Our Blog
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🚢 Types of Bulk Carriers by Design: A Seafarer’s Guide
Bulk carriers are merchant ships specifically designed to transport unpackaged dry cargo- such as iron ore, coal, grains, and fertilizers in large quantities. Rather than using containers, these vessels load directly into massive cargo holds. According to SOLAS Chapter IX/1.6, a bulk carrier is defined as: “A ship constructed with a single deck, top-side tanks,…
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👨🎓 What Does a Deck Cadet Do and How Much is the Salary?
If you’re planning to become a Deck Cadet, you’re entering one of the most crucial training phases in a seafarer’s career. But despite their presence on many ships, deck cadets are not mandatory crew members– they are apprentices, not yet licensed officers. However, shipping companies that invest in cadetship programs recognize their value in addressing…
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Man Overboard: The Urgent Response Every Seafarer Must Know
What’s the big deal when a person falls into the water? If you are a seaman, you can just swim to the nearest shore, right? Or you can wait for the ship to turn around and pick you up. But that is not the case. As a matter of priority, when you hear a man…
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How Safety Drills on Ships Can Help You Survive an Emergency
Safety drills are an essential part of our seafaring life at sea. At one point in our careers, we all experience emergencies in one form or another. My first one was a fire in the swimming pool while discharging gasoline in the Port of Amsterdam. Fortunately, I managed to survive and live on to tell…
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What are the Types of Ship’s Emergency Alarm Signals?
Emergency alarms on ships are essential for crew safety, signaling the need for immediate action. These alarms notify the crew of different situations, ranging from minor issues to life-threatening dangers. Knowing how to respond to each type of signal is critical, whether it’s a fire, a man overboard, or a general evacuation. But not all…
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MARINA to Speed Up Processing of COP/ COC Using New Policy
The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) posted new policies for the filing of applications and rapid processing of Certificates of Competency (COCs) and Certificates of Proficiency (COPs). In their latest guideline which came out last October 10, 2022, Advisory 2022-54 emphasized several measures to accelerate the application and release of the sought-after STCW certificates. It can…
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SIRE 2.0 Will Upgrade Your Vetting Experience. Are You Ready?
A new inspection regime, called SIRE 2.0, will be served to all tanker vessels in the 4th quarter of 2022. According to OCIMF, this modern approach to vetting inspection will have significant improvements compared to the current version of SIRE. But we still don’t know how vetting exams will behave under SIRE 2.0. Though it…
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Huge Backlog on Seaman’s Book Application Hits Seafarers
Thousands of seafarers may have to wait as early as December before they can get an appointment on their seaman’s book renewal application while shipping companies are on a hiring spree for people to man their ships. CF Sharp’s legal counsel, Atty. Carmela Magpantay said that many of their crew applying for the renewal application…
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How to Prevent Accidents Involving Ship’s Combination Ladders
A ship’s combination ladder is a setup where a pilot ladder is used together with an accommodation ladder to facilitate the embarkation and disembarkation of marine pilots. Since ladders are the primary means of access on board, their proper rigging is always an issue, especially the level of safety when rigged on the ship’s side.…
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🚢 Embarkation Ladder: Purpose, Types, and SOLAS Requirements
An embarkation ladder is a SOLAS-required rope ladder used during emergency abandon ship situations. It’s rigged at survival craft stations- typically near lifeboats or liferafts, to allow crew members to safely descend into the water or survival craft after launch. Unlike gangways, accommodation ladders, or pilot ladders used during regular operations, an embarkation ladder is…