Sea Life Chapter 12

Bunga Kelana Satu

3^rd June 2005 to 2^nd November 2005

This vessel was the most challenging of all the vessel which I had join, the company show me a 15 pages list of 193 oil major observation before I join the vessel.They also had to replace all the Liner for Main Engine due to crack and leakage as told by Superintendent Ang when I met him on Eagle Tucson.

“This is Mission Impossible!” I say.

“Mission Difficult will be a Walk in the Park for you.” said Superintendent.

On top of that they are also planning for the vessel to operate in America which I came to know much later. I spend two month getting the ship to good condition and manage to clear the oil major inspection with only 19 minor observations. The company informed me that they plan to bring the ship for operation in America after that.

I was surprise that they are able to arrange for USCG (United State Coast Guard) Inspection in Singapore Anchorage. The inspector was rushing for time, and with just a boat drill and fire drill he clear the vessel for America Operation which mark the start of our nightmare.

We had an oil spill during cargo discharging when the stripping line for one of the cargo pump give way due to rust corrosion, they trip the cargo pump and I went on deck to find out what is the problem. The deck crews were shock and I manage to get Bosun to help me bring the saw dust from his forward store at the bow to stop the spill from getting worst.

There are some leakage from the ship side plug as it is unable to seal tightly due to rust corrosion and we manage to discover it early and arrest it with mop before it touch the water. Captain Chowdury from Houston Office visit the ship and told office that it is not suitable for America Operation. We had long voyage to Caribbean and South America after that due to this incident.

When I first join we had problem with ballast pump suction valve, it is indicating opening and shut according to the hydraulic indicator but it is actually stuck shut inside the line. After checking the hydraulic system with no issue I decided to access the valve from the sea chest filter side with calculated risk.

It is not a pleasant experience as I can feel the pressure coming direct on my face every time a wave hit the suction side of the system. They were suppose to station one person outside to ensure my safety but due to shortage of manpower I can only use constant interval reporting to the wheel house by a walkies talkie.

There are a long interval when I was busy cutting the fishing net from the valve spindle that I am unable to communicate with the bridge and that is when they got worried and send a cadet down to check on me. I had to drill out the broken stud in order to install new bolt on the valve secure to the spindle.

After I had finish with the repair, I met the Burmese Captain Zaw Min in the Accommodation Passage Way. He was so stressful about the vessel condition that he started speaking Burmese to me, I try to listen with patient and understand that he is talking about the Deck Air Supply for their power tools to carry out deck maintenance. Suddenly he realize that I am Second Engineer and not Electrician Min Aung, I assure him that I will provide higher pressure from my main air compressor instead of using the portable deck air compressor which the company provided.

One morning we heard a loud bang and we saw the fan blade from the forward port side ventilation fan had protrude out from the trunk casing. Upon opening up, we found that the whole assembly was rusted and and the fan impeller had broken from the shaft. We had to grind off the foundation bolt before we can remove the motor for shaft replacement and repair the trunking while trying to balance the fan impeller.

I had a very heated argument with Chief Engineer when he show me the Docking Report and told me all the 20 over Fan, Turbine and Pump Impellers are already send for balancing test during the last docking. It is only possible to balance about two impellers for those big size machinery like Vent Fan and Turbo Charger, and the report show all the impellers are balance on the same day.

My prediction came truth when we are doing gas free operation at Venezuela Anchorage, the Inert Gas Fan Impeller also damage the casing when the shaft broke. Before we carry out the operation I had told Chief Engineer that the vessel configuration was different from other vessel which we had sail before. Usually one fan is only 75% of the maximum throughput but this vessel is design with 100% throughput according to the system manual.

They wanted to complete the gas free faster and so the Superintendent decided to run both fan together. The back pressure became too high and the star delta connection switching of the motor control was not long enough to build up enough momentum to overcome the inertia force.

The repair took me 72 hours and me and my crew work round the clock without any sleep or break for three days at the IG Fan Platform. The Superintendent send the Fan Impeller ashore for balancing test and true enough I win the bet and doesn't had to go home without any replacement.

It was actually quiet sad for me as I had to manage manual firing of the boiler for cargo operation later when the control circuit board got damage. I had requested for emergency spare and expected to receive it within two weeks, but the ship had been calling all the remote location port and the spare took three months to reach the ship. All my engineers had been so familiar with the manual operation that I worry they would not get use to automatic control after I fix the issue.

We discover that the fuel oil control piston are leaking and need to service, Chief Engineer ask for the company to send the repair kit as I had carry out the servicing of the control system when I did my docking of Eagle Boston. As Chief Engineer smoke and drink a lot, his hand are shaky and I had to be the one adjusting the control air pressure from 3.5 bar back to 2.0 bar after we complete the servicing of the pneumatic pistons.

The vessel also not discharging with Inert Gas System when I first join, I found out that the three way pneumatic control valve had been damage and would not be able to control the vent of the inert gas when the pressure became high. I did not have any spare for it so I had to modify another similar one to fix the issue.

We had become expert in mechanical seal as most of the pumps doesn't have any spare for overhaul, we had a treasure chest in the work shop where we keep all the unknown spare inside. We would go to the treasure chest and savage any useful part and assemble a modify mechanical seal for most of the pump rapier.

I had raise the requisition for the shaft and mechanical seal, but due to delay of the supply of spare I am only able to get the machinery working condition from 30% to 70%. I was suddenly told by the office that I had to sign off after 5 months as I had already overstay my temporary permit from the Malaysia Port Authority.

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.