When it comes to emergency situations at sea, a properly equipped lifeboat can be the difference between life and death. The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) sets the standard for lifeboat equipment as well as safety items required on...
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. But, despite their diversity, merchant ships share common parts and functions. If you are a seaman, you may be familiar with the...
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 mention liferafts, fully inflated but without anyone inside. You may already hear of...
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 watercraft 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 the 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...
Pressure/vacuum (P/V) valves are essential safety devices on tanker ships. They are very important that no tanker vessel can operate without them installed. When I was undergoing a basic tanker training course before coming on board, our instructor hammered into us...
The inert gas system is one of the most critical components 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...
Tanker ships, commonly known as "tankers" in the maritime world, are special kinds of vessels designed to carry liquid cargo in bulk. Anything of liquid form can be transported through these ships. Since there are thousands of various liquid goods out there, there are...
Anchoring is an operation on board that involves dropping a metallic object with “claws” called the anchor. It is attached to a chain connected to the ship and held at the bottom of the sea. Safe and proper anchoring maintains the ship’s anchor and its fittings in...
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...
Ballasting and deballasting are very essential in ships. It is an operation keenly supervised by the ship officers to maintain the vessel’s stability. This is very crucial. It keeps the ship upright by compensating for the distribution of weights. What are ballasting...
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. The shipping industry...
Have you ever wondered why we have weird, funny names and terms we use on board? Or perhaps we've become so accustomed to them that we've stopped asking why or how such words came into existence. I always think about this, especially during my first time as a cadet on...
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