06/003 - Container Ship

Coming from Australia thru Sunda straits and gelasa straits the crew is continuously on anti piracy watches at night on bridge we have continuous lookouts. Then approaching the sunken wreck off horseburg light house at midnight we transit the straits of Singapore at 20 kts en route to Malaysia ETA 0500 Hrs. High speeds have higher stresses as overtaking in such narrow Traffic Separation scheme at closest point of approach of 2 cables at times. We get pilot on arrival then berthing stations followed by cargo ops. There are 3 Gantry cranes in operation which means besides Duty officer and Gangway ISPS watch there are 2 more seamen on deck to check for any container damage etc, Reefers plugging and un plugging etc. Ch off being busy with preparing IMDG cargo lists, reefer lists and checking stability and Ballasting / Deballasting operations. In addition in port e mandatory items like lifeboat lowering etc (though not every voyage) or checking the pilot side access doors watertightness through the underdeck passage (can maintain these only in port). Completed cargo ops around 1400 hours- Departure station, mandatory stowaway search as per ISPS, undocked and pilot off around 1530 and then transit Singapore straits to arrive eastern boarding grounds A around 1800 for pilot, berthing around 1900 hrs.

Arrival Singapore there is cargo ops again 3 or sometimes 4 cranes and to top it there is crew change, provisions, stores and bunkers. This continues till 1300 hrs the next day followed by departure stns and then transit Singapore straits manning of Bridge by master, duty off, lookout, and at night Antipiracy watches for 2 nights transiting Gelasa and Sunda stratis for the next 2 nights. So which ever way you look at it NO ONE on board is spared the fatigue levels. Rest hours are violated every voyage.

Considering the such high traffic density entering and departing Singapore is a very stressful exercise for the master in particular and the ship in general.