A few days ago, we talked about the ship's emergency alarms and how bombastic, disturbing, and noisy they are. It should be that way since it's an alert system. In case something terrible happens, everyone on board knows what to do. So here's something to blow your...
I must admit. Embarkation ladders were one of the most confusing nautical terms I encountered in school. These two words, simple as they are when separated, got me puzzled when combined. Partly because, the term "embarkation" in the most nautical sense, usually...
One of the most important firefighting components on board is the International Shore Connection. They are small but useful and have, what a like to call, a “VIP” (Very Important Purpose) status. It is very essential that even the big A’s may come looking for them....
There are many different types of lifeboats that merchant vessels use today. It is a vital safety appliance on board that it is mandatory to have them. That said, ships with no lifeboats, or have defective ones, are unseaworthy. Your ship may have the perfect...
Emergency towing-off pennant or commonly known as “fire wire” is a long wire deployed on the side of a tanker ship. One end is firmly secured on the bitts while its eye on the other end is hanging one to two meters above the water line. Ships use fire wires...
Chipping and painting are one of the simplest maintenance jobs on board any merchant vessel. I haven’t experienced a ship where this task was not on the menu during my decade of sailing. Actually, I was for most of the time, sailing on tanker vessels. And these types...
Merchant ships are the workhorse of the global economy. We build them in different types and sizes to accomplish specific tasks. They have been around for so many years from the age of wood up to the present. But, despite their diversity, merchant ships have common...
If you watched many ship-sinking movies before, you might have already indirectly seen a hydrostatic release unit in action. Movies or news about a sinking vessel sometimes mentions liferafts, fully inflated but without anyone inside. You may already hear of rescuers...
Anchors play an important role in a vessel. They are very crucial for the reason that ships with only a single anchor are unseaworthy to sail. That’s why all the parts of an anchor must be in good condition. Not just the anchor itself but its chain, windlass, bitter...
Rudders are an important part of a ship. They are installed on small motor boats to the biggest water crafts ever to sail the seas. It is a crucial component of the vessel’s steering system and the whole ship as well. A vessel could be burning or facing a heavy storm...
Merchant ships are the lifeblood of global economy. They move an immense number of goods that feed billions of people around the world. There are an estimated 74,000 vessels floating in many parts of the seas right now. We categorize them into different types of ships...
P/V Valves are part of a tanker ship’s primary venting device installed to avoid damage due to over or under pressurization of cargo tanks. This arrangement allows the tank to “breath” during pressure variations. P/V valves are built on many oil and product tankers of...
Inert gas system is one of the most critical component of a tanker vessel. Vessels using inert gas in their tanks are enjoying the benefits of safe operation against fire and explosion. No smoking on deck, no naked lights, intrinsically safe equipment only and always...
Tanker ships or commonly known as "tankers" in the maritime world, are special kinds of vessels designed to carry liquid cargoes in bulk. Anything of liquid form can be transported through these ships. Since there thousands of various liquid goods out there, there are...
Clock changes are part of seaman’s life. The first time I heard about the ship’s time being retarded was, well, a bit confusing. How could time be retarded when it only ticks and doesn’t think? Then I learned that it will be moved backwards to comply with the Daylight...
Tugboats are the most underrated ships on the entire planet. They work hard, do a lot of unimaginable things, and keep vessels from making a mess. But despite their best efforts, it's always the huge merchant ships that take the spotlight. We get it. In this industry,...
Ballasting and deballasting is very essential in ships. It is an operation keenly supervised by ship officers to maintain the vessel’s stability. This is very crucial. It keeps the ship upright by compensating the distribution of weights. What is ballasting and...
Major players in the maritime industry are developing autonomous ships. Because of the exponential growth of today's technology, these vessels will sail in the not too distant future. We already have autonomous cars and remote-controlled planes. Shipping industry will...
Have you ever wondered why we have weird, funny names and terms we use on board? Or perhaps we got accustomed to it that we stopped asking why or how such words exist. In this post, I will enlighten you with their meanings and their historical features. Here are some...
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