Sea Life Chapter 5

Eagle Austin

25^th May 1999 to 18^th December 1999

I decided to sail one more vessel before I go back for my Class One and Class Two Combine Course, I already got the 18 months sea time required but I just want to gain more experience. I join this ship as the second batch, it is also a new vessel but delivered from Korea. I heard about the oil spill incident and the detention in North Korea before I join, the vessel was at anchorage for few months and the official from the port board the ship every day to take stuffs from the ship.

After investigation it was found that the sea chest valve for testing the cargo pump during sea trial was not blank off, it had cause leakage during the cargo loading. The vessel had to survive on minimum provision for few months until the company send someone from the office to negotiate for the release of the ship.

The ship had a very impressive computer control monitoring system but it is not really practical as it always give a lot of false alarm. The system cannot withstand vibration and heat and very sensitive to small variation of electrical current changes, I encounter a major problem later in another ship when we did a docking in Europe.

The most common false alarm is the Vacuum Failure for the Sewage System, the pressure sensor pipe is too small and get choke easily. I usually will shut and open the cock a few time and use my adjustable spanner to give a few knock to clear the line.

Professional Third Engineer Donald is a very good temper guy, he help me improve my welding skill as there are a lot of repair work due to sub standard material use for piping work. This had benefit me later in my career when I become second engineer and I am the only person skill enough to carry out repair on boiler steam pipe and main sea water cooling pipe. I did suffer welder eyes on a few occasion and it had affect my eyes condition to be extra sensitive to bright sun light.

Eric was there too as Fourth Engineer, he sail with me for a short period and sign off. Second Engineer Aun Aun and Third Engineer Teoh join later, Second Engineer Aun Aun sign off together with me after he suffer some injury onboard. We both went to the Clinic and Hospital twice and was misdiagnose, I had hit my toe against the coffee table when rushing down to engine to answer, he had cramp and numbness on his leg.

The first clinic we visit at America, he was diagnose with muscle strain and I was diagnose with dislocation. But after two weeks both of us still did not recover and we went to a Hospital in America, this time the doctor took X Ray for me and found hair line fracture. He was diagnose with Hamstring Tear and recommended for sign off, I advise him to seek a third opinion in Singapore and found out that it was spinal cord slip disc.

He station in Singapore Office for a year helping the Container Fleet install the CCTV Monitoring System while receiving his Physio Therapy Treatment, I visit him when I went to the office to settle my paperwork before I join as Third Engineer after I got my Class Two COC (Certificate of Competency).

As Teoh just join the vessel and I was ask to bring him for Saturday Routine checking on all the LSA (Life Saving Apparatus) and FFA (Fire Fighting Apparatus). We manage to finish early and Teoh wanted to fabricate a Tool Board for his Generator Platform. As we were busy in the workshop, we heard a cry nearby and as I lift my head in that direction I was shock to see a man whole body on fire running towards us.

I thought I was dreaming as it is only something you will see in Hollywood Movies, but when I heard him trying to speak Hindi to the Electrician Ranjit I realize he is the Engine Cadet. As Ranjit is trying to remove his boiler suit with Fifth Engineer, me and Teoh connect the Fresh Water Hose to spray on his body to put out the fire and cool his body. Second Engineer call the Wheel House but the Second Officer did not believe what happen, I told them to bring the cadet to the hospital first then go to wheel house to drag second officer down for the treatment.

I went out of the workshop following the trace of the oil and found a burnt plastic bucket near the incinerator, I collect the content inside the bucket as I know we have to investigate the cause of the incident. As I clean up the oil stain on the floor plate, I notice Electrician came over and isolate the pneumatic system of the incinerator to shut down the equipment.

The cadet had been told to carry out some cleaning on Main Engine Crankcase, as I am doing Saturday Routine with Third Engineer Teoh in the morning he could not find me and decided to take the chemical from Steering Gear Room himself. The cleaning chemical had a lower flash point of 25 degree Celsius and I usually mix a little bit with half pail of water for them to clean, he had took half pail of concentrated chemical for cleaning instead.

He saw Electrician helping the deck crew burning cardboard at the incinerator, the Electrician had bypass the safety limit switch so that they can open both the loading door and the ram flap together for faster loading and burning of the garbage. The cadet should have dispose the chemical into the sludge tank but we are not sure why he decided to dispose it into the incinerator instead.

The rest of the incident as you can guess, the low flash point chemical back fire when it touch the hot metal plate of the ram flap. The fire burn the cadet face and he panic and drop the bucket of chemical on his body, his clothing start to caught fire and he was lucky enough to remember there are people working in the workshop nearby for him to seek help.

The cadet suffer 70% of second degree burn, he was lucky to survive. The Captain did not want to incur additional cost for Helicopter Evacuation and decide to let the Cadet suffer for a day before we arrive port. In the end we still having to send him by Helicopter as the Ambulance is unable to enter the jetty.

I had seen a lot of accidents throughout my sailing career, I am lucky to survive in one piece after ten years of sailing without any major injury. I had seen Burmese Fifth Engineer injure his fingers when the Piston Stuffing Box slide down during Main Engine Overhaul during my cadet ship. I had also seen fourth engineer finger crush by the Auto Back Wash Filter Gear later when I become third engineer on another ship as he try to make adjustment without isolating the control system.

The incident had create a mental stress on most of the ship staffs, some of them even question whether they should continue their career sailing onboard ship or to find a shore job and stay safe and alive. I am not sure if the company arrange for any psychology counseling for them as I took a year to study for my advance diploma in polytechnic after that.