49TH NATIONAL MARITIME DAY CELEBRATED

April 5 marks the national Maritime Day of India. On this day in 1919 navigation history was created when  SS Loyalty the first ship of the Scindia Stream Navigation Company journeyed to the United Kingdom. 

The National Maritime Day was first celebrated on 5th April, 1964.

Maritime history goes back to the hoary past, because no country has jurisdiction over the seas, it has been necessary for nations to reach agreement regarding ways of dealing with ships, crews cargoes. 

The London-based International Maritime Organisations (IMO) is the United Nations specialised agency responsible for improving maritime safety and preventing pollution from ships. IMO has 158 countries as its members. India became its member in 1959.

Ports: India has about 7516 kilometres of coastline serviced by a total 182 ports, 13 of them under a special status as major ports being under the preview of the Central Government, Seventy others ports termed as a minor ones comes under the jurisdiction of the respective State Government.

In Gujarat minor ports are being adminstered by Gujarat Maritime Board having structure and power to a large extend similar to those of Board of Trust in a major port.

India continues to have the largest merchant shipping fleet among the developing countries and ranks 17th in the world in terms of shipping tonnage. Hence the importance of Maritime Day. 

On this day, country renews its abiding faiths in the Importance of maritime zone as well as searoute for an all-round development of the nation. 

This year, our Maritime nation will celebrate the 49th National Maritime Day with on the theme of “Safer Maritime Navigation on Indian Coast”.

FERRY SERVICE TO BE RESUMED BETWEEN TUTICORIN AND COLOMBO FROM APRIL 19TH

Tuticorin : After a gap of five months, ferry service between Tuticorin and Colombo will resume on April 19, A. Subbiah, Chairman, V.O.Chidambaranar Port Trust, Tuticorin, has said.

 

Flemingo Liners, the vessel operator, is likely to charter a 450-seat vessel this time. Previously, Scotia Prince, a nine-deck vessel with a seating capacity of 1,044 was operating twice a week between these two ports. Owing to some technical reasons, the service was suspended in November. The last sailing was from Tuticorin on November 18.

 

The inaugural ferry service was flagged off by Union Shipping Minister G.K. Vasan on June 13, 2011. As many as 12, 202 passengers had used the ferry service. License income of Rs. 7.8 cr and passenger fare of Rs.1.8 cr were generated from the ferry service, Mr. Subbiah said. 

 

During 2011-12, 281 lakh tonnes of cargo had been handled at the port. A 10 per cent increase in handling of cargo was recorded this financial year. 

 

As for container traffic, 4.77 lakh TEUs were handled, a two percent increase from the previous fiscal. The port had a capacity of 20.55 million tonnes in the last five year plan period. It had doubled to 43. 04 million tonnes in the recently concluded 11th five year plan.

 

In 2012-13, the eighth berth would be dedicated at the container terminal, besides the North Cargo Berth-III and IV exclusively for handling coal, shallow draft berth for handling cement and construction materials and for handling barges. Work on North Cargo Berth-I for NLC power project was in progress for handling coal. Since dredging work for 12.8 meter-draft was completed in November, Panamax (large) vessels had also started berthing here. Over the past three months, 40 Panamax vessels were received at the port, Mr. Subbbiah added.

WEEKLY PIRACY UPDATE

Weekly Incidents by Region – APR 5-11

INDIAN OCEAN-EAST AFRICA

GULF OF OMAN: General Cargo Vessel was attacked and boarded on 6 April 16 nm southwest of Bandar-e-Jask, Iran at position 25:28N – 057:32E. Armed pirates attacked and boarded the underway vessel. The vessels Master alerted the crew by raising the alarm and the crew mustered in citadel. The pirates took crewmembers hostage and hijacked the ship. An Iranian warship responded and proceeded towards the vessel in response to the incident. The vessels Master requested that the warship not approach via VHF because it received death threats from the pirates. The Iranian ship proceeded to move closer and fire was exchanged between the pirates and the warship. The Iranian navy boarded the vessel and managed to detain nine pirates and saved the 28 crewmembers. (IMB)

GULF OF OMAN: Bulk Carrier was attacked on 4 April while underway 50 nm southeast of Ras Al Haad, Oman at position 21:37N – 059:59E was fired upon and chased by 4-6 pirates armed with automatic rifles. Ship’s Master raised the alarm, mustered the crew in the citadel and began evasive maneuvers and activated the ships distress signal as well. The security team onboard returned fire and the pirates aborted the mission and escaped. (IMB)

SOUTHEAST ASIA

MALAYSIA: Tanker was boarded on 25 March in Pedra Branca, Malaysia at position 01:50N – 104:28E. 15 pirates armed with knives and guns boarded an underway tanker. The pirates chased the duty crew and entered the living spaces. They later mustered the crew and tied their hands. They later escaped with stolen effects 45 minutes later. One crewman was injured. (IMB)

INDONESIA: Chemical Tanker was boarded on 2 April in Dumai Inner Anchorage, Indonesia at position 01:42N – 103:27E. Three pirates armed with knives boarded the chemical tanker at anchorage and threatened the duty crew. The pirates later escaped with a stolen handheld radio and the incident was reported to an agent at Port Control. (IMB)

INDONESIA: Bulk Carrier was boarded on 7 April at the Muara Jawa Anchorage, Samarinda, Indonesia at position 01:11S – 117:11E. The anchored vessel was boarded by a group of pirates who entered the forward ships store. The pirates were sighted by the duty AB who alerted the D/O and the vessels alarm was raised and the pirates escaped with several items from the vessels ship store. (IMB)

INDONESIA: Chemical Tanker was boarded on 6 April while at anchorage in Dumai Inner Anchorage, Indonesia, at position 01:42N – 103:27E. Four pirates armed with long knives boarded the ship; alert crewman noticed the pirates and raised the alarm. The pirates escaped empty handed. (IMB)

The Beginning of The End of Piracy ??

http://gcaptain.com/beginning-somali-piracy-analysis?32490

Is there we expect end of piracy in somalia region....?????

Writing after long time....

Hi friends, i m writing after long time...almost after 2009 oct....

In these 2 years i was lost some where...........

After clearing my Masters from Blackpool and Fylde college, Fleetwood, UK.... Came back home and joined back same company....FLEET MANAGEMENT LIMITED.

Joined as Chief officer on SPAR RIGEL, taken over newbuild from chinese yard...did 5 months contract in it upto Sep 2010....

Then joined as Master on SPAR SIRIUS on dec 2010 till june 2011...

MASTER ORALS WITH CAPT. MAUNG

Orals on 27th oct 2009 at 1300 hrs , Capt. Maung in front of me and took me inside in his room.
Just checked my CDC and said u had done all SPAR ships and all are bulk carriers.
He just started with Magnetic compass,
- Tell me laid up ship long time, what all u will check ??
- What maintenance and cares on magnetic compass ??
- how to check flinders bars ??
Passage planning during restricted visibility, as a master ur concerns ?
Passage planing, factor masters concerns during traffic seperation scheme.
Regulation of Autopilot?
Bulk carrier structure / collision bulkhead requirement?
Bulk carrier fully loaded with high density cargo how she behave in seaway? he wants its behaviour with sea from all side....
How to open Crew agreement ?
What all entries in Offical Log Book ?
From OLB he took me to the Freeeboard / loadline, what is freeboard, how to assign freeboard, what is reserve buoyancy. ????
Winds on your bow - chief engineer he wants to stop engines, whats ur action ?
Navigating in High latitude as a master ur major concerns ??
Berthing between two ships tide astern with off shore winds.
U are at anchor with no engines, current from ahead, other vessel dragging anchor, whats ur action??
Buoys
- East Cardinal mark, identify, light, right ahead heading 195 - action ?
- Stb hand bouy Preffered cannel to port = identify, light and coming out of port - action ?

ROR
- Normal PDV on your port bow - action
- If same vessel shows Cylinder - action ( i said not to impede her safe passage, slow down)
said any other action.

Restricted visibility
- One blip on 2 point fwd of beam, distnace 1.5 miles , action ???
- one target on port bow - what action??

MASTER MARINER COURSE COMPLETED IN COLLEGE

On 8th Oct 2009, Master mariner oral preparation course completed, Got my NOE today and booked my orals on 26th Oct 2009.
Preparation in progress, hope for the best. lets see.