NAUTICAL LOG

Well now here we are at the last day of January and already the first month of 2012 is gone.  In Florida today it is the Republican Party Primary voting day.  Under the Voting Rules in our State the independent voters, or " No Party Affiliation " as our Florida voting cards show, have no say.  The Republican Campaign has been full of bombastic bluster ( Saint versus sinner?) and very little of substance, particularly the last two debates ( and one uses that word reservedly ) which of course plays right into the hands of the current Administration - not good. That reminds me we have heard nothing from the SSCS seagoing Cult for weeks and of course the ICR makes no reports so one surmises the Southern Ocean whaling is in full swing as the Sea Shepherd vessels are apparently are quite unable to stop it or even slow it down.  The " Operation Divine Wind " is a complete failure and the only thing accomplished so far is yet the loss of another Darth ...

The United Kingdom Office of Foreign Affairs has done an analysis of the Piracy 'catch and release' policy over the last four (4) years.  The above chartlets show the results for two (2) years 2009 and 2010. Generally NAUTICAL LOG is supportive of 'catch and release' programs - in recreational fishing but not as regards Piracy.  We believe most professional seafarers would agree the policy is asinine, of course the elite yachting community do not care in the least, their expensive toys are transported in barbed wire defended vessels with armed guards on board - no catch and release for them!! Let us take a look at what the attitude of the International Maritime Organisation ( dis-organisation perhaps ?) towards Piracy has done.  We have the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS) a seagoing Cult.  They travel around the world quite freely, rarely stopped by the Immigration Authorities, busy fund-raising, wrecking silly non-seagoing toy craft, an...

The International Court of Justice Peace Palace Carnegieplein 2 2517 KJ The Hague The Netherlands. COMPLAINT 1. This Complaint is presented in the matter of Human Rights for Seafarers. 2. Being greatly concerned about the condition and plight of the Seafarers held captive by pirates off Puntland, Somalia we present this Complaint to the International Court. 3.  The pirates have declared these Seafarers to be hostages for ransoms demanded from the Shipowners and subject to reprisals. 4.  It is reported that these pirates have cut off the arm of Captain Chao-I Wu of the FV. Shiuh Fu #1 as an act of reprisal for not receiving from the vessel Owner a demanded ransom. 5.  This is a clear violation of basic Human Rights, the Treatment of Prisoner's and the Rights of Seafarers as declared by the International Maritime Organisation. 6.  We therefore present this Complaint to the International Court that the Internati...

This morning while going through the maritime Blogs and our Press Release folder we read the Somalia Report (SR).  They reported on the rescue from shore based scumbags of Jessica Buchanan (American) and Poul Thisted (Danish) by a U.S. SEAL Team.  Very good news indeed and it confirms what NAUTICAL LOG has said over and over again ad nauseam that it can be done by the properly trained persons using extreme prejudice.  Sadly however in the balance of life there was a second report in SR that states CAPT. Chao-I Wu of the FV Shiuh Fu #1 had his hand cut off by other scumbag pirates, off the coast of Puntland, Somalia.  Also SR reported that two Korean seafarers are extremely ill and may not survive while also being held by pirates possibly now moved ashore. Now China, Taiwan and Korea have extremely capable Special Forces Units and it would seem the time is past that they were sent into action to effect a rescue attempt using extreme prejudic...

The following M Notices are available at www.dft.gov.uk/mca .  If difficulties are experienced call 023 8032 9391 for assistance. MGN 437 (M) Small Commercial Codes of Practice. Revision of Sections 4.4 and 11. MIN 419 (M) Spectator Craft Attending the London Olympic Games 2012 and London Paraolympic Games 2012. MIN 423 (M) Revalidating a Certificate of Competency: New Requirements for Masters and Officers. Good Watch. One thing that has not been addressed so far is the rescue of some 300 of our fellow seafarers held hostage by pirates off the coast of Puntland, Somalia.  They are now under threat of being murdered at any moment and the spectator craft at the  London Olympics get more attention than the seafarers do.

Ships now operate under the International Management Code for Safe Operation of Ships and for Pollution Prevention (ISM Code).  Since this is a Post on Auditing NAUTICAL LOG , who is a Trained Auditor, will not go through the requirements as these can be found on the Internet and in your local nautical bookshop - you do have a bookshop hopefully as they are a dying breed.  There are two types of Audit an External Audit and an Internal Audit. The External Audit consists of the Flag State or an outside Auditing Firm coming into the Company and going through all the Protocols, Procedures and associated Manuals.  They may also hold a drill simulating a situation in one of the Company's vessels and observe the results of the Shore Staff dealing with it.  NAUTICAL LOG has been through this experience with two very different Companies and believe me it is a long, difficult, trying day not made any easier by the subsequent debrief.  The External Auditor the...

The distance from Miami, FL to Civitaveechia the Port of Rome is 4718 nautical miles and the distance from Boston, MA to Civitaveechia is 3925 nautical miles.  A week ago the reef impact and later grounding of the MS Costa Concordia took place.  At that time NAUTICAL LOG wrote in our Post " Bang, Crunch, List and Panic " to guard against paying too much attention to Media reports.  From what we have read since with the Master's story changing at least three times and ridiculous statements from Costa Cruises Management it was good advice. In the week since NAUTICAL LOG has declined to be interviewed by the Media - others have not.  This morning NAUTICAL LOG was contacted by the Media about an article in the maritime Blog " gCaptain" by a CAPT. William H. Doherty who instructs at MMA and was Safety Manager at NCL here in Miami, FL.  In spite of having served in several Miami based Cruise Lines NAUTICAL LOG has never met him so interested rea...