OK, it has come to my knowledge that we have senior citizens visiting my web page. How hard can it 
be? So it's not very easy for them to see the blue coloured links to the next page.
noun [in SING.] informal a moment: we'll be back in a jiffy.
ORIGIN late 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!
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.
Well, the flag of Skåne, just a BONUS flag.
be? 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.
ORIGIN late 18th cent.: of unknown origin.
So as you understand, in a jiff pretty much depends on your internet.
Marunong ka mag-tagalog? Walang problema! Magpunta sa kabilang pahina pindutin ang “NEXT” button sa itaasFaites 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” sopraSprechen 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.Well, the flag of Skåne, just a BONUS flag.
“The postings on this site are my own and don't represent Maersk Group's position, strategies or opinions. All views are my own”
Wednesday 1 st of April 2015 and I woke up at 9 o'clock by the noise from our provision crane. They were taking ashore the garbage. I didn't manage to fall asleep until almost 4 in the morning
so I was very tired. And we expect to be ready to leave very late
tonight, or early tomorrow morning. So sleep is needed.I was down in the CCR and I managed to get there with out running in to any April pranks. Loading rate was not impressive and we don't know when we're ready. They told me that they were going to
empty their shore tanks and it can mean striping and no one knows when we're going to be ready.We had a MARPOL Inspector coming on board just before lunch. She was happy with everything and she was soon leaving us again.
My darn LUMO NOX military special forces wrist watch broke
down yet again. Repaired in Dubai, but this pieces of plastic crap just refuse to work. Luckily enough our Captain is going ashore after lunch. He will try to get the piece of shit for wrist watch repaired or
he will look for a new wrist watch. LUMI NOX, always visible but never working.And who knows, they might find a couple of bottles of diet drinks. NO
COKE! Pepsi MAX or Pepsi light only! Well, I spent the afternoon in my cabin waiting for them to come back. Yet again, delirious with anticipation. Expecting a disappointment, but keeping my hopes up.
Captain was back quarter past 4 and he had found an old man that repaired my wrist watch and he wanted 2€ for the job. Well, maybe he is better than the guy in Dubai and I can enjoy the wrist watch for another few years. But one thing is for sure, I will never buy any LUMI NOX
watch again for as long as I live. Not many more years, but anyway.Now I'm just waiting for the ABs to come back, did they manage to arrange for some diet drinks? A long night ahead of me and a few bottles of diet drinks would be nice.
I was down in the CCR at 5 o'clock. I had received an e-mail and expected time of completion was at 20:00. Estimated departure time 2 o'clock tomorrow morning. So I went down to call the terminal for a time of completion. Well, the first thing I learned was that they guys was back on board and no diet drinks. Then I took the radio and I called the Loading Master.
- Estimated time of completion after 8 o'clock.
Well, that means f all. Present rate 400m³/h and we have 2000m³ to go so 8 o'clock don't make any sense. Well, as I use to say: We see
I went to bed quarter past 6, just after dinner and I woke up 3 hours later expecting us to be ready. At least I was ready to take on the paper work but there was no sign of them getting ready with the loading.
So here I am, fresh out of bed and I will not be able to sleep all night long. I really hope that we're ready and out of here before 6 in the morning so I can get to sleep again after departure.
+++++++++++++++
Thursday 2 nd
of March 2015
and they called me at 1 o'clock in the morning, 30 minutes to go o the loading. It was almost an hour before we completed loading and they started with the
sampling. We don't get the final
density before they have analysed the cargo.The density was ready 5 minutes past 5 and we had completed the
calculations 5 minutes later. Now we just need for the shore figures and the shipper to come on board with the cargo documents. They arrived quarter past 6 and when they left I went for breakfast. Pilot ordered for 20 minutes past 8 and then I will be in bed. 3 hours of sleep the last 24 hours and I'm tired.We're leaving towards Huelva in Spain and I take this opportunity to wish you a happy Easter. And
I hope you're having a good time painting eggs during the Easter.For sure, on board Romø Mærsk life will go on as usually, Easter or no Easter.
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Holly Friday 3 rd
of April 2015
and it was a bright night when I came on the bridge at 4 o'clock in the morning. Clear sky and full moon as we were coming closer to Skåne. Plenty traffic and time passed pretty quickly. When I changed course towards SW when reaching Bornholmsgat it was bright sunshine and beautiful weather. Well, it was cold in the wind but I checked the compass error against the sun on the lee side and it was OK in shorts.
Full moon and a clear sky
Full moon and a clear sky
Moon going down in the West
Moon going down in the West
Sun coming up in the East
We started with the cargo heating around 11 and it was running full just after 12 o'clock and we could go for our lunch. I spent the afternoon checking temperatures and watching movies. And I
had time to read the information about the 7 days cruise in Amazonas and the 10 days Sea of Xarayeés - A River Cruise Through the Wildest Brazil and a Jaguar safari they sent to me a few days ago.We were steaming South in the Kaddetrenden when I came on the bridge at 4 o'clock and it was gorgeous weather. So I enjoyed my watch drinking tea. We reached Fehmarn Belt and we passed the ferries at Rødby - Puttgarden when we got orders to turn around. I made a 180° and when we were steaming back towards East it was 8 o'clock and I went to my cabin for some well needed sleep.
Sun is about to set over the Fehmarn Belt
+++++++++++++++
Saturday 4 th
of April 2015
and we were anchored when I came on the bridge at 5 in the morning. Rest hours red when I went to bed and if I would have started at 4 I would have been red the whole day today. So I sleep an hour extra and my rest hours are in the white again.We are anchored in Mecklenburger Bucht just SE of Fehmarn Belt and we will wait for a port of destination and as soon as they know where we will discharge we will continue our voyage.
A beautiful morning on Mecklenburger Bucht
It was a gorgeous morning with a weak wind from NNW. Blue sky and as soon as the sun came up I could check our compass error. Time was pretty quick and I was soon in my bed again sleeping until
10 o'clock. Yes, even though I had an extra hour in my bed during the night I didn't manage to
sleep more than 2 hours.I had an extra 30 minutes of sleep after lunch. And as it is Saturday we're looking forward to the dinner. And at dinner I finally took
the time to add a few more “forbidden” items on my diet bet hanging on the wall in the mess room. And while at it I thought about the idea to remove the whole Saturday “free card” and
the new harsher rules willhopefully speed up the process to get me a V-shaped torso+++++++++++++++
Sunday 5 th
of April 2015
and we're still anchored in Mecklenburger Bucht and we are most likely having to stay here until the end of the Easter before we get any discharge orders.
Sunday and our Chief Engineer is busy running around taking pictures
Afternoon was spent in my cabin and with a safety meeting regarding anchoring in my cabin. They crew had watched an anchoring safety video and I had made some risk assessments regarding anchoring in the morning. We completed the meeting and it was soon time for me to go to the bridge for my evening watch.
Gorgeous weather and I had an opportunity to check the compass error before it was time to leave
the bridge again at 8 o'clock. And as I was hungry I had an apple, didn't do much for the hunger though. But it made wonders for my V-shaped torso.
Checking the compass error, but I soon realise that I have forgot to cover my “bald spot”
Cap on and we're ready for pictures
Here we go again
Here we go again
+++++++++++++++
Monday 6 th
of April 2015
and we were still anchored when I came on the bridge at 4 o'clock in the
morning. The wind had picked up a notch, but it was looking to be gorgeous day. I
was soon having a cup of tea in my hand and I was preparing
myself mentally for 4 hours on the bridge.I was dreaming about Svalbard and the Polar Bears. I got a huge pack with information back in December but I have not read it until now. They suggest rubber boats and as I won't carry any rubber gloves. As our internet is “sucking balls” I had my brother to check out the internet for some solution, I was thinking some kind of bags for my shoes while wading ashore from
the inflatables when we leave the ship to exploring the shore.He found a page with instructions on how to make my own wading bags. This was the solution or to wade barefoot and I will go for the barefoot option even though it can be a wee bit cold. I also got an INTRODUCTION TO SVALBARD booklet. Click the link, it is in
Swedish only, but there are some pictures that can be worth having a look at.Time turned quite quick and I was soon back in bed, but it was
impossible to sleep as they were doing something, yeah, it sounded like they were just outside my bed room with sledgehammers.I had company by our 4th Engineer on the bridge during the evening watch and the time passed pretty quickly. The wind decreased to almost nothing. Blue sky and we can imagine the summer coming our way. 8 o’clock and the last thing I saw on the bridge was the sun setting over Fehmarn.
Sun is setting over the Fehmarn
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Tuesday 7 th
of April 2015
and we were still anchored in the Mecklenburger Bucht when I came on the bridge at 4 o'clock in the morning. And it was a gloomy and grey morning. We had a beautiful
sun rise, but it didn't helped.And it looked to be cold outside. I was busy in my office to 13 thirty, pump room entry permit, IG sensor tests and there was no end to it. I did yet another flip book when I was back in my cabin. AECO's Guidelines for the visitor to the Arctic And this time the book is in English so you can both read and look at pictures even if you're not understanding much of the Swedish language.
AECO
Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators – is an international association for expedition cruise operators operating
in the Arctic and others with interests in this industry.The association was founded in 2003 and has since become an important organization representing the concerns and views of arctic expedition cruise operators. AECO is dedicated to
managing responsible, environmentally friendly and safe tourism in the Arctic and strive to set the highest possible operating standards.The association’s geographical range is considered to encompass the Arctic area north of 60 degrees north latitude. The core areas are Svalbard, Jan Mayen, Greenland, Arctic Canada and the national park “Russian Arctic”.
www.aeco.no
Well, anyway, time turned quick and the clock was soon turning 4 o'clock and it was time to go to the
bridge. Well, we had started the cargo heating at lunch so I went to the CCR to check the temperatures first. And of course, I stopped at the mess room for some apples. I'm making progress with the “Best looking guy in town '15”
dietGloom and grey for as long as I could see when I came to the bridge in the afternoon. Wind is picking up, but it is still 10°C so it is not like a cold winter day.
+++++++++++++++
Wednesday 8 th
of April 2015
and we were still at anchor when I came on the bridge at 4 o'clock in the morning. It was a gloomy morning when I left the bridge at 8 and it was still gloomy after my
power nap.We will have a training session on the bridge quarter to 5 to demonstrate our defibrillator for the crew. I spent the time until lunch making an inventory of our short time test tubes for testing atmospheres for the presence of dangerous chemicals. It turned out to have been a good day when we went for lunch as we had completed quite a few jobs.
Still no news from the charterer about the discharge port so it looks to be yet another night at the anchorage. Well, we have planned for an emergency steering drill tomorrow if we're still anchored.
It was a beautiful evening when I left the bridge, 14°C and the forecast promise that better weather is on the way. Maybe we can get some paint on the ship?
+++++++++++++++
Thursday 9 th
of April 2015
and we’re still anchored. A gorgeous morning and the Mecklenburger Bucht was almost like a mirror. Haze and cloudy but the sun came through the clouds and we had 10°C when I left the bridge at 8 o'clock.Time had turned quite quickly on the bridge. The crew came on the bridge at 6 for their work
orders and a Tool Box meeting. And as they were going to work
aloft today I had prepared risk assessments & work permitsThey were going to grease and inspect the hose and gantry crane and as I didn't want anyone to fall down I asked one of them to bring a safety harness to the bridge.
I stress it in my risk assessment and I have told them several times to ALWAYS have one of the hooks connected to a strong point. But some training/ demonstration is better than thousand words. Our OS donned the safety harness and we went out on the bridge deck and I had our OS to walk along the rail.
Our OS is walking along the rail, suddenly there is an obstruction!
What to do? KEEP COOL!
Yes, he moves one of the hooks to the other side of the obstruction.
ALWAYS ONE HOOK SECURED TO THE STRONG POINTS AND WE WONT FALL!!
That's the mother foocking spirit we're looking for!
HOLD ON COW BOY!!! Here is another obstruction
Nice and easy! Think before action and he is always secured from falling
That's the mother foocking spirit we're looking for!
He makes it safe to the end
SAFETY FIRST!
Everyone got the picture and as I was confident that they knew how to use the safety harness and the “always one hook secured” technique I sent them down. And as we had new crew members
coming on deck after the coffee break.Well, the early morning training/ demonstration had been
nothing less than a success so I decided to run another training/ demonstration.We met in my office after the coffee break. I had a tool box with the ABs going on deck.
I asked two of them to take on a safety harness while the other guys put out 4 chairs in my office. Now I had 2 ABs to walk along the chairs to demonstrate how to get from A to B and to be secured to one chair all the time.
We completed the training/ demonstration and yet again, it turned out to be nothing less than a success.
The crew were sent on deck and I kept my self
busy in my office until 5 minutes before 11 o'clock when I went to our steering engine room for an emergency steering drill with our Chief Engineer.Chief Engineer and our 2nd Officer was already there when I arrived and we just had to wait for the 3rd Officer and we could start.
In the steering engine room
In the steering engine room
I went down to check our ODME equipment in the engine room and I ended up on the tank top (bottom of the engine room) with our Chief Engineer when we were ready with the steering.
Walking back up again was a good exercise, but to get a rest I stopped by at the engine work shop. Of course, I pretended to be there to CHECK OUT things, not to take a rest before walking up the remaining stairs to my office.I finished my HEAVY BALLAST plan and I was 15 minutes late for lunch. I had too much to eat even though I never had my black bread with cheese. I was soon back in my cabin and I was tired but I
still hope I can take the time with my Thai books. Well, at least I opened one of them a few days ago.And I hope to get time to Learn Thai with Mod and the Alif Silpachai videos. For sure, it is so long since I watched the Learn Thai with Mod and the Alif Silpachai videos that I have forgotten when it was. One year ago? More???!!!
We got discharge orders in the evening, discharge full cargo in Aabenraa, Denmark. Aabenraa is in Lillebælt and only a few hours away so I was busy with the cargo plans after my evening watch.
+++++++++++++++
Friday 10 th
of April 2015
and we we're approaching Aabenraa anchorage when I got out of bed 20 minutes before 8 o'clock in the morning. We have planned to launch our MOB boat and to test our
FRAMO emergency pump today.We will also pressure test the cargo hoses for the FRAMO emergency pump. It was dense fog and we were approaching Aabenraa anchorage where we will wait until tomorrow to come along side.
Anyway, as we were still not anchored I decided that we would start with the FRAMO equipment as soon as our Pump Man had purged the
cargo pumps. And change of plan again, when he was ready with the purging we had dropped our anchor and we decided to do the MOB Boat before the coffee break.
The crew prepared the boat and we tested to launch the boat without any electric power for the davit and it worked beautiful. The MOB boat was soon water borne. Everything
worked well and we were ready just in time for the coffee break. The crew had prepared our FRAMO emergency pump on deck yesterday and it didn't take long to test the pump.I was in a pretty good mood. Things were working out just fine and I expected to be ready before lunch. Well, we filled the hose with water and then we started to pressurise the hose with our hand pump.
Pumping and pumping and filling the bucket for the hand pump with water. At 13 thirty I gave up and I went to my cabin. I told the AB to call me when we started to get any pressure in the hose, or we will do this test
after discharging.After much nagging I agreed to Captain’s proposal to order a case of Pepsi MAX. And well, as he was going he could as well order 4 cases, you never know when they are coming in handy.
+++++++++++++++
Saturday 11 th
of April 2015
and they called me quarter to one. Pilot was on board and we expected to come alongside in about 15 minutes. Well, I had not felt asleep and I was soon on the bridge with a giant cup of tea. We had all fast 6 minutes past 2 in the morning and we started
to discharge the 300m³ line displacement 12 minutes before 4 o'clock in the morning. No back pressure and we discharged 300m³ in a jiff. We did measurements and we were soon starting to top off the tanks until the 95% alarm deactivated ONE BY ONE.Important that it is ONE BY ONE!! Never forget that what ever they say to you! If they want you to do it otherwise you ask for someone else to be in charge and take the responsibility. Anyway, we were soon discharging and I was in bed at 6 and I woke up just after 11 o'clock. I was in no hurry to get out of bed and I lolled around for 45 minutes or so. Well, I called the CCR to check out the progress with the discharging.
- How's it going?
- Just fineI left my room just before 12 and I passed the conference room, and there was a MIRE Inspector
sitting at the table looking in some binders.- Ah, you! Do you have any Pepsi MAX?
- What the
Well, turned out that he had been on board Maersk Cassandra when we had the vetting inspection in Singapore the day before I signed off in Singapore back in 2012. And he remember me as drinking Pepsi MAX like there was no tomorrow.
Captain was in charge in the CCR when I came to the CCR and the crew were on deck taking on board provision. Took me a blink of an eye to get out in the provision store and they had put away my 4 cases of Pepsi MAX. I grabbed a case and I returned to the CCR. And I was soon having an open can in my hand.
I took over in the CCR after a quick lunch and our 2nd Officer
came to take over around 1 thirty and I went on deck with the MIRE Inspector. We spent an hour or so on deck before we went back to the CCR. We expect new crew to arrive during
the afternoon.Both 2nd Officers are going home and we got 2 new ones on board in the afternoon, one from Rumania and one from Bulgaria. We were almost ready with the discharging so there was not much time for hand over.
But the new 2nd Officer and the off signing 3rd Officer got some time in the CCR when they came at 18 hundred to relieve the other off signing 2nd Officer.
We got a new Pump Man and AB and some new people in the engine department. And we also got 2 new Cadets for the engine department. All the off signers will leave at 21:00 and pilot is ordered for 21 thirty and we will go to drop the anchor in Aabenraa Fjord again waiting for loading orders. Captain came to the CCR and it didn't take long for him to get a Pepsi MAX.
We finished the paper work just after 8 o'clock and we were just waiting for our Agent. Time turned 9 and it was time for the off signers to leave the ship. I said good bye shaking hands to
the right and to the left. But this was obviously not good enough for our 3rd Officer.He was obviously looking for a hug and he threw himself around
me and the shock made me forget to take a picture. So one more hug!What have happened with the “almost” summer weather we have had the last 2 or 3 days? It was raining and we had very strong winds when we left Aabenraa at 21:42. And the wind increased and we had very strong wind when we had dropped our anchor and it was time for the pilot to
disembark. We had two pilots on board and the first pilot made it to the pilot boat.We had the sea, pretty rough sea coming in from the head and the pilot boat was rolling heavily and the waves flushed over the boat.
The second Pilot gave up and we turned the ship with the thruster and after a while he could leave us and we were alone again, nice!
The wind and rain was for sure not a nice surprise when we had switched to a summer mode mentally. But we were happy to have left Aabenraa behind and now we wait for our next adventure. I wouldn't mind going back to load in Ventspils.
Time to split the month of April in the year of our Lord 2015 in to a second part. Just to save us some downloading time. And I hope we can start by getting some nice weather. But you just have to click HERE to find out. And of course, I hope that we don't have to spend too much time anchored on Aabenraa Fjord. One day is OK, but not more.
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