The narrator recalls their first day on a Supramax bulk carrier, a ship with minimal automation and numerous issues. They were greeted by judgmental and indifferent crew members. The atmosphere was gloomy due to the heavy rain. The narrator was assigned a cabin and instructed to change and report to the Training officer, who showed no interest in their presence, as published on Marine Insight.
No guidance
The Training officer asked them to sound the tanks using a wet rope and sounding rod, without providing any guidance. Despite the challenging situation, the narrator managed to give an approximate measurement of the ballast tank they were tasked with checking.
The narrator reflects on their early days as a cadet, facing challenges and responsibilities on a bulk carrier. Cargo operations took precedence over ballast operations, which were often handled by junior officers and cadets. Today, as a Chief Officer and Ballast Water Management Officer, the narrator faces different challenges related to ballast operations, particularly regarding environmental concerns. They mention the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ship’s Ballast Water and Sediments (BWM Convention), implemented in 2017 to prevent the transfer of harmful organisms and pathogens through ballast water. The purpose of the Ballast Water Management system is to mitigate the risk of introducing such organisms and pathogens from the ship’s ballast water and sediments.
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Source: Marine Insight
