Since July 2010, ships sailing through an ECA have been required to burn 1.0% Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (LSFO)

There are few words that cause more angst to a marine publisher than the word that covers the following.

A friend who works as a ship inspector recently told me that on about 10-15% of the tankers he inspects, when he enters the engine rooms he will encounter engineers with no ear defender or ear plugs.

In September 2012 we blogged about ship blackouts due to the use of shaft generators while manoeuvring in port and the December 2012 issue of ‘Shipping Regulations and Guidance’ will focus on this problem.

Twenty five years ago, on the 12th October 1987, which was also a Friday, I joined MV 'Apapa Palm' in Huskison Dock, Liverpool at the age of 16 after 7 weeks of pre-sea training at Glasgow College of Nautical Studies.

The 2012 Congress was held in London and the team from Witherbys exhibited their range of ECDIS publications during the ECDIS and E-Nav sessions on Tue 25th Sept.

A number of near misses involving blackouts have recently been reported. Each one has been related to the incorrect use of shaft generators and has demonstrated an incomplete understanding of the use of onboard power management systems.

I was recently given a copy of a book called ‘It’s Your Ship:  Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy’ by Michael Abrashoff. 

The book is an account of how Captain Abrashoff completely shook up the ‘USS Benfold’ during his first post as Captain and it inevitably got me thinking about the lessons in leadership that I witnessed in 13 years at sea.

In 1992, at the age of 21, I completed 4 months

We received this photo from a ship’s pilot this morning ,showing a tanker arriving in the UK with a freeboard of about 12 metres and no combination ladder arrangement provided.

A sunday afternoon drive by Loch Fyne, and I happen upon the most famous puffer in the world