crew numbers twenty. The fuel tanks are mid-ship to safeguard against damaging marine ecosystems in the case of accident. They can hold up to 1500m³ of heavy fuel oil and 340m³ of diesel oil. AC electricity is produced from heavy fuel oil. Otso has 4 Wartsila 16V32 diesel engines, each of which powers a 6000V 50Hz generator with an output of 6MW. As regards propulsion, there is an air bubbler system in the bow for augmenting propulsive efficiency and two rear propellers with a combined shaft power of 15MW. As an icebreaker, Otso experiences large frictional forces in high pressure fields. To reduce friction there is a two-metre wide stainless steel belt at the waterline where the hull and ice come together. In addition, there is an anti-corrosion system in place with an electric current providing active cathode protection.

Together with her sister ship, Kontio and new addition Ahto, launched in August 2014, Otso makes access to ice-bound ports possible by offering standard, convoy, towing and cutting assistance. Thus, this special vessel is invaluable as she ensures cargoes reach their destination all year round so that the lives of the local population are not disrupted.

Sources: www.arctia.fi/en_otso. https://ilmatso-opas. fi/en/ilmatsonmuutos/ suomen-muutuva-ilmatso/-/ artikel/63e8e231-2d68-45cb97c8-6bbdd965bae5/itamerenjaalotmuuttuvat.html

Source: NASA - Bothnian Bay seen from space in winter

Worlds of the Deep The Philippine or Mindanao Trench, which lies to the west of the Philippines, is approximately 1320km in length, about 30km in width and reaches depths of up to 10,540m, making it one of the deepest underwater trenches in the world.

Even deeper is the Mariana Trench, located around 2000km further away from the Philippines.

Just as there are different layers in the atmosphere, oceans are divided into zones according to depth. Each zone has different characteristics in terms of pressure, temperature and light. As pressure increases by 1 atmosphere (the pressure on us at sea level) for every 10 metres of descent from the surface, pressure at the bottom of the Trenches is incredible. At the bottom of the Mariana Trench, almost 11,000 metres deep pressure reaches 8 tons/in2, which is the equivalent of 48 Boeing 747 jets! The temperature gradient across the five zones is less steep with temperatures at the bottom of the Hadolpelagic Zone, the deepest zone below 6000m, hovering just above 0°C. As for light the Epipalegic Zone (Sunlight Zone) up to 200m under the surface is the only one with natural light. After that bioluminescent creatures that produce light in their bodies begin Ping-pong tree sponge to appear in the Mesopalegic Zone (Twilight Zone) which stretches to Credit: R.Vrijenhoek, MBARI 1000m down.

Of the three physical characteristics, pressure makes exploration of the deep incredibly difficult, even for robotic submarines. The implosion of the $8m Nereus at 10.000 metres below the surface bears testament to this. However, there has been exploration of the Philippine and Mariana Trenches, giving us a glimpse of what lives in the deep alien environments.

Among the strangest creatures are the ping-pong tree sponge, the dumbo octopus, the enypniastes sea cucumber and the amazing single-cell foraminifera. The sponge, which lives in the Bathypelagic Zone (Midnight Zone) feeds on small marine creatures that get caught on its hairy hooks. The octopus inhabits the same zone, which spans the depths between 1000m and 4000m.

Enypniastes sea cucumber Courtesy: Census of Marine Life This creature survives on worms and crustaceans. The next zone, the Abyssopelagic Zone (The Abyss) is home to the sea cucumber that lives on edible mud that it takes up from the sea bed. There is even life at the very bottom in the form of foraminifera.

So far, scientists have only discovered a fraction of creatures in these extreme underwater environments.

With further exploration, it is hoped that future discoveries will reveal more about life on our amazing planet, Earth.

Dumbo Octopus Credit: Mike Vecchione, NOAA Source: www.nefscnoaa.gov

Sources: www.ibtimes.com www.srh.noaa.gov www.britannica.com www.distractify.com

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Cities and Ports - Mumbai The City The site on which Mumbai is now located once consisted of swampland in which there were seven islands.

However, despite its seemingly unfavorable foundations, Mumbai, now a city of over 12.5m inhabitants has been growing for around five centuries. Originally, the islands were under the rule of the Magadhan empire. Then, they were owned by the Silhara family and subsequently the Sultan of Gujarat.

The Portuguese arrived in 1534. They claimed control of the islands and established them as a centre for trade. They named the place Bom Bahia, meaning “good bay” and it became known as Bombay to the English. The trading post grew with locals offering goods like silk, onyx, rice, tobacco and cotton. By 1626, there had been significant developments, including a huge warehouse, a fort and shipbuilding yard as well as new housing for ordinary folk and mansions for the rich.

The English reached Bombay in 1626, when they were fighting the Portuguese. They attacked the trading centre, destroying houses and Portuguese ships under construction. In 1662, Charles II was given Bombay as part of a dowry, but he got the East India Company to rent the islands for him. As there was a deep water harbour, the largest vessels could enter the port, which required military protection from pirates and the Dutch.

Unfortunately for the English immigrants, the climate was totally unsuitable. That limited the time they could spend there and led to only 5% of European children born in that part of India surviving beyond infancy.

Soon, the East India Company built up the port, adding warehouses, a new quay and customs house. People were allowed to buy land and build their own houses. At the same time the Governor, Gerald Aungier, began a programme to link the islands by causeways, construct fortified structures for protection and set up a mint where coins were struck. By 1675, the population totalled about 60,000.

Attacks on Bombay were frequent and eventually, the Mughals landed, causing residents to flee to the castle for safety. The resulting siege forced East India Company men to go to Mughal Court to achieve peace. They got it, but not without cost. There was great loss of life, houses were destroyed and plantations plundered all of which left Bombay largely abandoned.

However, Bombay was not about to admit defeat. Early in the 1700s, the East India Company realised there was a need for better protection from raiders so they establish a fleet, the Bombay Marine, which developed into the Indian Navy.

With its protecting force, Bombay became secure and offered employment opportunities, thereby attracting people with wideranging skills. Goldsmiths, ironsmiths, weavers, merchants and moneylenders descended on Bombay together with servants and planters. The City flourished. Trading in local products was

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extended as goods from other regions of India became available.

In the 1730s, the shipbuilding industry was established and cotton was sent to England for manufacture before reaching the Indian market. Local manufacture of cloth began when the first Indian cotton mill opened in 1854.

At the beginning of the 19th century, Bombay was dubbed “The Gateway to India”, and by 1845 the swamps were no longer visible. In 1853, the first Indian railway line from Bombay to Thana was opened. This brought in more settlers and by 1864, the population had swelled to over 816,000. Bombay’s growth has continued, transforming it into a metropolis that extends well beyond the area covered by the original islands. In 1995, Bombay became known as Mumbai. The name fittingly derives from Mumbadevi, the stone goddess of the fishermen who were the original inhabitants of the seven islands before they were displaced by the East India Company.

The Port

The port of Mumbai boasts a harbour of 400km2, sheltered by Konkan to the East and Mumbai itself to the West. The Port, which is now under the administration of the Mumbai Port Trust, extends over 46 hectares with 63 anchorage points. The quays total 7.8km in length and a 126km road netword connects the Port. There is also an operational railway system comprising almost 100km of track that connects to the Western and Central Railway.

As regards storage, there is nearly 320,000m2 of covered space, 176,000m2 of open space and 128,000m2 of ground slot. There is also provision for refrigerated cargo at specific berths. Mumbai Port comprises three wet docks, the first of which, Prince’s Dock, was commissioned in 1880. Victoria Dock was commissioned eight years later and Indira Dock in 1914. There are also two dry docks for repair and maintenance work.

Other features of the Port of Mumbai are the Jawahar Deep terminal construction for the handling of petroleum, oil and lubricant (POL) tankers, and Pir Pau offshore berth, where liquid chemicals are handled. Additionally, Ballard Pier Extension has terminal facilities for passenger ships and containers.

The thriving Port of Mumbai has undergone rapid expansion and is set to continue to expand with the development of two container terminals located offshore, a cruise terminal, a further oil berth as well as container berth modernisation.

Sources: www.bl.uk/learning/histcitizen/trading/bombay/history.html www.ship-technology.com/projects/portofmumbai www.indiaonlinepages.com

Prince’s Dock c 1905 Courtesy of Special Collections, University of Houston Libraries

Humour !?

Food for Thought

Quality is never an accident.

It is always the result of intelligent effort. John Ruskin

A man and his wife are at a café browsing the web to find a place to stay for the night. They visit a site where they read that an unusual feature of a country hotel nearby is a talking dog belonging to the owner. Thinking this is something they’d like to see, they decide to stay at the hotel.

As they are walking down the garden path to the entrance, they pass a dog sitting next to a kennel.

“I suppose that’s the talking dog,” says the man and they both start laughing.

“As a matter of fact, it is,” says a voice behind them and they turn around.

“What’s your story?” asks the woman.

“When I was a puppy, I learnt to talk and I helped my master, who was a policeman, catch criminals. Then, I worked for the FBI as an undercover agent. After that I learnt Russian and Chinese before I worked for the CIA as a spy in Moscow and Beijing. They retired me last year, so here I am in the English countryside”.

I worked After hearing this, the couple head for for the reception and ask for the hotel owner FBI who asks how he can be of assistance.

“Your dog,” says the man “Oh! Spike.”

“Yes. Is he for sale?”

“Sure” “How much do you want for him?”

“How about £10?”

“Only £10! Why so little?” asks the man.

“Well, you see,” replies the hotelier, “everything he told you about the police, FBI and CIA is just a load of rubbish!”

Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things. Peter Drucker A nation’s culture resides in the hearts and souls of its people.

Mahatma Gandhi

You must trust and believe in people or life becomes impossible.

Anton Chekhov

I could never have done what I have done without the habits of punctuality, order, and diligence, without the determination to concentrate myself on one subject at a time. Charles Dickens It’s easy to give up now, but it may be difficult to forgive yourself for doing so later on. Thought from the editor

Humour !?

A football supporter needs to get to the stadium fast because it’s nearly time for the match to start. He’s lost, so he stops outside a newsagent’s. He dashes in and asks the assistant, “What’s the quickest way to the Britannia Stadium?”

“How are you going to get there – on foot, by bus, or by car?” asks the assistant.

“By car,” says the supporter.

“That’s the quickest way,” replies the assistant.

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ACROSS

1. Linen shouln’t be stored in this condition (4) 4. Major Black Sea port (6) 5. Developing and using these is a general safety precaution (10) 8. Deepest trench of all (7) 9. Appendages added to older vessels (4) 12. Rags contaminated with oil may cause this combustion (11) 14. They must be reported (4,6) 16. Cause of fire and shinking ships (11) 17. Don’t judge anyone after losing this (6) 19. Comet chaser (7) 23. Received by M/T LENI P. from Liberia (12) 25. Always remember the “No...culture” (5) 27. Porduced onboard to improve fuel efficiency (7) 28. Good traded in 16th century Bombay (6) 29. This testing can be used on chains (10) 30. Formerly mined in the psychedelic caves (4) 31. Accidents in lifeboat drills normally in this phase (8)

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2. Between 4000m. and 6000m. below the surface (5) 3. Planet used for gravity assist (4) 6. Doing the right things (10) 7. A force for change in shipping (13) 10. Shape of Chinese staircase (6) 11. What leaders should not show in their voice (5) 13. Invaluable vessel in winter (9) 15. First Europeans to reach Bombay (10) 18. A smart clean happy ship is this (9) 20. Plimsoll’s first name (6) 21. A common cause of accidents (5,5) 22. Type of octopus (5) 24. Venue for 1966 Load Lines Convention (6) 26. Thinking in this way avoids indecision (5)

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27. Bubbles 28. Cotton 29. Ultrasonic 30. Salt 31. Recovery DOWN: 2. Abyss 3. Mars 6. Leadership 7. Globalization 10. Spiral 11. Panic 13. Icebreaker 15. Portuguese 18. Efficient 20. Samuel 21. Humanerror 22. Dumbo 24. London 26. Ahead

SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1. Damp 4. Odessa 5. checklists 8. Mariana 9. Fins 12. Spontaneous 14. Neamisses 16. Overloading 17. Temper 19. Rosseta 23. Commendation 25. Blame

From Incidents to Regulations Incidents: Sinkings due to the overloading of ships Regulations: Load Line; Plimsoll Line/Mark The 1930 Loadline Convention resulted in the international agreement for the universal application of load line regulations. In 1966, a Load Lines Convention in London amended the 1930 regulations. Further amendments occurred in 1971, 1975, 1979, 1983, 1985, 1995 and 2003.

Historical background Although load lines are normally attributed to Samuel Plimsoll, the British MP, markings on ships had been used centuries before. However, the earliest forms of load lines eventually disappeared, so it was not until the nineteenth century that they were widely adopted. This adoption was brought about through the substantial loss of life at sea due to overloading vessels, which was quite a frequent occurrence in the 1800s. Indeed, in one year alone (1873-1874) 411 ships sank off the UK coast at a cost of 506 lives.

The issue of safety gained importance in the nineteenth century as the frequency of overloaded ships sinking became a cause for concern. Initially, Lloyd’s Register got ships to employ the use of loading marks in 1835, but only ships classed by Lloyd’s were obliged to use the lines, leaving other vessels to sail without this So a cheer for Samuel Plimsoll and let your voices blend safety measure. The ships without load lines were feared by sailors, In praise of one who surely has prov ed the sailor’s friend who were prepared to go prison rather than man an overloaded vessel.

Our tars upon the ocean he struggle s to defend In 1870, Samuel Plimsoll took an interest in the issue of overloading Success to Samuel Plimsoll for he’s the sailor’s friend and wrote a book on the subject. During his research, he discovered There was a time when greed and crim e did cruelly prevail the situation was more serious than he had thought. So, he began to And rotten ships w ere sent on trips campaign for improved safety at sea, which the general public had some to founder in the gale When worthless cargoes well-insured knowledge of from reading his book. In 1872, a Royal Commission was would to the bottom go, And sailor’s lives were sacrificed that set up, but changes were not immediate, causing Plimsoll to continue men might wealthy grow his fight until load lines became a compulsory feature in the Merchant For many a boat that scarce could floa t was sent to dar the wave Shipping Act of 1876. However, it was not until 1894 that the position til Plimsoll wrote his book of notes our seamen’s lives to save of the line was set by law. Twelve years later, foreign vessels were His enemies then tried to prove that pictures false he drew also required to have a load line during visits to British Ports. Since but with English pluck to his task he its introduction this line has been known as the Plimsoll Line after the stuck, a task man whose efforts undoubtedly increased safety at sea and saved he deemed so true numerous lives. In doing so, Samuel Plimsoll earned great respect, especially from sailors.

There were even songs dedicated to his valiant fight, one of which was A Cheer for Plimsoll sung by Fred Albert: Originally, the load line was a mark painted on the sides of a ship. When a ship was loaded, the water level could not be above that line. However, it was possible for the water level to be at different points on the line due to variations in temperature and salinity. Today, it is symbolized as a circle with a horizontal line across its centre. This symbol can be accompanied by other markings and letters at different heights. The letters are TF (Tropical Fresh Water), F (Fresh Water), T (Tropical Seawater), S (Summer Temperate Seawater), W (Winter Temperate Seawater) and WNA (Winter North Atlantic), all of which refer to loading levels under the specified conditions.

Source: www.rmg.co.uk/explore/sea-and-ships/facts/ships-and-seafarers/load-lines

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