Russki captains ...

ParaHandy

ParaHandy

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.. was watching the prog on the Estonia ferry disaster and wondered if the captain was trained at the same Russian college that the NedLloyd Vespucci's captain was? The standard seems to be press on regardless, "what fog?" etc etc to get NVQ (or russian equiv) in ship captaincy ....

apropos of nothing ... HMCG (or MCA) have stuck an AIS base station 5 cables to the east of the Needles Lighthouse. Thought they might have at least shifted its position onto the lighthouse and identified it as one .... jist a thocht ... might avoid a bit of confusion ...
 
You honestly think that "other" nationalities are the ones who press on regardless ??? The Titanic illustrates very well the British approach to this also ...

I have been on plenty ships where commercial pressures have been such that "unofficially" press on in Fog etc. - but of course if anything goes wrong - Company is first to hang you out to dry.

The Ferry Estonia - is still subject to discussion and no hard fact of why etc. Even the Passenger / Cargo lists are not clear even today .... How do I know ? The Chief Estonian Investigator is a friend of mine and we have had plenty chats about it. Until various authorities and other "people" allow full investigation - it will remain a subject of documentary's for years to come.

As to Russki Captains ... like all nations - they have their good and bad ...
 
You're right, accidents never happen to British skippers. Except the Royal Navy of course. It's always those damned Estonian ships that are at fault, like the Herald of Free Enterprise.
 
i don't have an honest (or dishonest!) view either way .... although that nice Mr Prescott when announcing the tonnage tax arrangements which would have every shipowner scurrying to UK flag, said that UK standards of seamanship (he should know being a seafarer himsel' albeit an important role of carrying the capt's cup of cocoa to him) and training would apply ... except that the exemptions made that promise useless and anyway, they can get cheaper deck crew elsewhere eg estonia, russia etc etc

ask your pal what more evidence he needs after the front door was found a mile away from where it sank ...
 
Funnily enough I have been looking into tonnage tax requirements at work.

The MCA will not accept "any old" certificate of competency - the rules are quite complex.

In the case of Evergreen Marina (Hatsu Marine) the Taiwanese officers were indeed required to sit UK examinations, because the UK does not recognise Taiwan and therefore did not recognise their certificates.

(It may be pertinent to note the connections that Lady Thatcher has with this company, incidentally.)
 
Prescott was a Ferry Steward and a PITA ... to all at sea

I can remember his NUS rants when we Officers were trying to get our salaries back on par with shore etc. after 3 years of Wage restraints imposed by Govt. When we finally got our salaries sorted - we gained 17.5% for waiting 3 yrs ... but lost the 17% bonus company had paid us .... so the little fat git forced a 0.5% situation on us ...

As to the door ... let me say this - when CMM investigators were required by Authorities to investigate ... there were a lot of stories / so called facts etc. I cannot repeat some of what was said as I'm held in confidence on a very serious matter ... but that and other "facts" were NOT proven despite BBC / ITV and all the other TV co's that have so called factual documentaries ...

How many times has the story of Russian Mafia bombs been played out ... the Drug and Gold smuggling ... but one that you won't know about is the Petroleum farce !!

Onto another mis-quoted "documentary" Free Enterprise sinking in Channel ... it was normal practice for the Bosun to close bow doors on sailing - not the Ch. Officer as all seem to report - yes he was responsible to Master - as he is for all deck related affairs ... I was actually sailing nearby on a Coaster that night and all the reports of bad weather etc. etc. b*****xs ...

Yes I am uptight about this - and I apologise .... but some twat on a TV talking about the Estonia when the whole truth is NOT known and will not be known until free and full investigation is made ??? Sorry please watch TV as it really is ...

I lived and worked in Tallinn on Shipping ... I have friends involved with this ... I know people who still to this day are trying to find out the truth cause they lost loved ones ...
 
Hmm ... that couldn't have been Capt Bligh getting his own back on Mr Storey and Mr Prescott? Now could it ... ?

Especially as Mr Storey (wonder who he works for?) and the georgous pouting Mrs S launched the Hatsu Elite and then ... what a surprise .. two jags then launched Hatsu Ethic ....
 
NVQ in Captaincy

Here at the Dream Factory - an associate factory of the University of Lancaster - we deliver NVQ's
They are a fine set of qualifications and whilst we don't actually deliver the ones in Captaincy we do do them in Customer Service and we have got evidence that our students all do really well and become good people.
I think your remarks concerning the NVQ in Captaincy was a thinly veiled sneer at all NVQ's and I resent the inferences that you are inferring.
 
Re: NVQ in Captaincy

get back in yer box, youse auld trout .. it's muzzy that does the NVQ in sea faring subjects .. ain't it? onyways, Evergreen wurrn't too impressed (obviously never met muzzy) as they do their own training and I bet you huvnae got Ma T on the board, the ex-chief of MCA running your operation and the Deputy Prime Minister launching yer ships in Japan ... jist no connected, mon ....
 
Never mind Russkis; worry about Romanians

[ QUOTE ]
THE master who set a new UK record for bloodstream alcohol while in charge of a ship is to be sent to crown court for sentencing after magistrates ruled that the £5,000 per offence maximum penalty available to them was insufficient.

Romanian national Adrian Fericel, 45, was remanded in custody in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, after pleading guilty to being four times over the legal limit.

The court heard that Capt Fericel was in charge of general cargoship Kathrin on February 13 when it grounded on Goodwin Sands.

The owners of the 5,647 dwt vessel, built 1999, contacted Dover coastguard.

Examination of radar records showed that the ship had crossed normally from the northeast lane of the Dover Traffic Separation Scheme into the English inshore traffic zone.

However, instead of altering course to continue passage up to the Humber, it maintained its course.

Ten minutes after narrowly missing the East Goodwin Light Vessel, Kathrin grounded, although it was able to refloat itself in about 20 minutes.

A port state control inspector met the vessel at New Holland. The inspector asked Humberside police to attend and to administer a breathalyser test.

Capt Fericel failed and was arrested. Further tests revealed an alcohol level of 140 microgrammes per microlitre of breath.

According to a statement from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency: “This is the highest recorded alcohol level in incidents that the MCA has had to deal with.”

Capt Fericel pleaded guilty to breaches of the drink/drive provisions of the Railway and Transport Safety Act 2003 and section 58 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995, as amended.

Transferring the case to the Crown Court, the magistrates noted: “The sentencing powers available to the magistrates court today were insufficient.”



[/ QUOTE ]

From "Lloyd's List" today.
 
Estonia ...

Thats right - before I left BSI as there Baltic Manager ... I lived and worked in Tallinn for over 2 years alongside many of the guys involved in Marine Investigations etc.

Address was : Narva mnt 36, Tallinn. Which is the main street out of Tallinn heading to teh Pirita Olympic Marina where my Race boat was kept.

Wind up the Baltic brethren ?? I assumed that was your natural talent ??

Let's be honest about this thread - yes it annoys me ... because living, working and also having been a Boat Jockey - I know that pointing at one nationality is grossly unfair. I have seen real bad Brit Skippers as well as 3rd World .... I have met and seen brilliant 3rd World Mariners ... I am also a Member of the Russian Sea and Rivers Surveyors Association - amongst other claims ... and have personal experience of many Russian Seafarers .... in fact my wifes Father is one ...

So please wind me up .... why change the habit of a lifetime Tome ? ...
 
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