Aladdin's long struggle against obesity and baldness continues on board M/T Roy Mærsk

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.

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.

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? 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”

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Roy Mærsk/ Roy Maersk

Friday 1 ^st of December 2017 and we're still anchored. We had prepared for ballast tank entry yesterday and today the crew will go down to the #2 STB double bottom to clean the tank from mud. So there was a lot of paper work that had to be done before we could enter. Entry permits and tool box meetingand I had a little tank entry drill with the boys.

One of the ABs wished me a Merry Christmas
- What the
- It is Christmas!
- It is the first of December, I said.
- It is Christmas, it is December!
- HEY! Christmas should be so quick you would not even have the chance to bring out the stupid decoration. 24th of Dec, BOOM! Get your gifts and BOOM!! Christmas is over.

Not so much mud in the bottom and I was down doing the tank inspection just after 2 o'clock in the afternoon. I did the tank inspection report and I was off to my cabin for a shower and a mug of Earl Grey tea. Yet another day to put behind us here on board Roy Mærsk.

Ready to enter the tank

Leaving the double bottom

Putting back the manhole cover

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Saturday 2 ^nd of December 2017 and we're still anchored. It is getting at least to say boring by now. Lucky that we have the Saturday afternoon video to enjoy.

I had expected us to be busy in the ballast tank today as well, but as we had finished the tank yesterday we had to find other things to entertain us with. Lucky us, there are no lack of jobs to be done on deck. I prepared some of the paper work for the HOT WORK we have planned for on Monday. We need to send some documents to the company before we start.

Our Cook is waiting for the “Saturday Afternoon Fun Video” WILL HE BE DISAPPOINTED OR WHAT?

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Sunday 3 ^rd of December 2017 and it was a quiet Sunday on the anchorage. I prepared the paper work for tomorrow's hot work on the poop deck.

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Monday 4 ^th of December 2017 and we kicked off the day with good morning gymnastics. Tool box meeting and today we had to go through the hot work risk assessments and my hot work plan that I had made yesterday. Well, time was passing quickly and it was soon time for dinner.

It had been quite a good day, except for the heavy rain, very heavy rain and a thunder storm that passed us in the afternoon ducking up our painting jobs on deck. We really don't have any spare time that we can lose to the rain. But I will have my guys to work twice as hard tomorrow.

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Tuesday 5 ^th of December 2017 and we're still anchored when I step in to the CCR 5 minutes before 8 o'clock in the morning. All me boys are waiting, just the Cadet missing. The Cadet is soon coming and we can start with the good morning gymnastics.

Tool box and safety meeting and the guys could go on deck and I just kept Pump Man and the Cadet in the CCR to discuss some super important job. One of our ABs is putting the last layer of paint on the exhaust pipe to the emergency generator so I went to get a few pictures.

Painting the fifth and last layer of coat on the exhaust pipe

Painting the fifth and last layer of coat on the exhaust pipe

I ordered Tectyl™ when I was on board here back in March/ April as I want to try it out on our cargohatches. And today I decided to try it out on our remote controls for the winches as well. Tectyl™ is the black stuff on spray can that you use underyour car to protect it. So I ordered 4 cans to try it out and if it works we will order more.

But it will not be until tomorrow as I made a last minute change of my plan. I decided that we would try to put ONE layer of primer first and then the Tectyl™.

It is really hard to, well, it is impossible to reach in between the controls with the chipping and brushing machines. Well, we will see how this turns out. And for how many more years will they keep these ships? They are, well, getting very worn by now.

They are rusting too pieces and every day is an emergency repairing of something on deck. I was to check the AB and the chipping and he was almost ready with the four remote controls and I told him to paint one layer of primer before we put the Tectyl.

I was soon out of there, no need to disturb. I just had a few pictures and I left the AB alone to do the job. There are other people that I can disturb, Pump Man and our Cadet are busy on the poop deck preparing for tomorrows hot work.

Top Gun #13 chipping the remote controls on the fo'c's'le

Remote control in desperate need of rust protection. Can Tectyl™ do the job?

We need to do some small hot work tomorrow, grinding and welding and we had sent my risk assessments and hot work plan to the company. We will make a new support for the barrel crane and we need to weld a rail that had come off its support. Yes, always something to do around here. Good, the time is passing quickly.

It was soon time for dinner, well, I was busy until dinner and there was only time for a very quick shower before dinner as I had to make a stowage plan. Melakka to Tanjung Bin. Laycan 12 - 14 December. No cargoes to be found and it is bad according to the chartering.

Dear Capt.

Apologies, the market has been terrible for the small ships lately.
Aframax rates have jumped off a cliff, and are cheaper than handies/MRs/panamax's on all routes, so MRs are in panic mode and doing insanely low freight rates at the moment, so charterers seem to have forgotten the existence of handysized ships.

This 12-14/Dec cargo is the earliest cargo i can find who was willing to look at our size of ships i'm afraid...

Tuesday 5th of December 2017 goes down the history books
The day our Cadet got dirty for the first time

Tuesday 5th of December 2017 goes down the history books
The day our Cadet got dirty for the first time

Tuesday 5th of December 2017 goes down the history books
The day our Cadet got dirty for the first time

Tuesday 5th of December 2017 goes down the history books
The day our Cadet got dirty for the first time

Dinner, raggmunk, an all-time favourite and this is because our Cook had been working on Swedish ships. Strange how the best cooks in Maersk have all been working on Swedish ships. Anyway, I was disappointed, it is Tuesday and it would have set me back by 1000 Dollars to eat any of the raggmunks. DARN!

I went to see Captain after dinner and now they had got order to proceed to Fujairah. I have 30 cans of snus waiting for me in Singapore. Well, maybe I can ask Wrist in Singapore to send it to Wrist in UAE. There was soon a request for a new stowage plan.

Good day Capt.,

Please advise the max intake of fuel oil of your good ship for loading Fujairah, and discharge in Ras Laffan.

Please take info consideration:

1. the bunkering quantity needed if necessary
2. After loading in Fujairah, your good ship will need to take fresh water in Sohar for changing port clearance, the fresh water quantity will be 100mt.

Loading in UAE and discharging in Qatar and we have all heard on how the UAE and Saudi Arabia and Egypt, all of them beacons of a place you want to live in have boycotted Qatar. So we have to go to Oman to get 100 ton of fresh water to get a port clearance from Oman.

Anyway, if we're in that part of the world the risk is very high that I will fly home from Dubai. So I got right on the internet to find information about birding in Dubai. And I was surprised, there is quite a rich bird life there. I got a lot of information from UAE Birding

I also found the excellent site www.10000birds.com and he had been in Dubai for some birdwatching Interesting reading and if I sign off in Dubai I will stay for a few days to look for birds.

And I spent time in Singapore looking for birds before I joined Roy Mærsk I had my bird camera with me. Or it would have been pointless to stay in Dubai for bird watching. Well, let's see what happens.

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Wednesday 6 ^th of December 2017 and we're steaming towards West in Malacca Strait. I felt on deck hitting my ribs on the left side and I'm in pain today. So I had to have our O/S to lead the Good Morning Gymnastics in the CCR before our tool box meeting. Not many people today as they had been up all night when we passed Singapore Strait.

They guys got going with our gym session and I was disappointed with the spirit. Of course, morefun when I'm leading, but today the pain prevents me from taking part. I was cheering them from my seat with tips and annoying hints.

When we were ready we had the tool box/ safety meeting and the crew were soonout on deck working. We will have yet another hot work today, a rail and a support needs welding. So we need to bring out the welding equipment again.

We had a hot work tool box and safety meeting after the coffee break. It is 2017 and Danishflag but it was like the 1950's on a PanamaGreek ship. It was scary with the “Let Go” and “never mind” attitude and I got really angry. The hot work didn't come as a surprise and they have done it before, so they should know what’s in the check list.

I went through the check list and when I came to the condition of the equipment I asked the Chief Engineer if all equipment was on good working order.
- I suppose so, he said.
- What do you want me to write here on the check list, yes, no or I suppose so?

Chief Engineer left, well, I have working with him before and it is always the same, only interest is to do sweet F all. All Chief Officers that have been here don't want to come back. All the Captains and Chief Engineers say the same about this guy. Anyway, now Captain got involved and he said it was never mind, they check their equipment every 3 or 6 months so no need to check. Then I left the responsibility for the whole hot work thing to the Captain.

Maersk style, a paper to fill up and that’s it, don't bother doing the checks and when I get angry they call me to the office in Copenhagen so I can get a letter of warning.
- You were a trouble making on board Britta Maersk
- Me, I didn't do anything!
- NO! But you reported it!

This was the DP for Maersk Tankers! There was another guy in the room and he was just gaping in disbelief. I could not believe my ears. And no, you cannot make up shit like this. And it was very well explained by the DP what kind of reports they expected at the office. And the whole “Stop work authorisation” was nothing but something they had in the SMS manual to keep their back free. Explicitly explained to me by the DP in Maersk Tanker.

Today, our Cadet is sitting at the “Dirty Boys” table. There is nothing like hard work

They finished the rail before lunch and the afternoon was spent on the barrel crane and the support. I took the opportunity to go forward to spray the remote controls with TECTYL™ and now I hope this will last for a while. I also decided that we will use TECTYL™ in the tank vent heads. A wee bit to chip and it would take days to paint with 8 hours of drying time between the layers.

One layer of TECTYL™ and we closed the vent heads and now they should be good for a while. In a year or so we will know if the TECTYL™ investments have paid off. OK, all daylong we have got e-mails. Deviation point for Durban? ETA Durban in different speeds? So we really don't know where we're going for sure. But they are looking for a cargo out of Fujairah

Pump Man doing hot work

Our Cadet

Pump Man doing hot work

We finished the hot work at 4 o'clock, or just before and I was off to the bridge to check a cracked bolt on the life boat davit before I went for my shower. Pain and fever, but it feels like it is getting better even if the pain is the same and I have the added pleasure with the fever today. Willhopefully be better tomorrow.

And then another night to kill in my cabin, yesterday it was kind of OK with all the stowage plan requests. But today nothing so I went on the bridge to pester our 2nd Officer and Cadet. Just for a short while as I wasn't feeling too good.

Our Cook preparing dinner

Mess Man is busy

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Thursday 7 ^th of December 2017 and I had a terrible night. Pain laying down and fever so, well, I didn't had any nightmares, but these fever dreams or whatever they call it. You don't know if you're awake or sleeping.

A long night finally came to an end and I had a mug of tea in front of my computer before going down to the mess room for an “Oatmeal Surprise” and more tea. Still in pain and today our Cadet was leading the good morning gymnastics.

Our Cadet is leading the good morning gymnastics

Tool box and safety meeting and the crew went to prepare for tank entry in the steering engine room. We will inspect and clean the FW tank on port side today. We were back in the CCR a t9 o'clock for yet another pre tank entry tool box and safety meeting.

Testing gas detectors and paper work and it was 9 thirty before we were ready. We decided to have an early coffee break and we went in to the tank at 10 o'clock. We will brush the tank with disinfectants and when we're ready we will transfer the water from starboard side in to this tank. Then we can do the same in the starboard FW tank.

The A-team

Preparing to go inside the FW tank

Preparing to go inside the FW tank

Pain and fever and the day was really slow. But when it finally was evening it was so nice to get back to my cabin. Getting on line and I read today's Bangkok Post online. And Thailand, nothingsurprises me anymore. You can for sure not make up shit like this.

Seriously, countries like this still part of the world community. UN and what else, what a ducking joke it all is. Anyway, I hope the pain and fever is gone by tomorrow.

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Friday 8 ^th of December 2017 and the crew is very happy, at least many of them. We have confirmed the crew change on Monday when passing Sri Lanka. As we haven't had any destination we have not been able to book any crew change. But there will not be any changes during the weekend and we can change crew on Sri Lanka on Monday.

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Saturday 9 ^th of December 2017 and I will start with ballast exchange today. But first our Good Morning Gymnastics and tool box meeting. The boys went on deck and I started to prepare for the ballast exchange. I had done the plans yesterday and now we only need to wait until we're 200NM from nearest land.

New regulations in force since September 2017. All ships needs ballast treatment plants on board to kill maritime life forms travelling in the ballast water across the oceans. All new built ships must have the treatment plants, but the old ships don't have the treatment pants and we need to do the ballast exchange. 200 NM from land and at 200 meters depth.

Well, new regulation to stop invasive arts to spread. WE ARE DOING SOMETHING TO SAVE THE WORLD!!!!! But still allowed to discharge oil and chemicals in to the sea. But not to throw a potato, so they are serious with keeping an appearance that they are going to save the world. Anyway, I got started at 10 o'clock and at 10 thirty we had our management meeting, yet another pointless meeting.

We ended up talking about the rest hours, now it is a VETTING high risk remark if anyone have more than 3 violations per month. Of course, there are no changes on board so it is the same work load and stupid working hours as before. But now they say that we need to plan even though it is not possible to plan.
- You must plan!

Well, that means that they want you to lie about your rest hour registration. I had expected some discussions about the rest hours but I heard no solutions, well, there is only one solution, no arrivals during the night time. But I had expected more than this, actually this was nothing but an embarrassment:

1) I said that when we wake up in the morning and we are going inside during the night there is a problem. We cannot wake up and go back to bed immediately again just to get some rest. Hold on! Are you sitting down? It was explained to me that there are people just imagine that they cannot go to sleep again just because they just had 8 hours of sleep. They are sitting and looking at their wrist watch “I CANNOT SLEEP, I CANNOT SLEEP, I CANNOT SLEEP” just because they just woke up and that prevent them from sleeping non-stop for 16 hours.

2) People are also waking up at 4 o'clock on Sunday afternoons coming down to the mess room with half the pillow in their face complaining that they over slept the coffee break. So there was no reason why people could not sleep and it was no problem with the rest hours of what so ever. Needless to say, I left the mess room and the meeting. This is the level we keep things at here.

Pointless safety meetings and information when the safety is the first thing they throw out the window. Anyway, this is how it works on tankers today. Well, there is a lot more signs like “SAFETY FIRST” and “SAVE THE ENVIRONMENT” on board the ships, and the more of this you see, be sure, the worse it is. Never seen on any Swedish tanker.

Our O/S is going home when we pass Sri Lanka and he had been in contact with his reliever. I asked if he could get his reliever to arrange a charging cable for my iPod. I had forgotten it at home so I cannot use my iPod. We got photo confirmation that he had got the cable.

We also got a picture question. What kind of Pepsi container should he buy?

• 33 cl Pepsi MAX can?

• 33 cl Pepsi Light can?

• 1,5 Lit cl Pepsi MAX plastic bottle?

• 50 cl Pepsi MAX plastic bottle?

What kind of Pepsi container would we like?

Of course, the classic blue Pilipino 50 cl plastic bottle

BOOM! Sri Lanka and Roy Mærsk next!

So yes, I look forward to Monday evening and the crew change. We remember my Sri Lankan Leopard adventure and my MEGA box with Pepsi MAX almost killing the hotel staff in Colombo. After that, well, I realised that it was a mistake to put all the MAX in one box only. We will have a meeting on the bridge at 15 thirty and while we're enjoying ourselves up on the bridge there is the Saturday afternoon fun video for you to enjoy.

Saturday and I went for dinner, and it will be a week until my next dinner. I got a line message from my friend and he have lost 7 kg. So I will only have oatmeal in my cabin from now on. Skip the lunches as well, well, maybe to push it a bit. Anyway, the dinner was good as always, of course, our Cook have a history from Swedish ships. But seriously, when I started in Maersk the Cooks were, well, they could not even boil potatoes.

You are a professional cook and you cannot boil potatoes. Someone is paying you to cook and, well, if you cannot do the simplest food you should consider a change of profession. All the cooks were, well, anywhere else and they would not be called cooks. 2 years or so ago they sent out a message from the company that they were going to improve. Well, we were laughing, just more hot air coming from Maersk.

But after that we have only had good Cooks. I don't know if it is luck or if they have started to hire real Cooks instead of the first person they found on the street in Manila. But I must say, now we have really good Cooks coming out on the ships, at least the ships I have been on.

Before I go to bed, a picture for our Cadet's Instagram

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Sunday 10 ^th of December 2017 and today we changed the last ballast, the fore peak tank. We watched a video after lunch, Captain Fantasy or something and it was shit. Only reason we watched the movie was because our Cadet wanted to see the move because the Danish actor.

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Monday 11 ^th of December 2017 and we had a shower passing over us just after the good morning gymnastics and tool box/ safety meeting. So I was a little worried about the chipping and painting. But the shower passed us and we had good weather.

Good morning selfie

I kept myself busy with our Cadet until 2 o'clock in the afternoon. Then I went for a power nap, I will take the 8 to 12 watch on the bridge tonight. We get two new 2nd Officers and they will need a rest when they come on board in the afternoon. And I will go to the bridge at 15 thirty for a refresher on the bridge equipment. The service boat will be here around 5 o'clock

The service boat approaching

The boat is here

A recognise the package with the Pepsi MAX from Manila

I recognise the package with the Pepsi MAX out O/S had bought in Manila. There are 7 people coming and 6 people are leaving. Captain have to stay with the new Captain until next port and hewillhopefully make it home in GOOD time before Christmas. No use to get home just in time for Christmas.

The fun is the preparations for the Christmas with parties etc. Christmas itself is atleast to say boring, at least since I could afford to buy my own Christmas gifts.

Anyway, then you can as well stay on board until after New Year's Eve and make money instead of spending the money. But Christmas or not, the crew usually looks happy when it is time to go home. And so they did today. And I must say, the crew coming on board was looking happy as well. And so was I, MAX on the way on board.

Off signing 2nd Engineer

3rd Engineer on deck to wave farewell

7 People are coming and 7 people are leaving

Straight from Manila to the CCR

Enjoying a Filipino “special” in my cabin

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Tuesday 12 ^th of December 2017 and I started the day by introducing our new crew to the risk assessments and safety information. After 10 o'clock we had 4 drills, the monthly drills and as wehave changed more than 25% of the crew we needed to have the drills within 24 hours after the crew change.

We were ready just in time for lunch and we were going to meet in the CCR after lunch. We have to watch the movie “KILLER GAS” about the danger of the H2S. Always the same when we get a new crew on board, safety information and drills so the first two days there are not much work done.

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Wednesday 13 ^th of December 2017 and I spotted a White-breasted Waterhen on deck today. I was on deck with Captian while the crew prepared for entry in to FW tank on the stb side. Inspection and cleaning and we entered the tank at 10 o'clock. Well, it was me boys entering equipped with brushes and a water hose.

Our Cadet ready to get in to the tank

And there he goes...

Hard working Mr. Dynamite

Our Pump Man keeping an eye on the guys in the tank

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Thursday 14 ^th of December 2017 and we're still steaming towards NW and Fujairah when I come in to the CCR 5 minutes before 8 o'clock in the morning. We will be busy going down the pumproom today so there are a cubic ton of paper work to do.

We will also have 3 drills after 10 o'clock so it promise to be an exciting day. Pump Man and one of the ABs went down for the monthly exercise of the manual valves down there.

We will also test our bilge alarms today and we will be busy and the time willhopefully pass quickly. And to make the day even more exciting, there was some intakes to be calculated before lunch.

Loading VGO in Cochin, India. We will have to turn around as we're about 36 hours north of Cochin now. Anyway, Loading Cochin to:
Fujairah
Singapore
Houston
Italy

I really want us to go load, but I have no wishes to come to Italy or Houston. But I would love a trip to Singapore, and it is about time to get some cargo in to the tanks by now. I have never experienced that we have had to wait this long for cargo before.

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Friday 15 ^th of December 2017 and we're steaming towards NW and Fujairah when I step in the the CCR 5 minutes before 8 o'clock in the morning. We got started with an entry permit as the Wilden pump in the pump room is leaking. So we go down there to remove the pump and the guys bring it up on deck so we can repair it.

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Saturday 16 ^th of December 2017 and it is Saturday again, and our Cook is making Skånsk Kål pudding. So I went to check out the kitchen as I thought that a few pointers could come in handy.

The Kål pudding was almost ready and it was tasting good, except for the chilli he had put in the food. Chilli or not, I was full when I left the mess room after the lunch.

And yes, there is the Saturday afternoon fun video

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Sunday 17 ^th of December 2017 and we're still steaming towards Fujairah. I was going to take pictures of the birds following us, I think it is Masked Boobys, but today there wasn't any birds around us. So I will see if we have any birds around us tomorrow.

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Monday 18 ^th of December 2017 and we dropped anchor at Fujairah in the late afternoon. Bunker barge will arrive in the evening so I had to take out some ballast to keep us upright.

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Tuesday 19 ^th of December 2017 and we're still anchored off Fujiyrah when I come down to the CCR. Our provision and stores are on the way and the service launch arrived at 9. Off signing Captain left with the launch when we were ready with the stores and provisions.

No news about any cargoes during the day, but I really hope we get a cargo now or we will most likely have to stay here during the Christmas and New Year. I went to the bridge in the evening to get some pictures for our Cadet to put on Instagram

#sonnefar

#sonnefar

#sonnefar

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Wednesday 20 ^th of December 2017 and we spent yet another day anchored off Fujairah. I did some cargo calculations, UAE to Eritrea in the beginning of January, maybe.

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Thursday 21 ^st of December 2017 and we were still anchored when I came to the CCR 5 minutes before 8 o'clock. We will move to Khor Fakkan OPL anchorage at 9 o'clock leaving Fujairah behind. Well, it is just to move a little to the north of Fujairah. I signed off Argo Athena on Khor Fakkan anchorage back in the 90's but the service boat took us to the immigration in Fujairah.

Anyway, we will do our good morning gymnastics and tool box meeting before it is time toheave up the anchor. Time to swing our arses again.

When we were finished we had the tool box meeting, stydying safety information about epoxy paint and DOs and DONTs with the pilot ladder.

We dropped anchor at 13:00 14 miles off Khor Fakkan and the rest of the day passed pretty quickly and it was soon time for tea and a “Oatmeal Surprise”. I only eat dinners on Saturday so it is oatmeal instead and I willhopefully have a V-shaped torso soon.

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Friday 22 ^nd of December 2017 and yet another day on the anchorage. We started the day as usually with the gym and tool box session. At 10 o'clock we changed a gas sensor in the pump room and suddenly it was past 12 o'clock and we were late for the lunch.

We need to order some new IG valves and it was a good practice for our Cadet to searching for them on our drawings. We need the model number etc. for the requisition. So the afternoon passed, if not quickly, it passed by and it was soon time for a shower and a mug of Earl Grey tea and oatmeal in my room.

Again, killing yet another night in my room. Well, 2 hours is killed watching movie with the Cadet.

Looking for IG valves

We might get a voyage from UAE, load fuel oil to Eritrea and we will pass through Gulf of Aden and the Bab-el-Mandeb or Mandeb Strait to get to Eritrea in the Red Sea. This is a HIGH RISK

The Bab-el-Mandeb

or Mandeb Strait is a strait located between Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula, and Djibouti and Eritrea in the Horn of Africa. It connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

area and one of the pirate HOTSPOTS in the world.

The only thing helping against pirates is to have armed guards on board. But this is expensive so Maersk have another solution. We have to watch a video before we enter the pirate area. And they put upbarbed wire around the ship. I ordered 1000 meters of barbed wire.

And first they asked if this wasn't too much. Always treating the crew like they are stupid. And I got the last e-mail regarding the barbed wire in the evening, many more was to follow, but I don't read them anymore. The Superintendent realise that it was a stupid question.

But instead of writing back that “ OH! Yes, didn't think about how big the ship is ” he tried to save face and he went on about a good storage space for the barbed wire on board the ship because “salt and moisture” destroy the barbed wire. You really can't make up shit like this!

From: Copenhagen Fleet Group A
Sent: 22 December 2017 15:36
To: Roy Maersk, Master; Copenhagen Fleet Group A; Roy Maersk, Cheng; Purchasing Maersk Tankers Copenhagen
Cc: OPS/Operations Maersk Tankers; 'Roy Maersk - Choff'; 'Roy Maersk - 2eng'
Subject: RE: Roy Maersk - Razor wire order, O48-17-0136

Good day,

Understood that the condition is bad for all razor wire and that basically need replenish the stock.

My query starts when saw the amount and did not expect to be all bad, considering your vessel is trading pretty commonly in the HRA area.

I saw these razor wire going wasted due to improper storage, when salt and moisture destroying them. I don’t know where you stored them onboard when not in use, but could be a good plan of relocate them elsewhere to preserve.

Best regards,
Mr. II
Travel Superintendent
Maersk Tankers, Technical Operations

Maersk Tankers A/S
Nicolai Eigtveds Gade 28, 4th floor

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From: Roy Maersk - Master [mailto:master@roy.maersktankers.com]
Sent: Friday, December 22, 2017 4:57
To: Copenhagen Fleet Group A; Roy Maersk, Cheng; Purchasing Maersk Tankers Copenhagen
Cc: OPS/Operations Maersk Tankers; 'Roy Maersk - Choff'; 'Roy Maersk - 2eng'
Subject: RE: Roy Maersk - Razor wire order, O48-17-0136

Dear Mr. I

First, most of the onboard razor wire is very rusty and disintergrates when handled.
Second, We need the 1000 m to be able to have 2 layers of wire on the whole vessel. 4 x 180m + 2 x 30 m.

Best Regards

Master

M/T Roy Maersk
IMO No.: 9306938
Call Sign: OVSP2

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From: Copenhagen Fleet Group A
Sent: 21 December 2017 19:31
To: Roy Maersk, Cheng; Purchasing Maersk Tankers Copenhagen
Cc: OPS/Operations Maersk Tankers; Copenhagen Fleet Group A; Roy Maersk, Master; 'Roy Maersk - Choff'; 'Roy Maersk - 2eng'
Subject: RE: Roy Maersk - Razor wire order, O48-17-0136

Hi all,

0136 First hand approved. I see the request is for 1000 meters, is not that to much?

Best regards,
Mr. II
Travel Superintendent
Maersk Tankers, Technical Operations

Maersk Tankers A/S
Nicolai Eigtveds Gade 28, 4th floor
DK - 1402, Copenhagen K, Denmark

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From: Maersk Roy - Cheng
Sent: Thursday, December 21, 2017 15:27
To: Purchasing Maersk Tankers Copenhagen
Cc: OPS/Operations Maersk Tankers; Copenhagen Fleet Group A; Roy Maersk, Master; 'Roy Maersk - Choff'; 'Roy Maersk - 2eng'
Subject: RE: Roy Maersk - Razor wire order, O48-17-0136

Hi Mrs. NN,

:) Thanks’

We are OPL so nothing can be delivered now but there will be a chance when we pass Fujairah outgoing towards Eritrea. Let us see if the voyage materializes.

Req. 0136, submitted when I wrote, but pls. see below.

Brgds
Chief Engineer
M/T Roy Maersk

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From: Purchasing Maersk Tankers Copenhagen
Sent: 21 December 2017 17:20
To: Roy Maersk, Cheng
Cc: OPS/Operations Maersk Tankers; Copenhagen Fleet Group A; Roy Maersk, Master; 'Roy Maersk - Choff'; 'Roy Maersk - 2eng'
Subject: RE: Roy Maersk - Razor wire order, O48-17-0136

Hi Chief Engineer

Thank you! Same to you and all on board, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! 1 more day before our weekend. 😊

I can see your reqnno. 0136, however cannot process it yet as it is still pending to be submitted by vessel and then approved by Iulian.

May I know until when will vessel be in Fujairah? UAE is on holiday tomorrow (Friday), we’ll need to work around that schedule if supply is needed this weekend..

Best Regards,
Mrs. NN

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From: Maersk Roy - Cheng
Sent: Thursday, December 21, 2017 7:59 PM
To: Purchasing Maersk Tankers Copenhagen
Cc: OPS/Operations Maersk Tankers; Copenhagen Fleet Group A; Roy Maersk, Master; 'Roy Maersk - Choff'; 'Roy Maersk - 2eng'
Subject: Roy - Razor wire order, 0136

Hi Mrs. NN,

First
Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year to you and your family. ☺

I have just submitted req. 048-17-0136, for razor wire for vessel.
This order we need quick if next voyage to Eritrea materializes and logically it should then be made as “Local” but we have been instructed in the past to order as “Stores”, when for security.

Brgds
Chief Engineer
M/T Roy Maersk

We need to store the barbed wire to protect it from salt and moisture

Maersk Superintendent: I saw these razor wire going wasted due to improper storage, when salt and moisture destroying them

We need to store the barbed wire to protect it from salt and moisture

Maersk Superintendent: I saw these razor wire going wasted due to improper storage, when salt and moisture destroying them

We need to store the barbed wire to protect it from salt and moisture

Maersk Superintendent: I saw these razor wire going wasted due to improper storage, when salt and moisture destroying them

Maersk Superintendent: I saw these razor wire going wasted due to improper storage, when salt and moisture destroying them Salt and moisture on a ship, Dear lord come and save us!

Seriously, they want to be the best tanker company in the word and this is the best they can come up with! And if the only people that knows anything is in the office and all the idiots are on the ships making the money, what chances of success do they have to be the best tanker company in the world. The “Salt and moisture” must be a real prize winner!

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Saturday 23 ^rd of December 2017 and yet another day on the anchorage. We will have some drills after the coffee break (Coffee break for those that have the time) and I prepared paper work before we had the drills. I also had time to train a little with our new ShipNet program.

And yes, there is the Saturday afternoon fun video

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Christmas Eve and we're still anchored with no news about any cargoes. I got dressed and I put on a Christmas hat that I found in my cabin. I took a picture as a Christmas greeting to be used online. A grey shirt, not enough Christmas so I changed to a red shirt. Now it should be enough of the Christmas spirit in the picture.

I had my tea and “Oatmeal Surprise” before going down to check out if there was any signs of lifeand Christmas activities down below. I have had enough of Christmas with my Christmas picture and the sooner we can put this behind us the better.

Enough Christmas for you?

OK, the Christmas picture on Line turned out to be the best idea for a very long time. Instant reply and I look skinny. Not bad! Soon a V-shaped torso?

Not much going on down below, but the Cook is very busy in the kitchen. We have a very good Cook on board and today he had help in the kitchen, and of course, I was there to get a picture.

3 helpers

I was hiding in my cabin during the dinner and I almost managed to dodge the dinner. I went down at 6 o'clock and I got going on the smoked salmon and the rice pudding, very good.

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Christmas Day and we're still anchored. Yesterday it was the Danish and Swedish Christmas. Christmas celebration in Sweden will soon be banned, we have a lot of these cultural enricher and saviours of Sweden now. Christmas banned in many of the schools. The cave people get upset with Christina traditions, why did the bother to come here? Christmas is more upsetting than that they are not able to read and write. And no, I'm not talking about Swedish, their own language.

They have no clue what electricity is or able to tell the time, but God help us, they are upset with Christmas and the stupid Swedes are of course skipping their traditions. What had we expected?They have managed to ruin Sweden beyond repair in 10 years.

They say it have become better, but no one dare to go outsideany more while the Police do nothing and the government is lying through their teeth.

Well, Sweden deserve everything they get. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me! And they go on and on voting for the same criminals year after year.

Sorry, not criminals, they have a law so they are not responsible for what they are doing. A public “sorry” and everything is honky dory again.

Today it is the rest of the crew's Christmas. And yet another cubic ton of candy in the mess room. I have my diet bet, but I managed to get a pocket full of Dumle to my cabin.

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Boxing Day and the Christmas is almost behind us. We got our next voyage conformed today. Load in Ruwais, UAE and discharge in Massawa, Eritrea. And after that they want to put the ship in the Mediterranean. Only shit news.

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Wednesday 27 ^th of December 2017 and the Christmas of 2017 is finally behind us, FOR EVER! And the day passed by very quickly as we had a lot of stuff to do. Half the week behind us and soon time to sign off. My tiger safari in India and Nepal starts to come together and the itinerary is almost complete. Just checking out the Everest View hotel.

But when I finished for the day I received an e-mail. Only way to get to Everest View hotel is a 2 day trek or by helicopter. Helicopter is 3600 US

I thought they had made a mistake and that it should be 360 US$. But they confirmed that it was 3600 US$ for the flight. And to trek, that is a 7 days all in all adventure and I have to be in Sundarbans in the beginning of March for my tiger safari.

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Thursday 28 ^th of December 2017 and we spent the whole day with the gas detectors. Well, we have got our loading orders so I started on a cargo plan. But we were busy and the day passed by very quickly. Soon the whole week and the year of 2017 behind us.

Checking a light on monkey island

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Friday 29 ^th of December 2017 and we're still anchored off Khor Fakkan. Good morning gymnastics and tool box meeting. They guys went on deck and I started to prepare for the inspection of our void space #6. We have to do the yearly inspection of the space. The crew had started the force ventilation this morning and the plan is to enter the space after the coffee break.

Our 2nd Officer and our Deck Cadet was checking/ testing our inflatable life jackets in the CCR. So I took the opportunity to get some pictures for Instagram

#sonnefar Our #deckcadet and our #2ndofficer are #checking the #inflatable #lifejackets

#sonnefar Our #deckcadet and our #2ndofficer are #checking the #inflatable #lifejackets

#sonnefar Our #deckcadet and our #2ndofficer are #checking the #inflatable #lifejackets

#sonnefar Our #deckcadet and our #2ndofficer are #checking the #inflatable #lifejackets

#sonnefar Our #deckcadet and our #2ndofficer are #checking the #inflatable #lifejackets

#sonnefar Our #deckcadet and our #2ndofficer are #checking the #inflatable #lifejackets

#sonnefar Our #deckcadet and our #2ndofficer are #checking the #inflatable #lifejackets

But we left the Cadet and 2nd officer in the CCR and we went out to get down to the void space. Gas measuring and it was OK to enter, our Hero first followed by our 2nd Officer. The void space looks like new, only a very few spots of rust. We were back up from the void space just in time for lunch. It is not very much space down there, well, there are plenty space but the man holes are not very big. But it was no problem with my Commando back ground and my slim features.

We are as far in to the void space it is possible to come

On the way up again

On the way up again

Yet another day had come to an end, and Jeeze, have time turned quickly today? Busy busy, changing two complete gas detector housing with sensors. Inspection reports and it was soon 5 thirty and time for my tea and oatmeal. Looking forward to yet another video evening with our Deck Cadet. Killing time, one more month to go and it is time to go home.

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Saturday 30 ^th of December 2017 and we had no time for the good morning gymnastics today. We will heave up the anchor after breakfast and we will leave Khor Fakkan to go back to Fujairah to drop our anchor again. We will get stores, razor wire for our transit through the Gulf of Aden. The stores will be delivered tomorrow and the painters and Fitter will go home. Don't want to be on board when we pass the pirate water.

One of the painters want to stay so we will still get some painting done on deck.

And yes, there is the Saturday afternoon fun video

We dropped anchor at Fujairah around 1 o'clock and the sludge barge should be here. But of course, they arrived in the middle of the night. Our stores will come tomorrow and the off signing Painters and Fitter will go ashore with the same barge.

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New Year's Eve 2017 and the latest news is that the stores will come around 2 o'clock in the afternoon. The off signer's flights leaving at midnight. Barge was delayed until 14:00 and later on until after 16:00. By then the air tickets was changed to 05:00.

The stores arrived 18 thirty and the boat was cleared around 8 o'clock in the evening. The year of 2017 have come to an end, but the adventure continues. Just click HERE to find yourself in January in the year of our Lord 2018.

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