Precautionary tales

Some poor medical standards noted, particularly with seafarers from developing nations The Manager cited an example of a Second Officer with a clean medical certificate being ‘almost blind’.

A Captain left his vessel in a remote Indian port with 16 hour taxi journey ahead of him. The Captain sat in the back of the car and slept. During the night, the driver stopped to relieve himself by the roadside. The Captain awoke and decided to do the same unknown to the driver who finished matters and then drove off. The Captain ran after the driver, fell and broke his arm. It was only two hours later that the driver noticed his fare was missing and returned.

Two Deckhands staged a mock knife flight in the Messroom.  One caused a small wound to the other and struck a main artery.  Both were breathalysed and found to be over the Company limit.

The Captain and Chief Engineer went ashore in St Croix for a quiet dinner and a beer. Both men later beaten up and robbed.

The Company is experiencing a high number of unfit seafarers being appointed by manning agents with supposedly valid medical certificates.

A Bosun stood on unsecured oil drum to work overhead. The vessel rolled and he fell and broke his ankle.

A Chef and Deckhand were drinking ashore and decided to settle some old scores. Both hospitalised.

An Engineer climbed an unsecured portable ladder and fell into bilges incurring back and leg injuries.