Close encounters

Selfies on the bridge

Wednesday 7-10/5 Voyage Liverpool - Ghent

We stayed 4 days in Birkenhead, a port close to Liverpool. The unloading of the cargo took 2 days.

Not sure of our next job, we sailed direction Rotterdam. The 10th we planned to anchor just before Rotterdam. In the last moment we got a job in the port of Ghent. Load rapemeal destination Santander.

This job was intended not for our ship, but the ship that was destinated to transport it, ran damage entering the port of Ghent (collision). This coincidence completed the circle for me as we started a month ago with loading rapemeal in Ghent. Half of the crew was changed and I headed home. This concludes my first trip on a general cargo!

unloading the cargo in Birkenhead

Downside of being at sea

Some action pics

Me in the engine room:

Bijschrift toevoegen

 Me on the hatch lift removing the hatches that are on top the ship. Each weights 10t

 Me doing some calculations (stability)

Me repairing a water hose tap

Some pics of the ship

Wednesday 26-27/4 Voyage Marin - La Coruña

We left a 6pm immediately after unloading the rape meal
It was a trip of around 16h. We arrived in the afternoon in La Coruña.We will load pallets of MDF, triplex and other wood. The destination is Liverpool.

loading pallets of wood

We have to fill up the holes between the pallets. The ship will roll and stamp so the pallets will start shifting. Hitting the sides damaging the cargo but also the ship. We worked from noon till 1 am in the morning fixing the wood. A hell of a job!!

Pictures from the last week

cleaning the hold

After delivery of the cargo the hold must be cleaned.Its 70x10m. It takes +/- 3-4 hours with 4 men.
First cleaning dry with a sweep. Then with a hose. Then take the water away. Clean the bilges. etc etc.
You sleep good after ;)

Arrival in the port of Rotterdam. We are standing on the forepeak for mooring the ship.

Mooring equipment on the front deck:

These are the winches used for mooring.You also see the anchors SB and BB

A tug assisted us in the port of Ghent:

Unloading the rape meal at the port of Marin: