Tentang Blog Pelaut Malaysia

Visi utama blog ini diwujudkan bagi menghubungkan semua pelaut-pelaut di Malaysia di bawah satu medium online. Misi kami untuk menyampaikan maklumat terkini tentang dunia pelaut, dalam dan luar negara, berkongsi apa sahaja info berkaitan kehidupan pelaut terutamanya kepada orang ramai bagi membuka mata mereka tentang kerjaya yang dianggap mencabar ini.

Sektor perkapalan penggerak ekonomi dunia

Tahukan anda perkapalan merupakan sektor paling penting bagi sesebuah negara. Hampir 90% daripada perpindahan cargo dari sebuah negara kenegara yang lain menggunakan kapal. Walaupun kerjaya kapal tidak popular di kalangan rakyat Malaysia, tetapi sektor perkapalan merupakan nadi ekonomi utama bagi Malaysia.

Akademi Laut Malaysia atau lebih dikenali sebagai ALAM

Di Malaysia sekrang terdapat banyak pusat latihan perkapalan antaranya ALAM, RANACO,PELITA dan banyak lagi. ALAM atau Akademi Laut Malaysia merupakan pusat latihan perkapalan yang pertama di Malaysia. Disini pada mulanya anak-anak Malaysia memulakan kerjaya sebagai seorang penakluk samudra yang berjaya.

Saturday

ALAM (Akademi Laut Malaysia)invites application for Cadet sponsorship programme 2010. Applicants who have positive mindset and attitude and possess a strong desire to take up a challenge as sea-going professionals are encouraged to apply. A journey towards maritime success as a Ship Captain or a Chief Engineer with world leading maritime organizations.

Graduates may have the opportunity to sail worldwide with leading shipping companies / maritime companies with attractive tax-free salaries and employment benefits

Offered Institute:
Akademi Laut Malaysia (ALAM)

Field of Study:

  • Navigating Officer Cadet (Diploma in Nautical Studies)
  • Marine Engineer Officer Cadet (Diploma in Marine Engineering)

Criteria & Eligibility:
Application is based on SPM Examination Result

  • Single, Male or Female with not more than 23 years of age on 13 July 2010
  • SPM results with minimum of 'C' or credits in 5 subjects which include Bahasa Malaysia , English, Mathematics / Additional Mathematics and Physics
  • Mentally, physically and medically fit
  • Minimum height of 158cm and weight of 48kg for male applicants (BMI: 18.5 – 24.9)
  • Minimum height of 155cm and weight of 42kg for female applicants (BMI: 18.5 – 24.9)
  • Not colour blind
  • Good eyesight without visual aid for Navigating Officer Cadets
  • Visual aid with a limitation of 200 for Marine Engineering Officer Cadets

Scholarship Coverage:
Fully sponsored of tuition fees, accommodation, meals, uniform, books, monthly allowance, and the modular courses.

Bonding:
Yes., about 8 – 10 years

How To Apply:
Download and complete the application form. and submit through email to
alam2010intake@alam.edu.my

Thursday

More than 50 countries to participate in UAE counter-piracy conference


With new attacks on vessels happening daily, government and industry leaders representing over 50 countries will on Monday, April 18 group in Dubai to seek meaningful solutions to the serious humanitarian and economic issue of piracy in the first high-level public-private counter piracy conference to be held in the region on the widespread threats of piracy and collaborative means to eradicate it. Co-convened by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and global marine terminal operator DP World, His Highness Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates, and His Excellency Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Chairman, DP World, will inaugurate the two day conference. It brings together officials and industry leaders from more than 50 countries for high level deliberations. Under the theme “Global Challenge, Regional Responses: Forging A Common Approach to Maritime Piracy”, the summit will be attended by more than 30 foreign ministers, including from the GCC countries, senior representatives from a further 25 countries, the United Nations, the International Maritime Organisation, scores of industry leaders and international experts on maritime security and community development issues.
Included are the Foreign Ministers of most GCC countries, the Foreign Ministers of states directly affected by piracy such as Somalia, Djibouti, the Comoros, and Tanzania, the United Nations Deputy Secretary General, and Foreign Ministers from major international players such as Indonesia, Nigeria, and Pakistan. Those from the maritime industry
attending include Morten Engelstoft, COO, Maersk, Peter Swift, President, International Association of Independent Tanker Owners, Ron Widdows, President, and CEO of Neptune Orient Lines (NOL) and Chairman, World Shipping Council, Dr Stefano Messina, CEO, Messina Line and Giles Noakes, Chief Maritime Security Officer, BIMCO. Experts participating include Dr Martin Murphy, Kings College, London, and Pottengal Mukundan, Director, International Maritime Bureau, amongst others.
During the conference, both public and private initiatives to counter the devastating effects of piracy on the captives and their families and communities as well as the threat it poses to peace and security internationally will be discussed, with the aim of introducing initiatives that merge the efforts of both sectors in areas of community
development, security, and information sharing. Panel discussions will also tackle root causes of piracy, relevant international law issues, and opportunities of furthering civilian-military cooperation to ward off attacks. On the sidelines of the conference, the UAE and the United Nations will hold a fundraising session in support of the UN’s Trust Fund to Support Initiatives of States Countering Piracy off the Coast of Somalia. The aim of the fundraiser is to attract new and traditional donors to the Fund, which was established in January 2010 by the UN Secretary-General at the request of the international Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia.
The Trust Fund has launched a number of land-based counter piracy initiatives established and supported by both public and private sectors. In this vein, UAE Foreign Ministry officials have revealed that the UAE will make a significant contribution to the UN Trust Fund at the conference in reflection of its ongoing commitment to the international efforts
in the field of counter-piracy. The conference is also expected to conclude with a declaration outlining areas of cooperation between the private and public sectors with the aim of establishing a working frame to further advance cooperation in various counter piracy initiatives as well as propose others. The UAE’s position as a global hub for trade
and commerce together with its significant regional and international partnerships are expected to make the event a key platform for the coordination of the urgent international response to end the far reaching and devastating threats of piracy.
According to the International Maritime Bureau, as of April 14, 2011 and despite a heightened level of international response, there were at least 107 incidents of attacks or attempted attacks on commercial cargo ships in the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea and off the east African coast – with 17 vessels hijacked. At least 26 ships are currently estimated
to be under pirate control, together with 532 mariners held captive, many in appalling conditions. In addition to the devastating human cost of piracy, the financial cost to global trade is also huge, with estimates as high as US$12 billion a year.

Nine Piracy Incidents At Sea In Malaysia In First Quarter Of 2011


Nine piracy incidents at sea occurred in Malaysia in the first quarter of 2011, including the hijacking of a tugboat and barge off Tioman Island.Vessels were also boarded in seven incidents by robbers armed with guns and knives, said the director of the International Maritime Bureau (IMB), Captain Pottengal Mukundan, Thursday. He said piracy at sea had hit an all-time high in the first three months of this year with 142 attacks worldwide where 18 vessels were hijacked, 344 crew members taken hostage, and six kidnapped. Another 45 vessels were boarded and 45 more reported being fired upon, he said in the statement. "The sharp rise was driven by a surge in piracy off the coast of Somalia where 97 attacks were recorded, up from 35 in the same period last year. Figures for piracy and armed robbery at sea in the past three months were higher than we had ever
recorded in the first quarter of any year," he said. The IMB's Piracy Reporting Centre which has monitored piracy worldwide since 1991, also reported that during the same period, pirates had murdered seven crew members and injured 34 compared with just two injuries in 2006. Mukundan said of the 18 ships hijacked during the period, 15 were
captured off the east of Somalia, in and around the Arabian Sea and one in the Gulf of Aden. "In this area alone, 299 people were taken hostage and six more were kidnapped from their vessel," he said, adding that at the last count on March 31, IMB figures showed that Somali pirates were holding captive 596 crew members on 28 ships. He noted that
there were also a dramatic increase in violence and techniques used by pirates in the seas off Somalia. "The overwhelming number of vessels hijcked off Somalia took place east and northeast of the Gulf of Aden. The positions of some of the attackers' mother ships are known. It is vital that strong action is taken against these mother ships to
prevent further hijackings," he said. Mukundan also said that large tankers carrying oil and other flammable chemicals were particularly vulnerable to firearms attacks. "Three big tankers of over 100,000 tonnes deadweight had been hijacked off the Horn of Africa this year. Of a total of 97 vessels attacked in this region, 37 were tankers and of these, 20 had a deadweight of more that 100,000 tonnes," he said. Elsewhere, he said the Indian navy captured 61 Somalia pirates on a hijacked ship off India's west coast, while Nigeria recorded five incidents with three attacks against vessels in Lagos. "Crews in the area are reporting increased violence, including one incident where all 27 crew members were injured. "IMB's concern about an expansion of Nigeria-style piracy has been heightened by the hijacking of a chemical tanker off neighbouring Benin, which its captors finally directed to Lagos," he said.

Wednesday

Portside and Starboard side of a ship

Most of you might have heard the term Portside and Starboard side in relation to a ship.. These are actuallynautical terms which refer to the left and right side of the ship respectively when you are looking towards theBow (the front of the ship – also known as Fore).. The rear of the ship is termed as Stern (also known as Aft)..

There are many answers as to the evolution of the names Port & Starboard as below..

As per Wikipedia, before ships had rudders on their centerlines, they were steered by use of a specialized steering oar.. This oar was held by an oarsman located in the stern (back) of the ship.. However, like most of society, there were many more right-handed sailors than left-handed sailors. This meant that the steering oar (which had been broadened to provide better control) used to be affixed to the right side of the ship..

The term Port was derived from the practice of sailors mooring ships on the left side at ports in order to prevent the steering oar from being crushed..

From the Longboat museum in Oslo it is learned that a viking longboat was steered by a large wooden plank called a “steer board”.. The modern day equivelent is a “tiller” or “rudder”.. The steer-board was operated by the helmsman facing forward and, since most people are right-handed, he would naturally hold the steer-board in his right hand.. Since the steer-board was always on the right, the righthand side of the vessle became known as the steer-board side..

Subsequently the term “steer-board” blended into the English language and evolved into “starboard”..

Another version is that, in the olden days before the advent of maps, navigation was done by following the arrangement of stars in the sky.. Usually old sailing ships had long masts & sails which disturbed the visibility of the helmsman and the sailors arranged a deck extending out on the right side to watch the stars & continue sailing.. So one person on the ship used to read the location of the starts sitting on the deck & convey the same to the Helmsman.. The deck that was used to look at the stars and decide the sailing route was termed as starboard deck.. Because of this extended deck on the right side, only the other side of the ship could be brought towards the port and it was named as portside..

Once the modern centerpost rudder was developed, it was no longer necessary to dock with the vessel’s portside to port.. Ships now dock starboard or portside alongside..

Another bit of interesting information is that the Starboard side has Green navigation lights and port side has Red navigation lights and the Aft of the ship has a white light.. If there are two vessels approaching each other head-on, each should alter course to starboard, so that they pass each other port-to-port unless otherwise communicated much like the rules of the road..

Tuesday

MISC names new IMO II Chemical Tankers

MISC Berhad (MISC) held the naming ceremony of its 10th Chemical tanker, Bunga Allium. The 38,000 dwt tanker is the third in a series of eight IMO II chemical tankers

ordered from the STX shipyard in South Korea by MISC. Bunga Allium was recently delivered on 5 January 2010 and has sailed on her first voyage from South Korea to Pasir Gudang. Her delivery brings the number of MISC's owned and in-chartered Chemical tankers to 21, further strengthening MISC's position as a reliable and safe transporter of chemicals and vegetable oils.

The coming into service of Bunga Allium is part of MISC's rapid chemical fleet expansion programme, which will see MISC receiving a total of 15 chemical tankers over the next 2 years. These additional vessels will provide MISC with the critical mass required to better serve its customers globally and at the same time, allow MISC to expand its global presence. Similar to her sister vessels, Bunga Akasia and Bunga Alamanda, which were delivered last year, Bunga Allium is well-suited to carry a wide variety of vegetable oil, chemical and CPP cargoes, thus, increasing its service offerings and competitiveness in the chemical shipping industry.

The naming ceremony was officiated by Ms. Ngau Sue Ching, daughter of Mr. Ngau Boon Keat, Chairman of Dialog Group (Dialog). MISC and Dialog are joint venture partners in developing, managing and operating a tank terminal at the Port of Tanjung Langsat, Johor, Malaysia. The first phase operation of the Tanjung Langsat terminal was launched in September 2009 and the second phase is currently underway and targeted for completion in April 2010. MISC has also recently entered into a joint-venture with VTTI Tanjung Bin S.A, a subsidiary of Vitol Tank Terminals International B.V. (VTTI), part of the leading international energy trading group, Vitol, to jointly construct, commission and operate an oil terminal with a base capacity of approximately 741,200 cubic meters at Tanjung Bin, Johor, Malaysia.

The naming ceremony was held at the Malaysia Marine and Heavy Engineering (MMHE) Yard in Pasir Gudang, Johor. MMHE, a subsidiary of MISC, is a regional leader in marine and heavy engineering and through MMHE, MISC is one of the few shipping companies in the world with the capability to offer in-house dry-docking and refurbishment to its vessel, ensuring their reliability in service.

Along the expansion of its fleet, MISC also focuses on the development of sea-going professionals in its effort to ensure that the company and the industry will continue to have sufficient supply of high-calibre maritime graduates, through its in-house maritime academy, Akademi Laut Malaysia (ALAM).

MISC wins case againts Equatorial

In the case of Equatorial Marine Fuel Management Services Pte Ltd (Equatorial) v MISC Berhad (MISC), the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has ruled in favour of MISC,

upholding the fact that MISC did not enter into any contract for the supply of bunker with Equatorial, hence there being no basis for the admiralty action brought against MISC by Equatorial.

The decision of the appeal was handed down last week by the Ninth Circuit three judge panel, who unanimously upheld the United States District Court for the Central District of California's vacatur of Equatorial's maritime attachment to MISC's property, M/T Bunga Kasturi Lima.

This much eagerly awaited decision is warmly welcomed by all shipping giants globally as no physical supplier can now arrest vessels without the presence of proper legally binding contract supported by sufficient evidentiary documents, causing grave commercial strain on the ship owners.

The legal battle between the two companies began in April 2008, when Equatorial attached M/T Bunga Kasturi Lima, a vessel belonging to MISC in Long Beach, California, to acquire jurisdiction over MISC and to obtain security for their claim. Equatorial alleged that MISC breached a contract purportedly entered into between Equatorial and MISC. Equatorial specifically asserted that MISC had purchased bunker from Equatorial and Equatorial had delivered the bunker fuels to MISC's vessels for over USD 22 million. It is further alleged that MISC never paid Equatorial for the various deliveries.

It was always the contention of MISC that it had no direct relationship with Equatorial. MISC entered into a contract for the purchase of bunker with Market Asia Link Sdn Bhd ("MAL"), a separate and unaffiliated company. In addition MISC received invoices from, and made remittances directly, to MAL for all bunkers supplied to the various vessels. The fact that MAL procured its bunker supply from Equatorial is immaterial. MISC was never provided with copies of Equatorial's invoices, and thus there was no contractual nexus between MISC and Equatorial. Hence based on the fact that Equatorial failed to show that it had a valid prima facie admiralty claim, the US District Court of California vacated the attachment. However, Equatorial appealed against the decision to the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit which is the highest Federal Court in California.

In a published decision, written by Chief Judge Kozinski, the Ninth Circuit panel concluded that the District Court properly vacated the attachment because Equatorial failed to carry its burden of showing it had stated a valid prima facie breach of contract (or a contract at all when applying the evidentiary standard) against MISC.

Following the positive outcome of this case, MISC will now focus on pursuing a legal claim for approximately USD 500,000.00 against Equatorial for all damages caused as a result of wrongful attachment of MISC's vessel.

Monday

Malaysia International Shipping Corporation (MISC) Museum



"Set up by the Malaysian International Shipping Corporation in 1992, the MISC Museum is the first of its kind Malaysia. Located at the ground floor of Wisma MISC in Jalan Conlay, the Museum gives an insight into MISC's development as the national shipping line since its incorporation in 1968. The museum is divided into 12 sections, each dealing with a particular range of related subjects such as shipbuilding, ships of the world, communications at sea, history of ships in Malaysia, maritime laws and career at sea.

Sunday

Life onboard ship same today and yesterday?

Only best people can go to sea.


Many seafarers are asked how they ended up at sea! Just like somebody may ask a teacher or a bricklayer why he or she became one, the answers tend to be varied and often without path to the end result. One common reason for entering a particular career is because "my father did it and so did my grandfather". Some extremely obvious reasons for going to sea might have been to get away from home or to see the world; equally so many rusty seafarers today embarked upon their careers for lack of anything else to do, because some cranky careers advisor suggested they do so or because they had been recently dumped by the school hottie!
Seafarers are molded from any number of reasons with many having no clue as to whether they will become an engineer, mate or cook even after they have decided to sign up! Whilst others have had the sea in their blood since the day they were conceived.

The Industry has changed though. Many a salty seafarer will prop up the local bars in seaside towns the world over. They will regale those who will listen with stories that baffle and defy gravity, they will accept drinks from anybody who offers and in return will tell them "it's not like it used to be". And they are correct! Life at sea has changed dramatically in the last ten years and many (especially the old-timers) will say that it's not for the better.

Yes, the industry has changed and probably faster than when the steamship came along and rang the death knell on the sail ships. Ten years ago everybody decided that seafarers were suffering from stress, that ships should run like shore-based establishments and that people should be accountable for their actions; i.e. a paper trail should be laid. Ten years ago paperwork on ships was nothing more than the daily log; the typing of the monthly stores order onto the telex machine and some night orders hastily scribbled by the captain after has last gin and tonic of the night! And modern communications have brought ships into the civilized world. Ten years ago only cruise ships and research vessel could afford the large golf-ball satellite dishes on the monkey island, now all ships have them and the companies send emails and make telephone calls, not daily but the whole day, to the extent that captains and mates are now short of a secretary or two were once they were short of something to do!

Then, in these days of heightened safety cultures alcohol was suddenly frowned upon and the sustenance that kept many engineers and mates together and in one piece was removed from their grasp, a forbidden item that was to be no more.

It has not stopped there. As a result of 9-11, the terrorist attack on the world Trade Center in New York, the bureaucrats ashore rapidly suggested that ships could be used as potential bomb carriers (a laden gas tanker running up the St. Lawrence Seaway with a bomb onboard could cause untold loss of life and damage) and so ships and the people that sail them suddenly received a whole new host of regulations to follow and associated paperwork to fill in. The Chief Officers, once a figurehead to be frightened of, now has many hats to wear - safety officer, loading master and now the security officer!

Before the last ten years brought paperwork to ships and before masters found themselves in front of a computer more often than looking out of the bridge window, certain idealistic facets of a life-at-sea were conjured up in many minds! A wife in every port maybe? Cruising across the Atlantic sipping sherry on the mezzanine deck after having had a quick dip in the pool? A week in Tripoli, a Caribbean cruise and picking bananas before heading home to Barry (a port in Wales not the boyfriend)? It all sounds very nice, doesn't it?

Not many ships have swimming pools these days! If they do they won't have the sherry to drink! And anyway not many ships stay long enough in port these days to allow anybody to go ashore! Time is precious and port stays cost money!

Is there any reason why anybody should go to sea these days and if so what for?
As the paperwork and the bureaucracy have increased tenfold so has the nature of the job changed! Senior officers are now accountable for their actions, the bosses ashore are equally accountable for theirs, and so responsibility tends to lie where it is born and bred than shifted down to the lowest man in the pile! For those entering the business today this is fantastic, a clear cut and structured path ahead were everything is black and white - for those complaining about the change it is often due to an inability to take the change onboard, to grasp it and to realize that it is for their benefit too and not something forced upon them by a bunch of non-seafaring types ashore with nothing better to do with themselves except make up silly regulations.

Many would say that in their younger years they fell in love the world over, many would also say that they caught every disease imaginable that they were ripped off more times than they could count and that for the most part they couldn't remember anything anyway as they were too pissed! Most shore leaves were spent in alcoholic oblivion; the girl's of the night equally pissed but with a sober eye on the guy's wallet.

Life at sea has changed. Trips are more structured and the seafarers more professional than they ever were - life onboard depends on the individuals and how they accept the life, a life that no longer depends on crates of booze and alcoholic oblivion! Modern communications allow for easy access to phone calls home, no more waiting until land is seen and a painful session of calling up land based radio stations is enacted; the future states that all ships will have twenty-four hour internet access, with vessels looking towards wireless access for all onboard. Trips are getting shorter and the leave longer; the laughable idea of going to sea for ten months and having one month at home has been nearly replaced with equal time on and equal time off!
Work for six months of the year on a tax free salary?

And so why would seafarers go to sea today? They go because it is an honest career that brings the bread and butter onto the table. There might not be a wife in every port, the company may require the same written entries to be made in about six different books and logs and the Chief Engineer might be a grumpy old sod because he can't have drink but …….wow, what a life to be had!

Why Ship is called she

 

Puteri Delima Satu

A ship is called a ‘she’ because there is always a great deal of bustle around her;

There is usually a gang of men about,

She has a waist and stays;

It takes a lot of paint to keep her good looking;

It is not the initial expense that breaks you, it is the upkeep;

She can be all decked out;

It takes an experienced man to handle her correctly;

And without a man at the helm, she is absolutely uncontrollable.

She shows her topsides, hides her bottom and, when coming into port, always heads for the buoys.

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