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No longer any need to use the Internet Explorer or run the Internet Explorer rendering engine. I gave up IE after the introduction of Internet Explorer 11 Page is tested in Fire Fox, Chrome and Safari. Looks like it works OK in all browsers, except the sounds in Safari. Of course, browsing www.aladdin.st in Safari on an iPad is a different story, nothing looks as it should
Friday 15thof February 2013and the anchor was up at 18:30 yesterday evening and the Pilot boarded us at 22:55 while I was in my cabin trying to sleep. Of course, no luck falling asleep. Iwas dead tired at 6 and when I went to bed at 8 thirty I was almost asleep behind my desk. But as soon as I went to bed I was wide awake.
So I was not full of vim when they called me at 1 o'clock in the morning. - We will be at the jetty in 15 minutes - OK, I'm coming I had a shower and I went to the bridge, I had managed to sleep for an hour. At least I think so and I was very tired. I was surprised when I heard that they only prepared 2 mooring lines forward and aft. Turning out that we were just going to a lay by berth wile a container ship infront of us passed through the lock.
We had all fast at the lay by berth at 2 in the morning and the pilot told us that we would enter the lock quarter past 3. I went to bed and when they called me 10 minutes before 4 I had managed to get an hour of sleep. GOOD LUCK!!
We left the lock 5 minutes after 5 o'clock in the morning and there were plenty ships in the port. Many ships lying outside of other ships. At first I thought I had ended up on a ship's graveyard.Reminded me of when I was in Alang. Is this a branch to Alang?
Yes, many of the ships looked like they were only lying around doing nothing. But they looked quite new and modern, well, of course, therewere a few looking like they belonged on a ship's graveyard. Later on in the day I learnt that it was because they were waiting for departure.
Container ships leave first and then there is another different “PRIORITY” system. Passing through the lock and there is only a certain amount of ships that have the time to leave during the high water in the River Ganges. So there were plenty shipswaiting and they told us that we might have to wait for a few days as well.
But if we can make it MAXIMUM draft 6 meters at departure we can leave whenever we want and I did a calculation for a departure condition with maximum draft 6 meters. We cannot have much ballast onboard at departure, but I can fill the ballast after departure.
So I just open the bottom plugs after leaving the lock behind and we will soon have filled up the ballast tanks. Well, anyway, we arrived to our jetty around 6 o'clock and it was just a dirt roadwith a cargo hose. The cargo hose was just put in place during the discharging and we blocked the road for all the workers on pushbikes and motorcycles on the way to their job on the jetties behind us.
Mostly big bulk carriers discharging coal and everything was black around us. And even if there was a truck driving around spraying water everywhere there was black dust in the air. It was pitch dark when we left the lock and when we arrived to our jetty we could see the sun rise above the piles of coal.
Sunrise over jetty #5 in Haldia
Sunrise over jetty #5 in Haldia
Sunrise over jetty #5 in Haldia
We had all fast at 6 thirty and the Surveyor came on board. We started with paper work, but we were interrupted by another ship coming to stay next to us. She will be moored on our side and she will discharge through a floating hose. Of course, SECURITY level 2 and no one was allowed on board, well, boat men that is. We had several “BUSINESS” men on board and I spent most of the time kicking them ashore. - We are going to the other ship - Take a boat, no one is allowed onboard our ship.
Yes, Aladdin the Nazi!Not allowing these poor people on board. Well, let me tell you one thing, I have experienced a guy falling on deck (Another ship and company) and believe me, there was nostop to the problems and shit they threw at us and we were neck deep in problem with hospital bills and lawyers and paper work and, yes, they are not allowed on board.
And yes, you are nice and suddenly you find yourselfneck deep in shit, something I can live without. And in Krishnapatnam we missed a lot of stuff. Who steal a pair of used shoes? I'm better off without all these people on board.
Suddenly they decided that we needed to shift the ship astern so they could put a barge in front of us and it was almost 11 o'clock before we were ready with this. I had expected to be in bed many hours ago and I was very tired. But it got better, the first 24 hour is the worst and after that it is just very hard to fall asleep.
Shifting the ship 20 meters astern by the help of the mooring winches
At first they wanted to discharge both parcels at the same time,, but later on they changed their minds and we will discharge the 6000MT first and then the 7500MT parcel. They expect us to discharge 250 ton per hour so we will be here for quite some time.
We had been alongside for almost 6 hours and suddenly they were in a hurry. - When can we start discharging? Hurry hurry - What theI have been waiting to start for the last 6 hours! - We start now! - NO! First we have to do our agreement and checklists!
This was a golden opportunity for our 2nd officer. He was just coming on watch at 12 o'clock andhe was instantly transformed to Chief Officer Jr.
I asked if he wanted to do the ship/ shore check list with the Loading Master and he took my seat and they did the check list while I was taking pictures.
Chief Officer Jrdoing the Ship / Shore checklist
Chief Officer Jrdoing the Ship / Shore checklist
Chief Officer Jrdoing the Ship / Shore checklist
Chief Officer Jr doing the Ship / Shore checklist
We started discharging at 12 thirty and I was in my bed 1 hour later. Surprisingly enough, I managed to fall asleep. But there was a guy calling me from the smoke room at 16 thirty. Some Indian guy and I understood foock all. But I was angry, some wanker calling and he cannot even speak English. Well, anyway it was time for dinner.
We expect to start sweeping of CT 6 around midnight and I wanted to get some sleep, but I failed to fall asleep yet again and when they called at 11 o'clock in the evening.
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Saturday 16thof February 2013and there was a new Loading master coming on board after 2 minutes or so. We have 2 parcels and the original plan was for us to discharge both atthe same time. But they changed plans during the morning.
So when the crew had swept CT 6 P/S we stopped discharging to blind x-overs. And while the crew was busy blinding the x-overs I did a new “STEP BY STEP” Cargo Transfer Sequence Plan. I needed to make a new one so we know where and when to fill the ballast. No guess work when we have to run 4 cargo pumps instead of 2.
A new ship/ shore check list and even though it was 4 o'clock in the morning our 2nd Officer never hesitated to turn in to Chief Officer Jr. yet again. Always eager to learnand as an extra bonus I threw in the task to colour my new “STEP BY STEP” Cargo Transfer Sequence Plan.
All paper work completed and I went on deck to see how the work was proceeding with the blinds on the x-over. I just left the CCR for deck and I discovered 2nd Officer sitting down in the CCR. - What theThis is not the spirit we're looking for
I was back in my cabin at 4 thirty and luckily enough I felt asleep without too much trouble, but I was not happy when I woke up around 7 thirty. But I managed to fall asleep again and I got out of bed 10 minutes before 12, still tired.
We had a Superintendent coming onboard just in time for lunch. He is here to have a meeting with me, Chief Engineer and Captain. We have had 2 phone conferences and now we get a Superintendent on board to interview us.
Well, they called me 20 minutes before 2 in the afternoon and I had to go to the CCR to completed the “PART” from the CT 5 that belonged to the receivers for the 6000MT parcel. Our 2nd officer disappeared to the speed log room down at the bow thruster with a Technician from shore. I stopped the parcel at ullage 6,19m in 5P and 6,23m in 5S and we measured the tanks.
I went to speak with the Superintendent while the Surveyors calculated and when I was back they were satisfied with the result. Now the problem started. And believe it or no, it was almost turningin to a fight on deck.
We have 2 receivers of the cargo and now we had to re arrange the hoses on the manifold and the receivers was about to start to fight on deck but the Surveyor threw himself betweenthem. He managed to cool them down but he almost got punched as well. I was just aboutto bring out my camera when they stopped.
I solved the situation and the receivers were very happy and they promised me Diet Pepsi. Well, everyone have promised me Diet Pepsi since I joined the ship, but so far I have received ZIP. Or foock all as we say in Skåne. But they are very welcome to try to surprise me. But I don't hold mybreath. Never mind, as long as we don't have any fighting onboard. That would have beenembarrassing. It was already enough embarrassing with the row at the manifold.
Of course, I was late for dinner, the only day of the week I'm allowed to eat and I arrived the the mess room and cold food. I brought a cup of tea and I went back to my cabin to update the latest adventures from Haldia.
Captain came back from the Duty Free shop, I had sent him there to have a look for Diet Pepsi and he brought back nothing but disappointments. But I got a picture of him showing me how crazy girls got when things turnedromantic. - Do you see the moon? This was enough to make the girls go crazy romantic and I just told him that I was very busy at the moment. But I would love to hear the rest of the story some other day.
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Sunday 17thof February 2013and they called me 4 o'clock in the morning, and I had have foock all sleep. I staggered in to the shower and even though it was a very hot shower it didn't do much to alleviate the effect of lack of sleep. I got out from the shower and I made a work permit at my desk. I called Captain and he moved the permit to “vessel go ahead” and I went down to the CCR.
Crew stand-by to enter CT1 Stb for sweeping
We tested the gas detectors with sample gas and I had all the guys signing the work permits and we left to CT 1 Stb. I measured the tank for gas, exactly ZIP dangerous gases as we had beenventilating for 2 hours.
Crude Palm Oil and there is a few PPM in some tanks after 1 hour of forced ventilation. But after 2 I discovered nothing and according to instructions we have to ventilate for 2 so 2 it is. Fatty Acid and I might be better off force ventilate for 3 hours and it is OK.
The crew swept CT1 Stb in an hour and I sent them to drinkelectrolyte and plenty water and to have a rest before it was time for the crew to go down to sweep CT 1 Port.
It was pitch dark when we started to sweep 1 Stb and it was soon daylight. We had 4 tanks coming up to be ready at thesame time and my original plan was to put a few hours between so the crew could rest. But they wanted to take all four tanks or they would lose to much sleep.
Well, we started at 5 and we completed 1 P & S at 8 o'clock and now we were just waiting for CT 5 to be ready, the crew had breakfast and electrolyte.
The guys were in CT 5 Stb when one of the “business” men came onboard. I asked him to leave and he told me he sold DVDs. I remember that our 3rd Officer was looking for Indian movies and I called him on the radio. He was interested in someDVDs and he would come on deck as soon as we completed the sweeping.
Our 3rd officer is in the CCR running the cargo pumps, but the “business” man lost interest after an hour waiting and he left. Well, I think our 3rd officer was better off, didn't look like the guy had the HIGH quality stuff in his bags.
All tanks were swept just after 12 o'clock and now we only have 2 tanks remaining to discharge and we expect to be ready in the middle of the night.
I had a late lunch and a shower and I was dead tired, but I didn't want to sleep because then I would have been waking up in the middle of the afternoon. As we expected to be ready very early morning I wanted to wake up around midnight. So I watched movies in my cabin, but at 3 o'clock I gave up trying to stay awake. I woke up 6 thirty, what a disappointment. And it was impossible to fall asleep again, what a disappointment.
Good news, they called me at 10 o'clock in the evening. We had obviously been kicking arse since the change of shore tank. No back pressure and we discharged with double rate and no need for me to spend the night tossin' and turnin' in bed all night long. I went down to the CCR to do the work permits and at 23:00 we were on deck.
Crew stand-by to enter CT2 Stb for sweeping
AB entering CT2 Stb
AB entering CT2 Stb
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Monday 18thof February 2013and we completed CT2 Stb 10 minutes before 1 o'clock in the morning. Our Agent came onboard with more good news when we were sweeping the last tank, CT 2Port. We will not leave Haldia until 20th of February. Bunkering and then shifting berth where we will wait for the departure.
Will there be time to go ashore to arrange Diet Pepsi? I have realised that if I want something done, I will have to do it myself. Well, anyway, we completed discharging 15 minutes past 3 and I was back in my cabin at 5 aftercompleting the paper work. And I managed to fall asleep around 6 o'clock and I woke up 10 thirty with a terrible head ache.
But I was in a good mood, yet another discharging behind us and the receivers and Surveyors said that it had been working VERY WELL (Of course, we prevented a major fight on deck) - So where is the foocking Diet Pepsi?
Our Agent came onboard just before lunch and I asked him to arrange a car for me. The car would be here to pick me up at 13:00 and I went to change clothes after lunch.
The had drained the cargo hose on to the berth
Dwellings outside the gate
A classic Ambassador was going to take me to town
A classic Ambassador was going to take me to town
On the way to town
If I, will never happen, but if I will have a car I will import an Indian Ambassador
The car was not at the gangway at 1 and I walked to the gate to see if the taxi was waiting for me there. No sign of any taxi and I waited there for 15 to 20 minutes when a taxi came. He told me it was from the Agent and we took off towards the shopping mall where Ihopefully will findDiet Pepsi. And a new battery for my wrist watch, yes, I discovered that the battery in my wrist watch had run flat.
We were 100 meters from the gate when the driver stopped and picked up another guy - My Assistant, the driver said. - Why thedo you need an Assistant for?
We took off leaving the gate behind. There were plenty people hanging on the gate waiting for an opportunity to get a work in the port and yet again I was reminded about Alang. People are dying like flies working to scrap the ships. And noone care, there are thousands of people hanging on the gate waiting to get a job. And as we can see on the picture above, SAFETY IS OUR MOTTO! WELCOME TO ALANG!
And as I always have said, the more SAFETY FIRST posters I see the less they care about safety. I have never been on any quality tonnage with SAFETY FIRST painted on the superstructure. And in Alang, for sure, no one cares about safety. I have been there and I have seen the guys in work cutting ships to pieces on the beach.
And they are working for free and there are still plenty people outside the gate fighting for thejobs. This is the future for Europe. Everything is going to be cheap so all manufacturing industry is re-located to cheap countries so no one working and pay tax. So good education will be for the people with money ONLY. Yeah, you get the picture. Well, we already have a pretty clear picture with Greece and with no working people paying tax we will soon see it all over Europe.
Well, anyway, we passed through a depressive landscape on our way to the shopping mall. Amazing how people can foock up a place, garbage and shit everywhere. Who gave these people the right to destroy the environment for future generations? We passed some pretty terrible places on our waytowards the city.
It didn't take me long to give up any hopes to find a shopping mall with nice restaurants and shops. But I was still hoping to find Diet Pepsi. And if I was lucky, a battery for my wrist watch.
We passed a village next to a pond of black water and garbage, people were cleaning their dishes and washed their laundry in thewater. I was almost puking in the car when I saw it.
We stopped at a railway crossing and I got out of the car. The driver asked me to stay in the car. But I wanted to take pictures and I crossed the railway on foot. The Assistant was coming after me, he was obviously afraid that i was going to get robbed. But I told him not to worry.
My driver and car waiting for the train to pass
My driver and car waiting for the train to pass
The Assistant waiting at a road side restaurant
We can see how the remote operated the railroad barriers
Wires and maybe they are operated from Delhi because I could not see any Operator. The wires disappeared underground
The train is coming
And we can see the oil running from the tankers
We reached something that looked like a town a few minutes after the railway crossing and theshopping mall turned out to be a place called Big Bazaar. And believe me, it didn't look like a shopping mall. A building with a lot of “hole in the wall” styled shops.
There was a supermarket on the second floor and it looked quite modern. So I was very hopeful when I stepped up to the super market to look for Diet Pepsi. Disappointment, a foocking GRAND disappointment, they had Pepsi but not Diet Pepsi.
But there were plenty people asking me if I wanted to change money. One guy was especially persistent and he followed me around the shop. He went on and on about changing money,nothing stopped him until I told him to foock off. Then finally, I was alone. But by then I had seen what I needed to see and I left.
Big Bazaar
I walked around looking in to all the “hole in the wall” styled shops and there was nothing. Yes, Ifound a shelf of Diet Pepsi - I take them all!! - It is empty cans - What the
I asked the driver for another Super market and he told me there was one around the corner. And when we came around the corner it was a drug store. He spoke with the shop keeper. - Give it up already! I said.
- Here, very good medicine!! - I WANT SOFT DRINKS!!! PEPSI!!! SODA!!
I even gave him the internationally recognised sign for drinking Diet Pepsi from a bottle, all in vain. I gave up on the Pepsi and I asked for a shop to change battery. We had to cross the street
We found a watch repair shop and the battery set me back by about 2 Dollars and we returned to the car. We stopped at few places on the way back to the ship. No Diet Pepsi, but plenty of theirlocal cola variation, the THUMBS UP. I decided to spend my last money on theMango drink I accidently ran in to in Chennai when I was taking courses there back in November '12.
30 Rupees per bottle and I got 13 bottles but I had 20 Rupees remaining and theshop owner gave me the 14th bottle for 20 Rupees after some haggling.
I gave my last 10 Dollars to the Driver for the ride, 10 Dollars for 4 hours. The driver asked for 20 Dollars and I was of course refusing. - The Agent told me 10, I said - This is not Agent taxi - What theis this? Turned out that this was not the car our Agent had booked. And I found out later on that the car that was booked for 1 didn't arrive until 2. The Agent was a wee bit upset. - I book a car for 1 and he arrives at 2, AND YOU EXPECT ME TO BE THERE WAITING??
Well, anyway, we returned to the ship and we drove back through the same depressing, dirty and polluted landscape. Imagine living in this shit.
Passing a village on the way back to the ship
How many of you think the factory in the back clean the shit coming out?
High end dwellings
High end dwellings
High end dwellings
The Driver's assistant asked me if I wanted to buy marijuana and I said no. They started to chew on some fruit and I thought I had misunderstood. Maybe it was guyava or whatever the fruit is called. Yeah, I must have heard wrong and they asked if I wanted some fruit. I said no thanks.
After a few minutes the Assistant brought out a bag of marijuana and he told me this was Nobel Prize winning marijuana. I said no once again. We approached the gate and by now the taxi ride were down to 15 Dollars and when we arrived to the gate I just stepped out leaving the guys behind. He asked for 15 dollars and I told him to f..k off. - 10 Dollars is enough!
And I was back onboard one and a half hour after I had left the ship. Shifting at 23:00 tonight, but at 6 thirty they called us and told us that we would have to shift at 7. We just moved a few hundred meters aft and we moored outside a big bulk carrier.
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Tuesday 19thof February 2013and the latest news is that we will shift to the lock at 6 o'clock in the evening. Later on it was changed to 1 o'clock tomorrow morning. Maximum draft 5, 7 meters.So we had to pump out more ballast water to get from 6 to 5, 7 meters draft.
I had planned for some jobs in the pump room during the day, but I changed my mind and I did a safety area inspection instead. And I had some paint report to do in Shipnet and the time passed pretty quickly. But PLEASE! Take me out of here.
I spent a few hours watching Entourage, of course after having updated my web page with the latest drivel first. And I had planned for a power nap, but I force myself to stay up until departure and I willhopefully be able to have a long sleepduring the night so I'm full of vim tomorrow.
I had expected the Pilot at 1 o'clock so I went to bed at 11 for an hour of sleep. Not more than one hour because then it would be impossible to fall asleep later on.
But they called me at 23 thirty and the Pilot was onboard, very good, I can soon be back in bed again.
Tahiti One discharging coal next to us
Tahiti One discharging coal next to us
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Wednesday 20thof February 2013and we had the first line ashore @ 00:40 in the lock. And instead of staying here until 3 o'clock as originally planned we will only have to stay for 40 minutes in the lock. 40 minutes was soon turned in to an hour and it was 2 o'clock when we had left the lock and I was soon back in my cabin trying to get some sleep.
We passed through the anchorage when I came on the bridge 8 o'clock in the morning. A gorgeous morning and we were heading 163° towards Panjang in Indonesia.
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Thursday 21stof February 2013and I had just come out from the shower and I was getting dressed when 2nd officer called me 5 minutes before 8. - Yes, are you coming? - It is only 5 minutes before 8! Obviously he had already changed to Chief Officer Jr and I had missed it. - That's the motherfoocking spirit I'm looking for
Chief Officer Jr was jumping up and down impatiently when Chief Officer Sr arrived to the CCR3 minutes later with 2 slices of black bread and cheese.
We called the engine department and we were soon having 2 power packs running. We started the tank cleaning pump and when we had water coming through the washing machines we started the cargo pumps. When everything was up and running we started the heating and we were soon having 80°C on the water.
We were soon having yellow palm oil coming out from the Annex II overboard discharge pipe. The pipe comes out at the bottom of the ship and the cargo is mixed with water at the propeller. And please take notes, if I use 1 litre of palm oil to fry a sausage I'm not allowed to throw the oil over board. But with the cargo it is allowed.
Chief Officer Jr's first tank cleaning
Chief Officer Jr's first tank cleaning
Of course, without our new 2nd Engineer it would have been a futile task
As soon as we had hot water the crew started to wash our hatches and butterworth hatches to thecargo tanks. Our Chief Officer Jr had told me that he wanted to do this tank cleaning all by lonesome so I kept in the back. Only opening my mouth to give some pointers.
We expected to complete the cleaning in about 7 hours thanks to our new 2nd Engineer.
With the previous TEAM “Itis Christmas” it would have taken days to do the same job.
Chief Officer Jr did everything and I was soon bored, but our Chief Officer Jr is very interested and eager to learn so it is fun to give him pointers. A totally different story when you have someone asking for coffee break all the time.
Cleaning the #5 Port cargo tank hatch
Cleaning the #5 Port cargo tank hatch
We completed the hot water washing 15 minutes after 3 o'clock and we were running the washingmachines for 15 to 20 minutes while cooling down the heater. Now we only have the fresh water rinsing remaining and I brought Chief Officer jr to the manifold so he could try the water to see if the tanks were ready.
It was pure fresh water coming out from #6 manifold and we changed to CT 5. We tried the water and it was fresh water coming out and we continued with CT2. Our AB had seen us testing the water and now he wanted to try the water. He tasted the water coming out from manifold #1 and his reaction was pretty much as my first reaction. Taste like the electrolyte
AB trying the water coming out from CT 1
We will have to stop this or we will soon have the whole crew drinking from the manifold
Pump Man and me are the last ones on deck. Sun is setting and it is time for dinner
And dinner, what a foocking surprise that turned out to be. I poured a bowl of my “DIET” soup and I discovered that the soup was full of “PANNBIFF” and I was unlucky and I ended up with two ofthose in my bowl. Pannbiff is something like hamburger but much better so I wasn't sad about it.
I turned around and I discovered a plate full of candy at my seat. - What the
I put my bowl of “DIET” soup at my seat and I grabbed the plate of candy and Idashed off to our Mess man in the duty mess. I gave him the plate and before I returned to my “DIET” soup I toldhim that it was sabotage and if I ever caught himagain....
I went for a shower after the dinner and I had time to update my web page and another episode of Entourage before it was time to go to thebridge where I will enjoy a bucket or 2 of Earl Grey tea. We received Earl Grey tea in Krishnapatnam and that is a very nice break from the Yellow Label. The Yellow Label tends to be a wee bit boring after a few cups, well, pretty much after the first cup.
I spent the time until midnight steering 163° towards Panjang and we will arrive 26th in the evening if we can maintain this speed. Loading 3 parcels before we continue to another port in Malacca Strait to load a few more parcels and I will sign off when we pass Singapore.
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Friday 22ndof February 2013and we're still on the 163° course when I'm coming to the bridge at8 o'clock in the morning. I was soon having the kettle on and I enjoyed my black bread and tea. I had the guys to go for an early lunch and we started to mop CT 1 Stb at 12 thirty.
We finished CT 1 P at 3 o'clock and I returned to my cabin. I had planned to do CT 1 & 2 today, but I will wait until tomorrow. 6 tanks remaining and we will do them all in one pop.
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Saturday 23rdof February 2013and I was looking forward to finish our cargo tanks today. I wasin a pretty good mood. And my mood improved when I discovered a e-mail from myTeacher at Sophia Muay Thai Gym. He was missing me and I told him that I would be there to kick his arse in 2 weeks.
My mood was soon to swing from good to very bad. Idiscovered that the FWD tank cleaning machine had not been working during the cleaning. I got very angry.
I have told the crew, at least hundred times, that it is very important to check the machines during the cleaning. I call them every 10 or 15 minutes and they tell me that the machines are moving. - 85°, going up - Thanks! Good!
So I was at least to say pissed when I discovered the bulk head covered in CPO in CT 2 Port. I had expected to be ready with all the tanks during the early afternoon, now we were looking forward to a full day ++ in the CT 2 Port.
I was just thinking “motherfoocker” when I saw the CPO on the bulk head and I knew that myrelaxing weekend was down the drain. I asked the crew to bring the high pressure washer.
We started to spray the bulk head with alkatuff and it took us 8 hours to remove the CPO. And as we had advanced ship's time by 90 minutes during the afternoon it was time for dinner when we were ready.
We will take the bottom ofthe tank tomorrow, but this will be done quickly with the high pressure washer.
I had a shower and I went for my Saturday dinner, not as festive as I had imagine it this morning. I knew that I had to continue with the tanks tomorrow. But my mood improved when I was back in
hello aladdin.
kong he fight lumpinee stadium no 9 march
my cabin. A e-mail from my Teacher at Sophia Muay Thai Gym. I told him that I would be back home in 2 weeks and his cousin has a fight at Lumpini on the 9th of March. So of course, I will try to be home by then. Maybe I will have to cut my visit to Singapore short. But I hope for one night, at least. Arriving home in the afternoon on the 9th should be sufficient.
My Teacher and his cousin in a tag team against me
My Teacher get a punch on his lip and his cousin down and out in the back
His cousin is a very good Muay Thai fighter, otherwise he would not be at Lumpini, but it is very fun to tease him. Of course, he would whop my arse, but I'm the one whopping arse when he and my Teacher is TAG teaming against me. Great fun and I miss it, can't wait to get back home.
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Sunday 24thof February 2013and we spent the whole day in the cargo tank and it was 6 o'clock before I could have my dinner. Tomorrow will be the last day in the tanks and we will arrive to Panjang early morning on the 27th, or late evening on the 26th.
Well, I was dead tired when the day came to an end and I hopeI can fall asleep. Yesterday they kicked me of the bridge at 8, good, I was tired and I went to bed. I was in bed just about to fall sleep, I turned over and the cramp hit my left leg. 5 hours of terrible pain and impossible to fall asleep. Yeah, what a great thing this “going to bed early” turned out to be.
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Monday 25thof February 2013and we completed the tanks before lunch and I went to bed trying to sleep. We have a gorgeous day, but heavy swell from the Indian Ocean and we're rolling heavily. No sleep during the night so I'm very tired.
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Tuesday 26thof February 2013and it was quite a nice morning when I came on the bridge at 8 in the morning. Still heavy swell, but as we had changed course to East to get to Sunda Strait theswell came in from behind and the rolling wasn't so bad.
Latest news is to drop anchor at arrival and we will go alongside tomorrow afternoon and then it was changed to 7 o'clock in the morning. For me, 10 o'clock tomorrow morning would be perfect. I would not mind a good nigh of sleep.
We approached Panjang 6 thirty when I went to the bridge for an evening chat. Gorgeous evening and the sea was like a mirror even though there were some swell. I had a mug of tea before returning to TWO and a half MEN in my cabin.
We dropped anchor 10 minutes after 8 o'clock in the evening and the Custom and Quarantine cameonboard at 21:30. I went to check out our Hospital and Galley with the quarantine. They were most interested in taking pictures with me while in the hospital.
But as soon as we came to the galley and provision stores they were more interested infood. They begged for tuna, 3 cans and 3 cans of coffee creamer. They wanted 3 packs of juice but I said no. - Only 3 packs - You can buy at 7 Eleven, we cannot stop to buy juice in the middle of the ocean. They kept on nagging and I said no, and they were soon giving up and we were ready with the inspection and we returned to the conference room. Of course, the Custom, Agent and Quarantine were all recognising me from last time we were in Panjang.
Well, could not help but wondering what a lifelong time of begging for a can of tuna will do for your self respect. They must be really desperate and hungry to embarrass themselves like this. Indonesia, well, what a country. Rich on natural recourses and still the population have to beg for cans of tuna on board the ships coming to the country.
I have been thinking about Jakarta, but no, I stay home, I have seen enough of Indonesia. Thanks to Maersk I will never have to spend any money going to Indonesia for holiday.
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Wednesday 27thof February 2013and they called me from the bridge at 6 thirty. - Pilot will be on board in 20 minutes - I'm coming
I had a hot shower and I went to the bridge, and of course we had to wait. The ship at our jetty was not ready to leave for another hour. But I enjoyed a few mugs of tea while cracking jokes with3rd Officer and Captain. Pilot on board 10 minutes past 8 and we had our first line ashore @ ISAB 30 minutes later. All fast at 09:00 and I was soon down in my office.
Surveyor and Loading Master were onboard 20 minutes past 9 and we could start with all thepaper work that we had to do before we could start loading.
The Coast Guard came onboard and they started toscream when they saw me on deck. And yes, they recognised me from last time and they wanted a hug when they came. Our AB passed us on deck so he took apicture of us with my camera.
2 of the Surveyors started to give me the internationally recognised sign for “B-boy” (whatever
that means) and the equally recognised sign for “scratching”.
Well, I guess they won't forget my music in the first time and they were obviously disappointed today when I didn't have my music blasting high on theRichter scale in my office. Now the only guy missing is the Surveyor from the FUNKY video I took in my office last time in Panjang.
It was around 10 thirty something when they all started to jump up and down in my office asking if they could start loading. - I have to make a cargo plan - How long time? - First we have to agree on a loading sequence We agreed to start with the CPO and PFAD and the stearin as the last parcel. I had prepared a cargo plan yesterday, and of course, my plan was not how they had planned to load us. I hadexpected one parcel at the time and now they wanted to load 2 parcels at the time. We have sent several e-mails asking for the sequence, but no answer.
So now I had to do a plan before we could start loading, and I expected about an hour or so to do the job. And it was for sure not going any faster when they asked me if we could start every 5 minutes.
We had agreed that we would load 400 ton of CPO before we started the PFAD so I could get theballast water out of the ballast tanks under the cargo tanks for the PFAD. But they had the trucks ready on the jetty waiting for us.
Yeah, the PFAD goes cold and they can take the trucks straight to the scrap yard. Cold PFAD will be hard like rock and impossible to load.
Well, this is not my problem. But if we have cold PFAD in the cargo tanks it will be my problem and I wanted to get the cold ballast out, at least so I had 20 cm between the ballast water and the cargo tank.
Someone had called the charterer in Singapore to complain that we didn't start loading. Good, maybe this will be brought to the right people’s attention so they can change their procedures for the future. We have sent e-mail asking for the sequence and no answer. And according to international standard we cannot start loading until we have a cargo plan with a step by step sequence plan with stability calculations. And of course we have to do check lists.
They told me we could do the check lists as soon as we had started. Well, this is not a steep I want to throw myself out from. Most likely nothing will happen. But imagine us starting and something happens. The first thing they will look at is our ship/ shore agreements. And yes, I will have to take the shit. So not on my watch!
We started to load the CPO at 12:45 and as their pump for the PFAD didn't work it took them 40minutes before we could start the PFAD, good, we had time to get more ballast out of the ship.
Captain went ashore and he was going to find Coke ZERO for me. Yes, I have given up on the idea to get any Diet Pepsi and the Coke ZERO will have to do.
They soon wanted to start to load the stearin - We agreed on 2 parcels But they had changed their plans again, but now it was no problem. We had finished all our check lists and I had them to start the stearin as well. The quicker the better, the Custom had told us that we could not sign off in Singapore as we were going between 2 ports in Indonesia so I will have to stay onboard until Port Kelang. Very good, last time I signed off in Singapore I had spent 3000 Dollarsso this will be money saved. But I hope to be home before the 9th of March so I can see my Teacher's Cousin fighting at Lumpini.
I had 2 hours of power nap in the afternoon and when I woke up I discovered six 1,5 litres bottles of Coke ZERO that Captain had bought for me. Coke ZERO, a shitty tasting soda, but it is better than nothi... No, I would be better off with just water. But now it is too late.
Evening again and the sun is setting over Teluk Lampung
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Thursday 28thof February 2013and I slept until 10 o'clock. We had completed the stearin parcel yesterday evening pretty much at the same time the 1st PFAD and CPO parcel was completed and Iwas not back in bed until 1 o'clock this morning. I spent about 2 hours tossin and turnin'before I managed to fall asleep.
We willhopefully be ready today so we can leave Panjang so I can be back home before next weekend.
I might miss the fight in Lumpini but few days extra onboard will not only save me money. I will have a few
Before
After
extra days for my diet on board losing more weight before coming home. We had stopped the RPO parcel that we're mixing with the CPO around 7 o'clock in the morning andthey expect us to start load the last 1000MT of CPO around 12 o'clock.
I had expected us to leave Panjang tonight, but the PFAD is only going with 100MT/h and we will complete tomorrow morning, AGW. The CPO will be ready in the afternoon and I have a chance to take off to Novotel for dinner tonight.
For sure, a Novotel nearby and I'm sure I'm breaking some law not taking the opportunity for some fine dining if I have the chance. Otherwise the chances to find fine dining around here are none existing, at least very very slim. AndGod knows that I have been trying, both here in Panjang and in Padang.
And I will never forget the “fine dinning” fiasco at the hotel in Padang. So I might stay on board trying to get some sleep tonight, but ...
We completed the CPO parcel just at dinner time. Paper work was completed quarter to 6 and I called Mr. Anton, our taxi guy. I asked him to be here at 6. - I'm already on the jetty
OK, so he is obviously stand-by all the time when there is a ship in port. He wanted 20 Dollars for the ride. Last time I paid 10 Dollars, but as I told Mr. Anton. - He had a 5 dollar car and you have a 20 Dollar car so he was very expensive.
Sun is setting over Teluk Lampung
We stopped at a department store and I bought a few bottles of Coke ZERO, yes, I have given up on the Diet Pepsi. I also bought a bottle of Mango juice, jumbo size, 2 litres.
I saw many beautiful girls, last time in Panjang I only saw one beautiful girl. But I think it was because I was so disappointed. I had went ashore full of expectations. The enthusiasm was bubbling in my blood, a chance to get Diet Pepsi. Didn't take me long to realize that they only had Coke and the more disappointed I was the uglier the people became.
But this time I had no expectations of what so ever and there were beautiful girls. When we reached Bandarlampung we passed the shitty department store they had brought me to last time and I asked where we were going. There was obviously another place, better and bigger. No shopping mall, but a department store. I bought my drinks and we left for Novotel. My driver told me that there was a Sheraton, but he thought Novotel was better. - It is new and there are plenty tourists
The restaurant at Novotel was nice looking and I ordered Caesar salad, Spaghetti Carbonara andwarm chocolate cake with “home made” vanilla ice cream. Of course, a pot of tea and fresh bread. Then I spotted Sirloin with Rosemary sauce - Sorry, we don't have Sirloin today I saw Tenderloin, but it only said 200gr, 220,000 Scooby Dollars and nothing about any side orders. I decided to give it a try. - I can have the Tenderloin with Rosemary sauce - We don't have any Rosemary sauce today - OK, give me the darn Spaghetti Carbonara.
I was delirious with expectations when they brought the bread. I don't know what it is with theIndonesians and bread. Butevery second shop here is a bakery.
So when they brought a plate of 7 Eleven bread to my table I was more than disappointed, I was even upset. - Do you have fresh bread? - Just a moment He came back with a plate of the same darn 7 Eleven bread. But now there was an additional bun on the plate. I squeezed and sniffed the bread and I asked him to take it back to the kitchen again.
Well, I could as well have stayed on board, because the food was not worth the ride and trouble to get in to Bandarlampung. The girls got all ugly again and I went out to my driver and I told him to take me back onboard.
When I left we expected to be ready with the loading tomorrow afternoon. When I was back on board they had increased the rate and it looks like the middle of the night, good, the quicker we are ready the quicker we can leave Panjang behind us.
Well, ready during the night or afternoon, we will not be out of here before February has turned in toMarch.So just click the link for exciting March 2013 adventures.
OK, it has come to my knowledge that we have senior citizens visiting my web page. How hard can itbe? So it's not very easy for them to see the blue coloured links to the next page.
Jiffy (also jiff)
noun[in SING.] informal a moment: we'll be back in a jiffy.
ORIGINlate 18th cent.: of unknown origin.
So as you understand, in a jiff pretty much depends on your internet.
So I put a “Next” button here and I hope that there isn't any problem to understand how to use that one. So just CLICK the “Next” button on your left hand side and you will be on the next page in a jiff!
Marunong ka mag-tagalog? Walang problema! Magpunta sa kabilang pahina pindutin ang “NEXT” button sa itaas
Faites vous parlez le français? Pas de problème! Pour arriver à la page suivante faites s'il vous plaît un déclic le bouton “Next” ci-dessus!
Haga usted dice el español? No hay problema! Ver la siguiente página sólo hacer clic el botón “Next” encima!
Farla parla l'italiano? Non problemi! Per vedere la prossima pagina lo scatto per favore giusto Il bottone “Next” sopra
Sprechen sie Deutsch! Kein problem! Wenn Sie die folgende Seite sehen wollen gerade klicken der Knopf “Next” oben!
Richter scale in my office. Now the only guy missing is the Surveyor from the FUNKY video I took in my office last time in Panjang.
expected one parcel at the time and now they wanted to load 2 parcels at the time. We have sent several e-mails asking for the sequence, but no answer.
ballast water out of the ballast tanks under the cargo tanks for the PFAD. But they had the trucks ready on the jetty waiting for us.
minutes before we could start the PFAD, good, we had time to get more ballast out of the ship.
so this will be money saved. But I hope to be home before the 9th of March so I can see my Teacher's Cousin fighting at Lumpini.
was not back in bed until 1 o'clock this morning. I spent about 2 hours tossin and turnin'
before I managed to fall asleep.
hopefully be ready today so we can leave Panjang so I can be back home before next weekend.
they expect us to start load the last 1000MT of CPO around 12 o'clock.
God knows that I have been trying, both here in Panjang and in Padang.
warm chocolate cake with “home made” vanilla ice cream. Of course, a pot of tea and fresh bread. Then I spotted Sirloin with Rosemary sauce
Indonesians and bread. But
every second shop here is a bakery.
be? So it's not very easy for them to see the blue coloured links to the next page. 
Marunong ka mag-tagalog? Walang problema! Magpunta sa kabilang pahina pindutin ang “NEXT” button sa itaas
Faites vous parlez le français? Pas de problème! Pour arriver à la page suivante faites s'il vous plaît un déclic le bouton “Next” ci-dessus!
Haga usted dice el español? No hay problema! Ver la siguiente página sólo hacer clic el botón “Next” encima!
Farla parla l'italiano? Non problemi! Per vedere la prossima pagina lo scatto per favore giusto Il bottone “Next” sopra
Sprechen sie Deutsch! Kein problem! Wenn Sie die folgende Seite sehen wollen gerade klicken der Knopf “Next” oben!
คุณพูดภาษาไทยได้ไหม ไม่มีปัญหา ถ้าคุณต้องการไปหน้าถัดไป ให้กดปุ่ม “Next”
ข้างบนนี้
Вы говорите по-русски? NJET PROBLEMA! Просто нажмите синюю кнопку "Next" с левой стороны и Вы моментально переместитесь на следующую страницу!
E ni Svenskar och inte förstår Engelska så ska ni skämmas. J och Björn, med det menar jag inte att alla mina stavfel ska ältas varje gång vi träffas.
