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HNLMS ZEELAND P841

P841 Without her communications mast fitted
HNLMS Zeeland P841

 
Yesterday while transiting the Florida Straits bound for Key West, Florida the Royal Netherlands Navy vessel HNLMS Zeeland P841 sighted an overturned boat and immediately set about rescuing the survivors.  This was once again in the proud tradition of both the Royal Netherlands Navy and the Dutch Ensign flown by that ship.  It is an Ensign flown by vessels which explored large areas of our world under superb navigators from whom we seafarers have all learned. 

In the Caribbean through southern Africa and on to the Spice Islands the Netherlands vessels with their striped flag were regularly seen.  Their voyages resulted in what today we know as Indonesia an Islamic Republic.  Their flag was flown by such first class merchant shipping companies as Royal Rotterdam Lloyd Line, Holland America Line and Nedlloyd all three of which NAUTICAL LOG worked for during his career.  However sadly with all this proud and honourable history of the Dutch Ensign there is a problem with it these days. 

The Netherlands Flag State is now used as a flag of convenience or more properly one should say of inconvenience.  Due to the modern liberal thinking of the Netherlands their Flag State Ensign once so proudly flown is today used by the Sea Shepherd Australia ships sailing from their pirate base near Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Currently it flies on the MS Bob Barker a Sea Shepherd vessel severely damaged in a collision while underway at sea with the JWF MS Yushin Maru No.2.  The MS Bob Barker is still at sea the inexperienced Master apparently not accepting the fact that he is required to bring the vessel to a safe port for survey of the damage.  Brushing his own ego and the inconsiderate hiring practices of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society he continues to risk the lives of the on board crewmembers.

Good Watch.

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