SHORE BASED MAINTENANCE

[SURESH JAGADEESAN]

Dear all,

Capt.Pullat had sent me an article on the need of 'Damage Control
equipment' on board ships.

My opinion on that is below...

First of all the present generation sailors do not like to work in
such hard conditions. They like to work like Aircraft pilot taking
from Point A to Point B. Maintenance they wanted from shore based
system of maintaining things such as workshops.

Especially working on emergency situation their mind do not function
sanely. I heard from DG Surveyor Sukumaran that in one of the SCI ship
during fire incident Master reported that he is not in condition to do
anything – overstressed. So Company Emergency response team called C/O
and C/E and assisted putting of fire by directing each and every act
from shore.

So Sailors are fed up of more training. So Training them ashore – one
more course – will be useless like PSSR.

When sailors are not ready to work on the pressures then providing
additional Emergency equipment are utterly useless.

We need to see how much we can reduce their pressure on board. It will
be far better to handle all maintenance ashore. Once in six months
vessel should be laid up and carried out all maintenance and class
surveyors to inspect and certify that vessel is safe for navigation.

In case of emergency we need to have extra ordinary helpful system
from shore to rescue sailors and think of towing the vessel for
repairs.

The present generation sailors wanted to be like shore working people
wanted to be with family and enjoy holidays and tours. So even if the
salary is enormously increased many will not be attracted. So we need
to think of shore based maintenance.

By doing so we can increase job opportunities ashore. Let operate
ships just like aircrafts.


Brgds
Suresh


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Thanks and best regards
J.Suresh
New No.3, Old No.7,
Chamiers road - 1st Lane,
Alwarpet,
Chennai - 600018
Ph: 044 42030947
Mobile: 91 9884071738

[Rajan Isaac]

Dear All,

The more and more I speak to other sailing mariners the story is quite the same.

Get all works outsourced. Get flying squads to carry out everything.

Rajan Isaac

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From: SURESH JAGADEESAN <vara...@gmail.com>
To: MerchantNavy <Mercha...@yahoogroups.com>
Cc: indianmariners <indianm...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, February 12, 2013 11:15 AM
Subject: [indian mariners699] SHORE BASED MAINTENANCE

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[MOHAPATRA DIBYA]

Dear Sir 

The problem is not with training the seafarers. We have a great lot of people who want to advise the master but never like to sail as one. Masters and sailing staff have  become more like apps which you find on your Ipad or cell phone. What you ask them to do that is what they do. Due to lack of ship owners  or ship operators  in our country, there is a  lack in understanding the shipping market well. In many cases i have seen master do not even understand what can be a potential claim or were he has to be careful when signs departure documents. Only thing he is worried about is "No delay on vessel account" . Many ship management dont even have owners C/P in had to take a call and just reply on hear say when they send messages. 

for people who think there is money in shipping. i think they are  just  grossly mistaken. There is no money in shipping, Like every other profession you get paid for what you do. But shipping is highly underpaid and highly risky  work. 

When i started working on ships i always thought it was a well regulated and well monitored industry in terms of safety. But Now i feel there are very few who understand the spirit of ISM or regulation but more busy  working to bypass or manipulate the rules to run the ships cheaper or oblige the commercial department. 

Like all the other place money talks and Bullshit works 

rgds

Capt Mohapatra

 

  

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Thanking you and Best Regards
Capt D. S. Mohapatra

[SURESH JAGADEESAN]

Dear Capt.Mohapatra,

You said-

“We have a great lot of people who want to advise the master but never
like to sail as one”

Please note who advise the Master is irrelevant, whether that advice
can save life or property or prevent from pollution than who so ever
advices must be taken.

Are we not talking about ‘safety of life’ as most precious thing in
shipping? Being a Master at sea, if one cannot save a life right in
front of him then what is the point in calling oneself as ‘Master’.
More than Chief Engineers, Masters have more ego and head weight since
they have title called ‘captain’. With a borrowed title from Navy we
feel as if next to god and forget our basic fundamental thing.

Let a Master be in command for more than 30 years even then there may
be many things which he may not know. And moreover since long
experienced he will have more ego which is like cloud closing his
intelligence to shine through him. Let all Masters drop their folly
title and come down to earth to see how life on board can be made more
safe and stress free both for sailing staff and management staff
ashore.

My aim of writing earlier article is that I want to make sailors less
burden and stress free. The charm of sailing died long time back. The
present unemployed cadets and junior engineers are poorly informed of
shipping and hence as an immediate job opportunity they have joined
shipping courses, so based on that we cannot come to any conclusion
that sailing job becomes attractive.

Very long ago Americans and Europeans stopped sailing (or charm of
sailing died among them) and then they used 3rd world countries to run
their ships.

Hence my suggestion of shore based Maintenance. Shore based
maintenance is already in place in coastal shipping. Only thing is we
need to streamline and legalize. If this is not done in near future
there may be a time when no one is available to run ships. Ship owners
and Managers to be awaken now.

Now MLC is also coming into force, so seafarers have full right to
deny even routine maintenance in the name of rest hours and facilities
available on board.

So instead of brooding over past let us look into future reality and
be prepared.

[MOHAPATRA DIBYA]

Dear Suresh,

Thank you for sending your views on the mail i send. Please understand when we start speaking in a language which is discriminatory in nature the idea to improve is lost. When "I" becomes bigger than "You". It becomes a subject of self improvement not the improvement for the system.  I think you have not understood the spirit of my email and have taken it otherwise. My apology if i have offended you for some reason. 

coming back to the point. 

“We have a great lot of people who want to advise the master but never
like to sail as one”

Please note who advise the Master is irrelevant, whether that advice
can save life or property or prevent from pollution than who so ever

advice must be taken.

This is one of the  problem which most of the masters face today.

You have to understand all the party who advise have their interest to protect. (The charters/ the clubs/ owners / SM)

I think in the time of crisis if you have to listen to ideas there is no end to it. There are many who are happy to  learn 

in a platform were there advise is just a advise and masters is after all responsible. In fact i have seen even Tr OS or cadets giving advise on Issues with sea experience of  2-3 months. 

Lot of times master is asked to fabricate documents or send manipulated timings. By doing so master may be held personally liable for obstruction of Justice. 

In the ISM we have master overriding Authority. Every company in there manual have incorporated this sentence.Said to be in letter and spirit.  

Could you send  me a single analysis of any company which has kept a count of number master who have 

used this authority and for what.  If there is no record then why do you have to put it in paper as per ISM Any way a man does what he feels right for him in his wisdom. ( May be iam wrong but i have never seen any Auditing company asking for list of  Over riding by master ) 

Crisis management has to be done by core people who know what they are doing and Buck to stop at their table. 

 

Are we not talking about ‘safety of life’ as most precious thing in
shipping? Being a Master at sea, if one cannot save a life right in
front of him then what is the point in calling oneself as ‘Master’.
More than Chief Engineers, Masters have more ego and head weight since
they have title called ‘captain’. With a borrowed title from Navy we
feel as if next to god and forget our basic fundamental thing.

I think masters are not trained to save life at sea. They are not doctors. 

They can maximum do is to give first aid and handle a emergency. Handling a emergency means commercially 

declare when to abandon a vessel or property. He represents the owners in an event  when in cannot be contacted by owners  he can take calls which may be legally binding. Say a master signs a SOF or B/L or Loylds open form. Ship owners are legally obliged to honor it. 

When you speak of head weight. I have seen many Engineers who are Superintendent today with the same head weight. 

I would say empty vessel sounds a lot. If they think they are god we can help it there are many who live in denial. Even US never thought Osama will bring down the WTC. 

Let a Master be in command for more than 30 years even then there may
be many things which he may not know. And moreover since long
experienced he will have more ego which is like cloud closing his
intelligence to shine through him. Let all Masters drop their folly
title and come down to earth to see how life on board can be made more
safe and stress free both for sailing staff and management staff
ashore.

 In shipping expect tide nothing is certain. There are so many rules and regulations which are contradicting with country to country, state to state that no one man can possibly have this data. The knowledge in sea is never ending and if someone says he knows it all. May be he means to say he has reached his maximum.

sorry if i offend some people but i feel shipping is changing every day and if you are ready to change you are in the game. Experiences in shipping has a limited role. 

 Hence my suggestion of shore based Maintenance. Shore based

maintenance is already in place in coastal shipping. Only thing is we
need to streamline and legalize.  If this is not done in near future
there may be a time when no one is available to run ships. Ship owners
and Managers to be awaken now.

I do agree with you idea of shore based maintenance. But please note the labour cost ashore is much higher than the cost  

of labour on board. In europe the cheapest would be 6euro per/ hr which i think will be very high for  Ship  operating cost. 

Unless it works  economically in the present market it is very difficult to people understand the point. 

I hope i have put my point across with out offending you. 

rgds

Capt Mohapatra 

  

[SURESH JAGADEESAN]

Dear Capt.Kannan,

“When people talk of regulations and hard life of seafarer, the one
thing they forget is back home they do not have a job.”

Hence my suggestion of Shore based maintenance. If this SBM becomes
mandatory, then there may be more workshops will come up, which means
more job opportunities for ex mariners first, since they have
first-hand experience. Even more mariners will start their own
workshop. Now also it is the same case. But it is very limited. But
once it is legalized then more number will come up.

By having SBM, we will drastically reduce the stress levels on board.
If you see medical reports for most of the diseases stress is the
reason for it. I don’t say there are no stresses for people working
ashore, but they have ways to let out, whereas onboard atmosphere is
totally enclosed exactly what we used to call as ‘Jail’. Even in
jails all Prisoners are getting yoga practice / physical fitness from
best people and they are also getting good education etc., which
sailing seafarers cannot think of. So jail is far better than ship.

So people in power should think of bringing SBM, which all sailing
seafarers should forcibly demand for it.

[SURESH JAGADEESAN]

Dear Shri.Yogesh,

What I mean Shore Based Maintenance is that the total PMS of the ship
to be handled from shore.

Now in coastal, we are hiring workshop even for chipping and painting.
We are hiring workshop for unit over haul. Now a days sad part is
Engineers are too often scared even for small problem which is not
usual.

Sailing Mariners wanted to avoid this ‘blame game’. Else
Superintendents are immediately pointing out that ‘since without
proper study Engineers have opened the unit and which resulted in a
failure and hence loss resulted to company.’

On deck for any cutting and welding job we are hiring riding fitters.
Spares are not properly accounted and hence accumulation of spares
getting wasted. If everything done from shore, then minimum spare can
be maintained and once vessel is ashore for maintenance company can
procure spares and do proper maintenance.

I have heard MSC is doing break down maintenance, which is their
company policy. So if we really take out PMS from sailing staff they
will navigate ship safely and conduct proper training on the
operations of LSA and FFA and will have enough time for rest.

Another sad part now a days are Trainings are merely recorded for
legal purpose and not really conducted due to vessel maintenance
issues. If we remove PMS then real Training can be imparted on board.

Another issue on which Mariners need pay attention is that the present
lifesaving appliances are not really lifesaving but become life taking
appliances.

We need to see why lifeboat launching exercise becomes disaster now a
days. I think since we keep this for 3 months or some cases it is 6
months, and in those 6 months’ time people never really go into the
intricacies of launching. I know many Masters were asking shore
workshop even for launching lifeboats.

If lifeboat launching is done every week or at least a month time,
then these problems will not arise. So to do more training / exercises
we need to remove PMS.

Brgds
Suresh

On 2/13/13, Yogesh <captyva...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Dear Capt. Suresh Jagadisan,
>
> All these years, what SBM I had known was for GMDSS.
>
> But here it appears something different.
>
> First off all Can You Please Define What Do You Have in Your Mind When You
> are saying Shore Based maitainance ???
>
> I am confused.
>
> Brgds
>
> Yogesh

[SURESH JAGADEESAN]

Dear Capt.Mohapatra,

“In fact i have seen even Tr OS or cadets giving advise on Issues with
sea experience of 2-3 months”.

Suresh: Please forget counting sea experience. 6 months back I have
employed one MBA for my assistance. Within this short period he learnt
a lot quickly in all aspect of shipping such as ISM works, fleet
personnel works and vessel operation works. He is sharp. I used to
correct him on all his works before. He used to tell me “how sir, you
are finding mistake even at the hurry of going home?’

But now a days he is pointing out several of my mistakes. I always
consider “mistakes” are losses, so if someone points out my mistake I
happily correct them without feeling offended, since it saves a lot of
time and money.

So keep this in the mind whether Tr.OS or cadet who has only 2 – 3
months sea time experience corrects you, then accept it happily since
he is helping you to save lot of time and trouble and also money
indirectly.

Please note “Intelligence” is nothing to do with experience. Do you
know what ‘Intelligence’ is? It is not the accumulation of knowledge;
it is the strength and focus of ‘attention’. If you are able to pay
full attention to this present moment means your intelligence is
shining through, which will understand anything and solve any issues.

Remember your school days, how did you study your subjects especially
mathematics. That time your mind is not wavering with thoughts and no
burden of self-pride, you look straight at the problem, using taught
formulas how did you solve the problem? What was the state of mind
that time? Definitely the state of mind that time would have been
focused.

If you go much deeper in trying to understand what was the state of
mind then you will know it is like torch light, you see things clearly
with your own light that is what intelligence is. This intelligence is
common for all, it is neither big nor small. Who you are is that
‘Intelligence’ only and it is applicable for all whether one is cadet
or one is senior Master.

Capt.Mohapatra: I think masters are not trained to save life at sea.

Suresh: You have misunderstood my writings. I am not asking a Doctor
to command a ship. I am not asking to save life like a Doctor. You can
save people from many accidents which are occurring due to wrong
decisions or poor management.

Recently on one passenger ship during lifeboat launching 5 lives were
lost, this could have been prevented by the Master, if he thought of
proper risk assessment and careful planning of the task.

Especially risk assessment is not rightly understood by many mariners.
When you are assessing a job for the risk involved, then you need to
count even proper rest, state of mind of the persons going to carry
out etc., But risk assessment is done merely a paper or computer
exercise or some time it is never done since it is called paper
exercise.

Capt.Mohapatra: In the ISM we have master overriding Authority. Every
company in there manual have incorporated this sentence. Said to be in

letter and spirit. Could you send me a single analysis of any company
which has kept a count of number master who have used this authority
and for what.

Suresh: Please note if companies keep these records, then results of
such overriding actions are also to be recorded. If that actions
brought poor result, will not this degrade the Master who performed.

And more importantly master’s mistakes are covered under Insurance. So
if any Master’s over rides any regulation to which results are poor
then it is covered, so companies are happy if master’s take final
decisions. If it is reversed i.e. if company orders master to do
something and then it resulted in disaster then company had to suffer.
Hence master’s orders are final.

[MOHAPATRA DIBYA]

Dear Suresh,

Please find my reply point wise. 

“In fact i have seen even Tr OS or cadets giving advise on Issues with
sea experience of 2-3 months”.

Let me give you one more example which will make my point clear. 

If a person takes his mother to hospital in emergency. What do you expect from cleaning guys to super specialist sit and discusses how to handle the emergency. As a outsider i will be worried to see if as a doctor you have to take advise from 

cleaning people. 

So as a ship owner i will be worried about a master if he has to take commercial decisions after taking advise from Tr OS and Cadets. 

 

Iam not undermining the intelligence of cadets or Tr OS. The point i want to make is when you are in crisis as a master, you look for advise from people who understand the complication of this business and also understand what are the limitation of each party. So when a master is in crisis he looks for a doctor who can address his issue. 

But in shipping I find there are many fake doctors who do not have the understanding or mandate to give advise but they also advise the master. 

Suresh: You have misunderstood my writings. I am not asking a Doctor
to command a ship. I am not asking to save life like a Doctor. You can
save people from many accidents which are occurring due to wrong
decisions or poor management.

  

Making mistake is human. This used to happen before also. You cannot stop this happen in future. 

I would not like to comment on the incident on the passenger ship, because it is easy to find faults 

but we dont know in what circumstance this has happened. Iam very sure Master was not very happy when this happened on his ship. As a master i can tell you if you find your 3rd mate or Ch mate sleeping on bridge watch it is not in your control to send him home. Though you every one will agree that it is wrong. On the contrary if some thing happens they will ask the master why he did not take over the watch when he knew the officer was sleeping on bridge. 

When you comment about risk assessment not understood by masters. Please note even rest hours are not understood by regulators who made the law. The regulation on rest hours is fundamentally flawed. Sleeping in your house for 5hrs is different to sleeping on a ship for 5hrs.  It is not only the masters the Ship management, owners and regulators all are fault. So to single out master will be wrong. 

Suresh: Please note if companies keep these records, then results of
such overriding actions are also to be recorded. If that actions
brought poor result, will not this degrade the Master who performed.

 sorry i did not understand what this means 

And more importantly master’s mistakes are covered under Insurance. So
if any Master’s over rides any regulation to which results are poor
then it is covered, so companies are happy if master’s take final
decisions. If it is reversed i.e. if company orders master to do
something and then it resulted in disaster then company had to suffer.
Hence master’s orders are final.

Your above  statement is not right. Risk of owners assets are covered with crew negligence. The crew member is not covered by law. Hence if you do a oil pollution the owners may get money from Insurance for cleanup but the master and chief engineer can go jail for that negligence. So please understand when SM ask a master fabricate documents or passage plan. he is sticking his neck for the owners and SM which is not required. 

when company say master to take the final call. They try to limit the liability till the master. But not in many court cases Ship managers are also asked about their role. When it is said it is left to masters discretion, the master has to prove the rational behind his decision. He just cannot say he felt like it. 

The company on the other hand would not like to get the master on the wrong side as, he holds most of the data / or information about the incident. Which can be used for or against the company. 

The importance of master is when a disaster has happened. The beauty of this position is he has to stick a good balance between owners and managers interest with his interest. 

rgds

Capt Mohapatra  

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