MALACCA,INDONESIA

TRAVERSING THE PIRACY-RISK AREA OF MALACCA- JULY 31, 2006

Before we passed Singapore, Captain and our senior officers had organized anti-piracy measures and pre planned actions. Ship security watches had been scheduled to intensify vigilance in case of piratical attacks. We rigged six cargo lights at portside and another six at starboard side of the ship. At the aft deck, four fire hoses had been laid out that would serve as repellent for pirates chasing on speedboats.

Malacca strait is a narrow channel between the mainland Malaysia to the north, Singapore to the East and Sumatra, Indonesia in the south. The strait is one of the most important shipping lanes in the world. It also ranks the list of piracy incidents according to IMB, International Maritime Bureau based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. In the past years, attacks on merchant ships and fishing vessels had been reported. However the IMB has no countermeasures to control piratical attacks. Until today, incidents of pirate attacks have been reported.

The night we navigated at Malacca, all deck lights have been illuminated, we activated the high pressure hoses, and maintained anti-piracy watches shifting every two hours. We together with my fellow OS have been assigned to watch 10 to 12 midnight and then 2-4 in the early morning. We conducted safety patrol and roving around the ship. We held VHF radio to facilitate communications and torch to illuminate boats that might chase us. After the 2 hour duty, we were relieved. We cooked fried rice and had a midnight break. At 2 am, start of another watch again. All of a sudden gusty winds prevailed, the sea became agitated and rain showers poured on deck associated with thunderstorms. The state of the sea became very rough in the Beaufort wind force category. While on duty, we sheltered at portside gang way. We couldn’t conduct safety rounds anymore because of heavy rain we just kept on storytelling about our sea adventures to remain awake.

Finally, we sailed away from Malacca strait. The last report on STRAITREP was sent at the last sector. We were located at the Rondo pass, certain miles from Banda Aceh, Indonesia adjacent to the epicenter of the December 2004 submarine earthquake, which triggered the disastrous tsunami that killed thousand lives. We altered course southwest to the Indian Ocean in accordance with the planned passage.

TRANSIT THROUGH SINGAPORE STRAIT

TRANSIT THROUGH SINGAPORE STRAIT- July 30, 2006

From the Gulf of Thailand, we headed southeast to Singapore. At the wheelhouse, numerous ships appear in the vicinity also visible in the radar screen. Traffic density of vessels increased gradually. Some are outbound while others like us are inbound. In the Singapore Strait, vessels are mandated to report at STRAITREP, a coordinated reporting system established jointly by Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia to facilitate maritime traffic and maritime search and rescue in case of distress. Ships must send telex to the VTS or vessel traffic services the pertinent info which includes ships name, call sign, IMO number, and flag of registry, type of ship, type of cargo, port of origin, estimated time of departure or ETD, port of destination, and estimated time of arrival or ETA. Subsequent communication will follow via VHF radio.
After we coordinated at STRAITREP, Singapore VTS closely monitored the ship movement as well as the other vessels to ensure a safe passage in the traffic separation scheme and to avert imminent danger to navigation of ships. A few miles away, I saw skyscrapers towering high, the city of Singapore visible at a distance. As instructed by VTS, we slowed down our speed for another ship would join the traffic lane. Vessels both outbound and inbound transit in convoy, navigating at safe speed and safe distance between each other.
An hour passed, we reduced speed again and gave way for the supply boat alongside. We hoisted cans of paint and some engine spare parts. By dusk, we had already cleared the heavily dense traffic lanes of the Singapore Strait. Ahead are the piracy risk waters of Malacca, Indonesia.

KO SI CHANG, THAILAND

KOSICHANG, THAILAND- JULY 2006

30th of June, a warm weather, light breeze and cloudy skies welcomed us upon arrival at Kohsichang, Gulf of Thailand. We reduced engine revolutions for the approaching pilot boat. There were numerous vessels around the vicinity, mostly bulk carriers loading rice while others unload cement and fertilizers. The harbor pilot ordered to drop anchor, the vessel was in her position. We the anchor party, secured everything forward and retreated to the gangway area. We rigged accommodation ladder for Thai port authorities and personnel engaged in the loading operations. After clearance from customs, immigration and quarantine, cargo hold surveys were conducted. The surveyors descended to compartments for visual and thorough inspection. Finally, the results were satisfactory and approved for loading rice in bags. When the port authorities off boarded, there came Thai boats loaded with stevedores. Men, women, children and old folks. Captain ordered not to let them embark. They remained made fast alongside our ship. We are strictly implementing ship security on board and we have been mandated to control unauthorized access of persons. Our agent explained to Captain that the situation is normal. Thais bring their families on board so they can help arrange sacks of rice, wash clothes, and prepare meals for their husband and children. Before letting them board, we ensured that all restricted areas locked up and maintained single access to the crew accommodation. The green light signaled. The stevedores on their wooden boats embarked through accommodation ladder while others risked their safety clinging into cargo nets hoisted by ship’s crane. My shipmates were shocked when they saw women including their children held into cargo nets ignoring the danger of falling overboard or into the ship’s deck. On that afternoon, Thais totaled more or less a hundred according to headcount. At dusk, when I lowered the Thai national colors at the uppermost deck, our ship looked like a refugee campsite with colorful tents and canvass made fast around the main deck, at fore castle and at poop deck. Silence was broken by screams of children playing while old folks drink rum and dancing. A middle aged woman negotiated with our senior officers if she could make entertainment business on board. Captain permitted. They arranged their sound systems at the gangway area and the other one at the poop deck. Another earth- shattering noise filled the air with dance music. During my watch, I took safety rounds. I heard the voice of my shipmate echoed in karaoke. They had bottles of Heineken matched with Thai specialties of red hot chillies.The loading operation has not yet started because materials to be used in loading like paper kraft, styro foam, plastic canvass have not arrived.

Loading should have commenced on our second day at anchorage but cancelled due to rain showers caused by southwest monsoon. Meanwhile, Captain held an emergency meeting in response for the existing situation. One important matter considered was the control of freshwater supply for the stevedores and monitoring daily consumption to avoid water shortage. Thrice daily, the time to open water supply lines have been scheduled in the morning, noon and evening. Another problem we face is the increasing garbage on board. Undisciplined Thais and Cambodians dump their trash overboard without thinking the effects in the environment. We are strictly implementing the regulations stipulated in the marine pollution prevention to prevent pollution of the marine ecosystems. Waste management and proper disposal is the way to prevent hazards to marine environment and to avoid heavy fines imposed by maritime authorities for the damages into their territorial waters. Shipboard hygiene and sanitation also mattered. There’s only one toilet allocated for stevedores at ships portside. Sometimes they have to fall in line if some body is using the restroom. However, natures call is unavoidable. Most of them go at the forecastle and leave their faeces behind. The ship’s forward part looked like a battle field with landmines scattered everywhere. At the anchor hawse pipe, under the mooring winch, at the midsection and even at the front door of Bosun’ store. When conducting safety rounds, we cover our nose and hold our breaths because of the unbearable smell.

The loading operation commenced on the third day. It starts at 8AM-5PM seven days a week. Sometimes it halts for one or two days waiting cargoes from barges which come from Bangkok, the capital city. In our stay at the anchorage, our daily duty is to assist in loading operations, ship security to control the access of unauthorized persons, and supply water for stevedores. I have made friends and acquaintances in everyday routine. One remarkable was ‘Pah’. She’s in her late twenties, had a fascinating look, a truly Asian smile, with long black hair as smooth as Thai silk. Pah cooks for one group of stevedores. She knew a lot of Thai cuisine particularly specialties with red chili and curry. If her water supply ran out, I couldn’t resist if she asked for. Often time after my duty, I chat with her at the poop deck, had a bottle of Heineken while she was doing chores and tending her variety store for stevedores who buy their daily needs.

The Thais have their own pastime on board. After the day’s work, they play cards, or gamble in a piece of dice with a cloth printed with numbers one to six. Sometimes gambling last until the early morning. Others lose their salaries thru gambling. Some of them spend their time catching squids using fishing tackles. Lots of squid took the baits. One night, a stevedore has caught seven kilos of squid. The next day, the squids have been dissected and dried under the sun for a marketable price or simply cooked and fried for daily consumption. My shipmates after our duty did the same. They lowered a high luminous light above the water to attract more squids. Afterwards, the squids made their way to the galley for adobo, sashimi, or sinugba. If my mates have caught less, they would barter Marlboro, soap, or noodles to stevedores for kilos of squid.

25th of July, two days before the completion of loading, three groups of stevedores off boarded. We checked their belongings if they brought some ship’s properties. By the 27th, only one cargo hold was left for final loading. Finally, at 4pm of the same day the loading operation at Kohsichang was declared complete. We closed and secured the cargo holds including the ship’s crane. The last group of stevedores descended including my friend ‘Pah’. She waved goodbye and took a step to their service boat. Meanwhile, our ship looked like a smokey mountain. Garbage of any kind left scattered around the deck. A mish-mash of eyesores piled on every corner. What a mess. The well-painted deck was stained by dirt and dark ink of squids.

The ship was cleared by Thai maritime authorities and prepared to sail. The anchor was heaved up at seven in the evening. No pilot boarded. Only Captain maneuvered the ship out of the anchorage area in the Gulf of Thailand to the open waters of South China Sea. On the first day at sea, a massive clean up drive was performed by deck hands. We disposed the garbage except plastics, washed the decks using high pressure hose and scrubbed all dirt and stains. The ship again regained its original appearance after a one month stay at Thailand.