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The Nautical Institute - Canada - British Columbia - Nanaimo (ID: 30295)
ahead and TC will issue certificates retroactively. Minimum and maximum sizes of restricted area and proper definition of areas adjacent to vessels. Marine Security Clearance Program: It is proposed that persons who require access to restricted and sensitive areas of marine facilities, offshore facilities and vessels or persons who occupy specific security sensitive positions would require to obtain a Transportation Security clearance. This program is linked to the ISPS Code, and is being included in the proposed regulations, but the coming into force of these proposed regulations may be after July 1, 2004. Input: Type of information required to obtain security clearance. Access to Information Act provides the mechanism by which information can be released or requested to ensure confidentiality. Confidentiality and access of information are very important on all levels. How much delay would crew change/crew shore leave arrangements suffer. Marine pilots need to approach vessel from any direction The applicability of the proposed regulations to offshore facilities: The proposed regulations apply to offshore facilities that interface with vessels to which Part 2 (applicable vessels) of the regulations apply. Comments on Proposed Marine Transportation Security Regulations: Written comments on the proposed regulations may be submitted to Transport Canada until January 23, 2004. Prepared by Capt. Z. Farid FNI Delegate to the consultation meeting Note: I have advised the meeting with our Spring Seminar Marine Security and the ISPS Code Issues for the Mariner to held on Saturday April 24, 2004 at Delta Ocean Pointe Resort, Victoria B.C. 13/01/2004 Nautical Institute Nautical Institute British Columbia Branch Minutes of the Directors' Meeting 9th December 2003 As this meeting was conducted via email, the format of the Minutes will differ slightly to reflect only the key points of responses. In some cases, a summary of points will be provided without necessarily attribution to individual Directors' remarks. Responding: Captain S. W. Bowles FNI Chairman Captain G. B. Drewery MNI Vice -Chairman (M) Captain A. S. Patterson MNI Treasurer Captain J.K. Steele MNI Secretary Directors: Captains Snider, Lewis, Shard, Smiley, Avey, Clarkson, Frappell,Lee,Johnston Regrets received from: Captain Farid and Lt Cdr Stanford. Item 1: Adoption of the Agenda Moved by Captain Snider and seconded by Captain Lewis that the Agenda be adopted as published. Carried Item 2: Minutes of the last meeting Moved by Captain Snider and seconded by Captain Smiley that the Minutes be approved as written. Carried Item 3: Business Arising from the last meeting Library for BCIT Marine Campus - The Chairman reported that he is in discussion with both NI HQ and the Associate Dean of BMC and the project is moving ahead. Captain Patterson suggested that in the event that the support is not forthcoming from NI HQ, that the Branch annual budget should show an amount to develop this library. (Secretarial Note: In view of the forthcoming AGM and the need to present a budget at that time, this issue will be raised again at the January meeting. Action: Secretary Branch Business Plan: The Chairman reportedly briefly that the draft is still undergoing review and it is hoped to present the final version to the Board at the January meeting. Action: Secretary Item 4: Spring Seminar Preparations As a result of extensive research by Captain Smiley, it would appear that there is much merit in his proposal to move the venue to the Delta Ocean Pointe Resort in Victoria. The tentative arrangements that he has been able to make suit our requirements well and the visibility of both the seminar and the Branch will be greatly enhanced by using this location. The Treasurer suggested that it was now most timely to develop a budget for the event to allow the Board to view the whole project at once and to assure itself of its fiscal viability. The Secretary offered the thought that it might be worth contacting the Navy to see if a presentation could be made, since the Navy is not only involved in marine security overseas, but has also recently tightened up security in Esquimalt Harbour. As the Chief of Staff, Maritime Forces Pacific is a member of the Branch, it might be time for him to make his presence felt in this way. In the light of the Treasurer's remarks and sensing general approval to proceed, Captain Smiley suggested a meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Spring Seminar '04 occur before the Christmas holidays to pull together a budget, review what has been agreed upon and to brainstorm items for further research. (Secretarial Note: Captain Smiley chaired a meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee on 23rd December at a location near the proposed venue. Present were Captains Snider, Frappell and Steele, (and Shannon the barmaid for the occasional item.) A budget proposal was developed and some ideas agreed upon. Captain Smiley will make a separate report to the Board. ) Item 5: Terms of Reference for the Communications Director. There was generally full support for the Terms of Reference proposed but it was pointed out that the issue of a specific budget figure for advertising per seminar could be problematic. On the one hand, a specific figure allows the Communications Director to plan well ahead for each seminar without having to come to the Board. However, as the Treasurer pointed out, by having a set figure quoted in the TOR, the Board will possibly be faced with changing the TOR every time the Branch budget is changed, an unnecessary bureaucratic burden. After some "e-discussion " on this point, Captain Snider reported that he could live with an advertising budget set by the Board, providing that it was understood that this meant at least 6 months in advance. To make good use of all the publications open to us, we have to accept that some have, by our standards, very long lead times. In view of the importance of providing maximum visibility for the Spring Seminar, he was moving ahead on several fronts, including the negotiation of special rates with some magazines in the light of our status as professional organization. (Secretarial Note: This issue will be brought to the January meeting for discussion although a final decision might be held in abeyance as Captain Snider's will be at sea.) Item 6: Sponsorship Guidelines There was limited input but general support of the Sponsorship Guidelines as proposed by the Treasurer. For planning purposes, it can be assumed that those involved in arranging sponsorships may use these guidelines. (Secretarial Note: In view of the importance of this decision and the limited responses received, I would like to have a vote on acceptance recorded at the next meeting. Action: Secretary) Item 7: Any Other Business The Treasurer reported that he will shortly be working on closing the books and developing a budget for the next fiscal year. He hopes to be ready to report on both items at the January meeting. He forecasted that this past year has been our most productive year, financially and our investments have significantly exceeded our bank charges. Captain Avey reported that the Maritime Coalition on Education is planning a seminar on the shortage of new entries and qualified personnel for senior marine positions due to start in the next five years. The tentative date is 30 Mar 2004 and the place will be Vancouver. He will advise as soon as more details become known. The Secretary reported that he has heard from the Chairman that Captain Mike Fothergill has graciously volunteered to organize the venue etc for the AGM in Nanaimo on 4 th February 2004. Item 8: Next Meeting The Secretary is happy to report that when the last mote of dust raised during the industrial action settled, he was able to tentatively book the Conference Room aboard the Spirit of Vancouver Island at 1700 on 13 th January 2004. He will confirm by email in the usual way a day or so before the event. Submitted by: Approved by: Captain J.K. Steele MNI Captain S. W. Bowles FNI Secretary Chairman Nautical Institute Nautical Institute British Columbia Branch Minutes of the Directors Meeting 9 th January 2003 Present: Captain B.M. Johnston FNI Chairman Captain G. B. Drewery MNI Vice Chairman , Mainland Captain A. S. Patterson MNI Treasurer Captain J.K. Steele MNI Secretary Directors: Captain Bowles, Captain Lewis, Lt Cdr Stanford Regrets received from: Captains Shard, Farid, Batchelor, Avey, Smiley, Snider, Marshall, Miller, Kitching. The Chair called the meeting to order at 1659 hours. Item 1: Adoption of the Agenda It was moved by Lt Cdr Stanford and seconded by Captain Drewery that the Agenda be adopted as printed with the addition of three items under Any Other Business . Carried Item 2: Minutes of the last meeting It was moved by Lt Cdr Stanford and seconded by Captain Patterson that the Minutes of the last meeting be approved as published. Carried Item 3: Business Arising from the last meeting The Secretary reviewed outstanding items from the last meeting as follows: Advertising in the Bow Wave as the editor was not present, this had to be deferred. Membership Fee increase the Secretary reported that he had not yet written the letter to London as requested by the Chairman due to pressure of work but that it remained on his list of things to do. At this point, the Chairman noted that it was time for the Directors and Officers to state their intentions with respect to standing for re-election at the AGM. He stated that he would be happy to stand for any position except Secretary or Treasurer. Captain Drewery stated that he too, was prepared to stand again with the same caveats as the Chairman. Captain Patterson offered to stand for re-election as Treasurer and Lt Cdr Stanford stated his intention to stand for re-election as well. (Secretarial Note: Other Officers and Directors are asked to make their intentions known to the Secretary as soon as possible in order that whoever is selected as the Chair of the Nominating Committee can be informed.) Action All Directors Item 4: Treasurer s Report The Treasurer made his end of fiscal year report and requested the appointment of an auditor in order to present the accounts at the AGM. The Treasurer s report is attached to these Minutes. Captain Drewery offered to audit the Branch accounts and the documents were duly handed over by the Treasurer. Item 5: Media Relations As Captain Avey , the sponsor for this item was unavoidably detained and it will be brought forward to the next meeting. Item 6: Information requested by NIHQ re SEAWAYS The Secretary reported having been asked by NIHQ to report any delays to the delivery of the latest SEAWAYS as London has received a number of complaints about late delivery from around the world and was anxious to know the extent of the problem. Those present reported not having any recollection of late delivery of the latest copy of the magazine. Action : Secretary Item 7: Any Other Business Amendments to ColRegs - The Chairman introduced a proposal to change the Collision Regulations as they pertain to communications in Canadian waters of a narrow channel, roadstead, harbour, river, or inland waterway, where the identity of vessels have positively identified to each other, a vessel may use a bridge-to-bridge radio telephone instead of the prescribed whistle signals to reach agreement in a meeting, crossing or overtaking situation. If agreement is not reached, then whistle signals shall be exchanged in a timely manner and shall prevail. He pointed out that the addition of narrow channel reflected widespread current practice which should be legitimized. He asked that Directors review the proposal and provide their support. He would expect that Captain Farid will take this to CMAC. It was moved by Lt Cdr Stanford and seconded by Captain Patterson that this proposal be supported. Carried - Action: Captain Farid CMLA Open Meeting Lt Cdr Stanford drew the attention of the meeting to the next CMLA Open Meeting in Vancouver at the Terminal City Club, 27 January 2003 at 4:30pm. Naval Officers Association Lt Cdr Stanford reported that the NOAVI now has a category of membership called Supporting Member for those who have not been naval officers but who wish to support the Navy. The membership fee of $58 per annum includes the national newsletter Starshell and the local equivalent Lead and Line . Captain Bowles offered to put this information on the Navy page of the Website. Annual General Meeting Lt Cdr Stanford suggested inviting Mr. Julian Parker, Secretary of the Nautical Institute in view of his longstanding support to the Branch and his impending retirement. The Secretary was requested to write to Mr. Parker and suggest that if his duties permitted and he saw himself in North America, we would greatly appreciate his attendance. Action: Secretary This prompted the Treasurer to request the Chairman to write to London for the Annual Subvention as he is counting on it for the 2003 Budget. Action: Chairman In discussing the program for the AGM, Captain Bowles volunteered to make a presentation on the Nautical Professional Education Society and the Cadet Program at PMTC. He will enlist the help of the new Associate Dean, Captain J. A. Clarkson FNI. At this point, Captain Bowles recalled that the current date for the AGM fell before his return from New Zealand. In view of the close association between the NPES and the Branch it was generally felt that it would be a great shame to miss this opportunity for the sake of a few days. On the assumption that Captain Smiley had not made irrevocable plans for the lst March date, it was moved by Lt Cdr Stanford and seconded by Captain Drewery that the AGM date be moved to 8 th March 2003. Carried Captain Bowles then re-volunteered! There then occurred a general discussion on potential speakers and timings for the meeting together with an agreement to charge $20 entry fee to include lunch. The Treasurer pointed out that he needs to know all facilities costs ahead of time as in the past some extra and unforeseen charges surfaced after the event. In particular, some indication of the numbers attending is needed. Captain Bowles will use our website to insert a response capability. Action Stan Bowles Item 8: Next Meeting In view of the impending refit of the Spirit of Vancouver Island , it was agreed to advance the monthly meeting by one week i.e. 6 th Feb 03 at the usual time. The ship now being in her berth, it was moved by Lt Cdr Stanford that the meeting be adjourned. Carried Submitted by: Approved by: Captain J. K. Steele Captain B. M. Johnston Secretary Chairman 1999 Chairman's Address Chairman's Address August 1999, at the Union Club, Victoria Welcome gentlemen and honoured guests. This is a milestone in the history ofthe Branch as we are now ten years old!! A decade of the Branchdevelopment has past over the yard and I thank all those membershow have taken an active interest in the Branch proceedings, turningout for such event as ours today - my hat is off to you. I would like to thank the two Brians- Brian Silvester and Brian Johnston, Vice Presidents - Islandand Mainland respectively, for their unwavering support for thetechnical meetings and telephone committee work they have beenso active in. I am indebted to them for the attention they havegiven towards these events making them a success. So what have we achieved this year? Since becoming Chairman, I had a visionof accelerating the Branch into cyberspace and providing a conduitfor state-of-the-art educational processes. I have tried, andhopefully been successful, showing what can be achieved with theaid of technology to promote mariner education through electronicallyslanted seminars. It is important that the Branch influencesmariner education and training in any way possible, through seminarsand by involving ourselves in the day to day functioning of thecertification processes within government where these thorny issuesreside. Belonging to the NI, or any other organization for thatmatter and those of us in controlling positions of the industry,must be cognizant of what it is we are asking ourbackfill to train in and what knowledge is applicable to the changingtimes. It is no longer acceptable, nor tolerable, to put oneshead in the sand and "say what is wrong with the way I waseducated." Times have changed and the World is a much smallerplace. Ships and shipping have entered the electronic age andit is about time the regulators took notice, providing applicableeducation platforms for today's mariners. Embrace this technology and use it to your advantage, it is notgoing away. BUT!, have that ace up you sleeve - the sextant remainsa viable backup as an integral component of the safety of navigationand applicable contingency planning. The challenge for the Branch is involvementin all areas where education of the mariner is an issue. Infiltrateand voice opinion concerning certification, training and standards.The time has come to influence outcomes and ensure that industrywill be provided with quality personnel. Commitment, competence,attitudes and motivation of individuals at all levels will determinethe end result. I have now completed my third year asChairman and it is time to step down. It has been an eye openerbut, all-in-all, a very valuable experience and one that I willcherish for years to come. I have maintained that it is not thedriver of the car that get one from A to B but the gas that oneputs in the tank. I have had ample gas! My "ChairmanShip"has been under full canvas and I have had plenty of assistanceat the helm to weather the roughest storms and for that I givegratitude to my friend and independent colleague Jim Arnott, whohas been an enduring sounding board through the years of my tenure. A Fellowship of the Institute was bestowedon me this year which, again, I could not have achieved if notfor the work of others such as Heather Hawthorn and her devotionto the work of the Nautical Professional Education Society ofCanada. So to all of you - I say thank you -I am confident that as I step down the Branch will enter a newChapter and break new ground. Our Branch continues to be one of the'Majors' within the Organisation. Thank you for the smooth ride! Captain Stan Bowles FNI Thinking of a Delivery Job? Thinking of a Delivery Job? The following was received from Capt. Ian Poyntz, a memberof the Manila Branch of The Nautical Institute. Narrative of the Delivery Voyage fromTaiwan to Cebu Alan, two Filipino crew and I were engaged to deliver a new 18 metre Taiwanese yacht from Taiwan to Cebu. It was a package deal, the owner supplied airfare and fuel and we supplied crew, food and delivery. My motivation to join Alan, who had the contract, was simply challenge and fun. We left for Taiwan from Manila on the 20th March. The first glitch was that the owner didn't have a passport that had six months validity remaining and so he was denied boarding. A blessing in disguise. Upon leaving Manila Alan and I were told that the boat was ready to sail. This turned out to be far from the truth as the boat had only been put in the water for the first time on the 19th March. The day before we arrived! Needless to say there was much to be done. The auto pilot hadn't been installed, there were scratches on the woodwork, the weather fax didn't work, the port engine had a cracked solenoid, etc. On top of this we had to source tools, drums for additional fuel, spare parts, lube oil, transmission oil etc. We spent 2 days trying to organize the repairs and source what we needed, but finally decided that it would be better to go back to Manila and wait for the boat to be ready. We left the two Filipino crew behind. Did I say two? There was a third Filipino crew member who was appointed by the owner to keep an eye on either us or the boat. We were never sure which. He wasn't a seaman and was nicknamed "the Minder" by Alan. After three days in Manila we hopped on a plane (again) and took off for Kaoshiung. This time it was not a false alarm and we had a busy day of finalizing preparations and buying food. All through the departure process the boat yard was very helpful and chauffeured us all over the place. My only complaint was the lack of charts. Almost a 1,000 nautical miles voyage and only 5 charts. Some of our navigation was postage stamp navigation and I don't see close up as well as I used to. Grocery shopping was an experience as nothing was in English. We were also running out of time. So we quickly bought two shopping carts worth of stuff and sent it off with the driver so that we could enjoy a last night of good food in our favourite Italian restaurant. Next morning early we were up, checked out of the hotel and on board the vessel so that we could be at Customs by 0900. The yard was going to be only too happy to get rid of us. 99% of their boats are delivered as deck cargo on a ship. By the way, this one yard had 22 boats under construction at once. They had their own testing tank big enough to float a 100 ton boat. It was not small operation. The trip to Customs at the other end of the harbor, 5 nautical miles away, showed that everything seemed to be functioning fine. I was still apprehensive about taking a new boat, that had only been in the water for six days, on a voyage of a thousand nautical miles, but then I was there for the adventure so what could I complain about. Cleared Customs, said our goodbyes, after re-bracing the 12 drums (2 tons) of fuel that were mostly lashed to the hand railings, and we were on our way about 1130 in the morning. It was hot. We got as far as the breakwater and were asked by the Customs police to return to port as some papers were supposedly not in order. We turned around and were met half way back by another branch of the harbor authorities thinking that we were not cleared to enter the port. After docking the port authorities realized that we were in fact cleared to depart and so we left for the second time. I had visions of the yard thinking, "Oh s--t, they are back!" The weather on the coast was good, but then we knew that because the weather fax had spat out about a boats length of maps showing us every conceivable facet of the weather projected days ahead. Including ice reports. The trip all the way down to the northern tip of Luzon (Philippines) was uneventful, even boring. I appointed myself cook as no one else did and it was the best way to gain popularity. The Filipinos, who normally set clocks by meal time, didn't stir until I declared dinner was ready. From the northern Luzon coast down almost to Subic Bay the weather was moderate and we were averaging about 11 knots. We had no idea how much fuel this boat would burn so we were doing about 2,000 RPM most of the time. The top end was 2,800 RPM, but anything over 2,200 RPM and the turbines would scream indicating that we were probably sucking a lot of fuel. As it turned out with the fuel gauges on empty the tanks still had about 25% left in them so by the end of the voyage we knew more than we did at the half way point. It was a nice mid-day morning when we cruised into Subic Bay. Our one and only fueling stop. We loaded 964 gallons of fuel at a cost of 13 cents a litre and then went up the road to buy a few items and have lunch. We had sailed without any kind of knife other than a utility knife which became a multipurpose knife, in the engine room one minute and the bread board the next. Sailed from Subic at 1500 full of fuel and water and ran head long into a gale which stayed with us for the next 30 hours. It was not pleasant and Alan and I decided that we were both too old for this stuff any more. I will probably do it again one day. I have a short memory. The hull being fiberglass was not overly rigid and so there was lots of creaking and noise. I had given up sleeping in the owners state room and was able to prop myself on the sofa in the saloon. Neither Alan nor I had more than three hours sleep at one time. We had a couple of bottles of wine, but never got into the spirit of drinking. Of course we navigated as if on a super tanker and never really got closer than a mile or two to anything. Mind you, how can you when you navigate on a postage stamp. At the north end of Cebu the wind & sea died down and it became dead calm. Beautiful clear night and the moon wore a halo. Once in Philippine waters we kept a sharp eye out for payongs, a fish haven floating on the surface and usually made of bamboo, ropes and net. Not nice to run into yet totally unlit or marked. At about the same time the wind died so did the air conditioning units. Sea water pump packed it in and things became warm. We didn't mind because we were only four hours out of our destination. An hour from Cebu the steering failed. The system was 12 volt and the battery charger had baked in the engine room. We steered that last hour using the engines. I might mention that this boat was loaded with Furuno equipment: radar, remote radar in saloon, two depth sounders, auto pilot, GPS with plotter and linked to auto pilot. Unfortunately if any one piece died I think I would have killed the rest. We arrived in Cebu at 0200, docked the boat and left for Alan's house for a short, but comfortable sleep. The next day we cleared immigration and met the owner at the boat. Turned out that the extra lube oil never made it on board, well one litre did, and both new Caterpillar engines had black in the fresh water cooling tank. Obviously a head gasket problem. Imagine if the engines had needed oil on the voyage. This is what happens when you leave the locals to check on stores. After three days the owner has declared to Alan that he wants to sell the boat and is going with Alan to Singapore to look at a new catamaran made by Prout in the UK. It costs US$1.7 mil. Must be nice! Endeavour Presentation to the Bark "Endeavour" On Wednesday, 18th August at 1400 on a magnificent summer dayin Victoria, the Chairman of the British Columbia Branch of TheNautical Institute presented a Nautical Institute plaque to theCaptain Chris Blake, Master of the Bark "Endeavour".Assisting the Chairman with the presentation were, Captain MichelDrouin, Branch Secretary, Captain Zak Farid, Vice-Chairman VancouverIsland and Lieutenant Commander (Ret'd.) Gerald Stanford FNI.The presentation was made in recognition of the role of the "Endeavour"in training and educating people of allages in the traditionalskills of the mariner. The "Endeavour" is a replica of the H.M. Bark "ENDEAVOUR"in which Lieutenant James Cook, of the Royal Navy, sailed on avoyage of exploration and scientific investigation from 1768 to1771. Fairplay 21 March2003 Australians tackle pilot shortage AUSTRALIAN pilots meeting in Brisbane today have agreed to follow up a Australians tackle pilot shortage AUSTRALIAN pilots meeting in Brisbane today have agreed to follow up a proposal to train future pilots from scratch rather than rely on a shrinking pool of masters. A small group of representatives from the Australian Marine Pilots Association, Australian port and ship owner associations and training colleges will formulate training proposals. Although pilots had mixed reactions to the idea of an 'apprentice system', today's meeting broadly accepted the view that action was needed to head off an expected shortfall of experienced maritime personnel, which could cause a recruitment crisis within the next five to seven years. It is likely that maritime educational centres such as the Australian Maritime College in Launceston, Tasmania will be able to develop specific training programmes for pilots. However, it will probably be necessary for candidates to demonstrate an aptitude for pilotage work early in the course. The funding of the training and ensuring candidates receive suitable sea-time experience could prove the more difficult aspects of the initiative. Fairplay 21 March2003 Spring Seminar 1999 The Nautical Institute BC Branch Spring Seminar - "Meteorology andthe Mariner" The Spring Seminar was held at the Pacific Marine TrainingCampus of BCIT on 10th April. Approximately 35 members and guestsattended and enjoyed three extremely interesting presentations. The first presenter was Owen Lange of the Atmospheric EnvironmentalService. His topic was "How Topography Affects the Weather".Owen based his presentation on his recent book, "The WindCame All Ways" - a quest to understand the winds, waves andweather in the Georgia Basin. The second presentation was made jointly by David Luce andBob Cohen of WNI OceanRoutes. They explained the benefits of weatherrouting for ships and surprised many of those in attendance whenthey revealed that they had up to 500 ships under routing at anytime, and serviced approximately 1000 per month. David Batchelor demonstrated the latest version of the computeraided learning program in meteorology developed by Starpath ofSeattle. David demonstrated the principal features of the programbut it was obvious there was a great deal of depth to this program,and that it is a very powerful learning tool. Untitled Document Pity the Poor Pilot. Without any fanfare of publicity thereare ongoing discussions regarding the future of pilotage on theBritish Columbia coast. The Pilotage Review Panel is discussingseveral issues including area specific pilotage, pilot currency,new generation vessels and the integration of the Fraser RiverPilotage. If the members of B. C. Coast Pilots are feeling apprehensive,maybe they can empathize with the following. When a job is well and trulydone Alone you share the glory But if an accident occurs Well!! That's another story. The somnambulic "Heads"awake "It's serious", they all agree. A reputation is at stake The Pilot - Who was he? With fluttering heart andwoeful men The Pilot tells his story. Of course he knows he's not believed That yarn's too old and hoary. "What time was it youpassed the Pile?" They ask with obvious rancor, "Did you go half ahead or half astern Or drop your starboard anchor?" "Of course you didnot do your job, You mulled things very badly. Why not do this - instead of that?" They query rather sadly. The Pilot wilts and staggershome In a lion's den he'd ventured. While in the departmental tome they write "Pilot - Severely Censured". With thanks to Capt. Tony Mortimer who foundthe item in the Australian Marine Pilots Association magazine. Experiences the Western Pacific "Experiencesof The Western Pacific" In the early 70's I was Mate then Master of a small former German"Horn" ship owned by the Gilbert and Ellice Island governmentWholesale Cooperative Society. The ship was called the "Moanaroi"- which translates to something like "Smooth sea". The "Moanaroi" was a very prettyship of about 1,000grt, having two holds, served by two sets of15 ton swl derricks- the reason for which will become apparent. Accommodation was all aft, and includeda dormitory area within a converted part of the #2 hold, becausewe had an all up crew of 28, and frequently carried as many as64 deck passengers. The all white hull was set off with abeautiful painted 'figurehead' on each bow, of a native mermaid.The crew being islanders this was fairly obvious. The whole hadbeen hand painted by our Third Mate - a Gilbertese by the unlikelyname of Joe Kum Kee. Joe was of mixed parentage, and may havebeen the by-product of the Japaneses Second World War invasionof Tarawa. Anyway, other notable characters amongst the crew includedour Ellice island bosun, a chap called Bopoti (pronounced Bobose)) who stopped the Aussie stevedores in their tracks when he demonstratedhow to carry two by two hundredweight bags of copra - one undereach arm, instead of ripping the sacks open with hooks. We alsohad a real character in the form of a self-styled Carpenter calledTokatati (pronounced Tokatass), but more of him later. The voyages of the 'Moanaroi' regularlytook us throughout the 27 islands in the former colony, collectingcopra (and enormous cockroaches) as we journeyed South, for dischargein either Suva or Sydney, where we would backload with generalcargo for Tarawa and the out-lying islands. Tarawa was howeverthe distribution point so a fair bit of double-handling took place.We also had side trips to places such as Espiritu Santo in theNew Hebrides, where we would drop off a "deck cargo"of male plantation workers. Sometimes I could fill up one of ourtwo cargo reefer lockers with a private consignment of avocados,(which were only fed to the pigs in Santo) but which our erstwhileship -chandler in Sydney would sell to fine restaurants -witha percentage for me of course. Another side trip would take us Northof the Colony to Majuro in the Marshall Islands where our Aussiebeef was gratefully received by an Island Group that was veryAmerican in it's culture, being one of the Trust Territories.Majuro was different in a number of ways from the Colony to thesouth, one being the fact that we entered a fairly large lagoon,and actually berthed alongside a wharf. Most other island destinationscould only offer an anchorage. I should just mention here thatnone of the Islands offered even rudimentary pilotage, and hencethe Master was responsible for some fairly hairy pilotage andship-handling of his own. Reef and Atoll islands differ quitea bit in the manner that you approach them - coral heads, steepoutcrops to name but two of many hazards. Back to Majuro. - Howmany reading this will have had the job of collecting freiqhton cargo I wonder?. one or two ex Bank Line perhaps but that isabout all. In Majuro I often had as much as $100,000 (1970 values) being the freight on several tons of beef.Most of this came from small traders by the way, so there wasalways quite a bit of coming and going to the Master's cabin whenwe were in Majuro - one of the reasons why the ship quite legitimatelyhad an issue to the Master of a .45 colt revolver! Another interesting diversion was theinstruction I had to carry out one voyage "To proceed toChristmas Island (Pacific) and load the ship with anything thatI thought could be usefully used" back in Tarawa. You mayremember that this was the Christmas Island used in atomic testing.Difficult to determine therefore what would be un-contaminatedafter all these years, although I did notice there were some verylarge fish caught at the anchorage there, but none of the crewwould eat them. I remember going into the ex RAF officerslounge, and finding all the glasses standing on the bar just asthey had left them, when I believe they were told to evacuatethe Island and to leave things "Just as they are." Anothersight to behold was a warehouse hut stacked floor to ceiling withcoffins - just in case? The more notable things we loaded includeda couple of old Dennis fire trucks (one ambition fulfilled) andseveral vintage motorcycles. More useful material included builderssupplies. A memorable experience. I didn't yet mention the need for ourlarge derricks. The fact was that we carried on deck our own flotillaof small craft - two whalers, two flat bottom boats and one launch.All were about 25-30 feet long. The whalers we used to steer throughthe surf onto an atoll island, place our two tons of produce atthe feet of the islanders, load them up again with bagged copraand float a line through the surf for our launch to tow them backout to deep water. The flat bottoms we used more extensively inshallow water lagoons. As we sometimes made several stops in one day, and because there was government ordinance prohibiting mefrom taking the ship into some lagoons at night, time was occasionallyof the essence, and that's why we had big derricks for the sizeof ship. Have you ever seen a small ship with her anchor aweighbeing chased by a launch and whaler? The winchman skills deployedin snatch-lifting a fully-laden whaler from the open ocean areon a par with anything that you would see on a North Sea oil rig(in winter ). And what about Tokatati you might ask?He was our carpenter remember? Well Tokatati was a good man, butlike many a sailor before him, he always "hung one on"when he returned home to Tarawa, The locals had what they usedto call "island night" - a sort of disco if you will,and of course the seamen and those fortunate enough not to haveto go to sea frequently clashed over the girls. On more than oneoccasion therefore I had to go and bail Tokatati and his palsout of the local police station after a night out. The magistratewas a Welshman, only known as Toby Jug to the locals, becausethat is what he looked like. He had formidable bearing, and avery low opinion of drunken sailors. Came the day when he informedme he would have to lock Tokatati up if he couldn't behave himself,and my protestations that he was always sober at sea were takenwith a pinch of salt. Anyway he let Tokatati off, with a finalwarning. Then a few weeks later I was told that we would be takingToby Jug on a trip around the islands, as a passenger, in hisrole as Circuit Judge of the Crown Colony. He looked at Tokatatitwice when he came onboard, but after about a week actually admittedto me that he seemed likeable enough after all - and that's whenTokatati got his own back. We were at one of those lagoon islandsthat dried out at certain times, and so it was that the un thinkingToby Jug went ashore to hold court. When he looked out at sunsetthere was no water and we were about a mile away at sea. He hadno choice but to request sleeping accommodation off the Islandelders. They fixed him up with a hut, and no sooner had he retiredthan Tokatati threw in a couple of the local girls - and poor old Toby Jug never got over it! Neither did hemention it to me, but for some reason the ship's crew either singularlyor collectively were never criticized by the Beak again. I could go on, but enough of my experiencesfor the moment. Submitted by Captain David Smiley, MNI. Nautical Institute Nautical Institute British Columbia Branch Minutes of the Directors Meeting Monday 13 September 2004 Present: Captain Z. Farid FNI Vice-Chairman (Island) Captain A. Patterson Treasurer Captain J. Steele Secretary Directors: Captain B. Johnston FNI, Captain D. Smiley, Captain R. Smith, Captain J. Lewis, Captain D. Avey, Captain H. Silvester. Regrets received from: Captain S. Bowles FNI, Captain G. Drewery, Captain A. Shard FNI, Lt Cdr. G. Stanford FNI, Captain B. Silvester FNI, Captain J. Clarkson FNI, Captain D. Snider, Captain C. Frappell The Chairman, being unavoidably detained, Captain Farid took the Chair and declared the meeting open at 1656 hours. Item 1: Adoption of the Agenda It was moved by Captain Smiley and seconded by Captain Silvester that the agenda be adopted as printed. Carried Item 2: Minutes of the last meeting It was moved by Captain Patterson and seconded by Captain Smiley that the minutes of the last meeting be approved as published. Carried Item 3: Business Arising from the last meeting Combining A.G.M 2005 with a seminar: Carried over from the May meeting. See item 8 below. Item 4: Treasurer s Report The Treasurer summarized his report by saying that the Branch has a balance of some $1600 in the Credit Union, $4800 with ING, and $5312 in mutual funds. He has one outstanding bill for $1500 for three advertisements in Harbour and Shipping. He noted that this figure is somewhat higher than the $1100 he had been told to expect as there seemed to be a set-up cost of some $350 added to the original figure. Details of his report are included in an annex to these Minutes. Item 5: Fall Seminar Update Captain Patterson and Captain Lewis briefed the meeting as follows: Seven people were signed up so far. This prompted a number of Directors to provide registration cheques to the Treasurer on the spot. The Secretary read a report from Captain Snider, outlining the groups and individuals to whom he has sent the information on the seminar (137 via Bow Wave, 47 to industry, notices in Harbour and Shipping, Mariner Life, Canadian Sailings, Pacific Mariner, SEAWAYS, Duke News and Marine-L news list. ) Captain Patterson added that he has sent fliers to 50 people who have attended our seminars in the past. As to speakers, Captain Patterson has confirmed the Technical Manager of RFD, and has a tentative commitment from Director Fleet Safety, Princess Cruises, as well as Hydroxil. In the event of the cancellation of the latter, he intends to acquire a speaker from Environment Canada. Colin Edwards will speak on Rescue Boats and Release Hooks. He, himself will speak on Liferaft Servicing. Location will be the Royal City Star in New Westminster from 0900 to 1730 hours. It is expected that everyone attending will remain for the whole event and the Directors agreed that finishing at this hour will allow plenty of time to catch the 1900 ferry back to the Island. Captain Lewis reported that in terms of sponsorship, his company would be participating and that he had obtained a commitment from West Tug for $500, TSI for $250. He would be contacting both the Vancouver and Fraser River port authorities on this subject. Captain Smith reported that the Marine Surveyors would sponsor to the amount of $500. Concluding this item, the A/Chairman indicated that the time had come to activate the telephone committees and stated that he would take on the Island. Captains Avey and Johnston agreed to do likewise on the Mainland. Action: Captain Farid Captain Lewis Captain Johnston Captain Avey Item 6: Nautical Institute Command Seminar 2005 The Branch having received an enquiry from NI HQ as to its willingness to help organize and run the 2005 Command Seminar in Vancouver, Captain Patterson was able to provide some background on this initiative, thanks to his work with the NI Finance and General Purposes Committee. Briefly, the Seminar has not been well attended in recent years, and it had been decided to move it out of the UK to attract more attendees as well as show the international aspect of the NI more visibly. Originally, the North American venues considered were Houston and New York, and it was his suggestion that Vancouver or at least Seattle be one of the venues. In simple terms, the event would be dual-hosted with the Branch doing the majority of the organizing, assisted by NIHQ. This would include arranging topics and speakers, sponsorship, assisted by London where necessary. The invitation by NIHQ to do this also included the proviso that if the seminar lost money, the Branch would be to some extent liable to make up the difference. The A/Chairman remarked that this was a very great undertaking, requiring a lot of time and effort to ensure that this prestigious seminar reflected well on both the NI and the Branch. He asked who might spearhead the Branch effort if indeed it was undertaken. Captain Patterson made the suggestion that the timing in the Fall would be suitable for considering the combining of the seminar and a three day cruise in one of the cruise ships based in this area. This would not only attract more participants and possibly their partners, but would take care of accommodations and meals all in one fell swoop. The Directors saw considerable merit in the suggestion. However, after much discussion, it was agreed by all present that there simply was insufficient time to organize all this by the latter part of the summer/ early Fall 2005 with the resources available. Were the NI to consider moving the seminar to 2006, there might be a chance the Branch could do it. It was concluded that since NI HQ had indicated that at least two Branches were willing to go ahead, it might be better to let them take up the challenge and offer our services at a later date. Furthermore, the Directors viewed with concern the possibility of seeing the Branch s hard-earned funds disappearing to make up a deficit and considered that they wished the Branch liability to be limited to $5,000. It was moved by Captain Smiley and seconded by Captain Patterson that NI HQ be informed that the Branch Directors, while fully in support of the principle of moving the Command Seminar to countries other than the UK, considered that there was insufficient time to ensure adequate support in Vancouver in 2005. However, the Branch would wish to be considered for a future seminar beyond that date. Furthermore, the Branch wished to limits its financial liability to a maximum of $5,000. Carried Action: Secretary Item 7: Branch Budgeting Process The Secretary, speaking on behalf of himself and the Treasurer pointed out that some recent events have shown a flaw in the way in which the Branch plans and budgets for its various events. To date, the Treasurer, based on the best information he has, presents a balanced budget proposal at each AGM. It is rarely discussed in any detail, and is passed without amendment. As the year unfolds, the events are planned and executed, with the budget in mind. However, on several occasions, the Directors made policy decisions with financial ramifications without reference to the budget for that particular event. The Secretary mentioned that he was also guilty of incurring expenses for such events as the AGM but without having informed the Treasurer until after the event. In short, the conveyance appears to be well ahead of the equine! The Secretary suggested that this state of affairs can be rectified if budget development includes all those potentially involved in seminar planning, the AGM etc. To do this, much greater forward planning will be required but this may not necessarily be a bad thing. He suggested that an ad hoc committee be struck to develop a timetable that would permit the orderly assembly of the raw data needed by the Treasurer in time for close examination by the Directors before it went to the membership at the AGM. The A/Chairman agreed that this was the most logical step and asked for volunteers. Captain Paterson, Captain Smith and Captain Steele agreed to form the Ad Hoc Committee on the Branch Budget Process. Action: Captain Patterson Captain Smith Captain Steele Item 8: AGM 2005 This item was re-visited as a result of deferral from the May meeting. Captain Smiley opened the discussion by suggesting that for ease of administration and to encourage greater attendance, the AGM should be held in conjunction with the Spring Seminar, and that it should take place the night before to ensure that the seminar is not adversely impacted with respect to the time available. He further suggested that to forestall the concerns of those traveling across the water and incurring accommodation costs, that there be some form of subsidy. After a short discussion concerning timings, it was moved by Captain Smiley and seconded by Captain Lewis that the AGM be combined with the Spring AGM each year. Carried The A/Chairman then directed that the details of how this might be accomplished will be worked out at the next meeting. Action: Secretary Item 9: Spring 2005 Seminar Planning. Not discussed due to lack of time. Item 10: NI Headquarters Request for Salary Data Not discussed due to lack of time. Item 11: Any Other Business None Item 12: Next meeting The next meeting will be at 1700, on Tuesday 12 th October 2004. Captain Frappell is requested to make the usual arrangements for the conference room if he would be so kind. The A/Chairman thanked all present for coming and expressed the opinion that it had been a most fruitful meeting. The ship being now in her berth, it was moved by Captain Silvester that the meeting be adjourned. Carried Submitted by: Approved by: Captain J.K. Steele Captain Z. Farid FNI Secretary A/Chairman Annex A to Minutes of 13 Sep 2004 Directors Meeting. Treasurer s Report September 2004 1) Accounts: The account balances effective 13 Sep were : Maple Ridge Credit Union $1,642.64 ING Direct $4,598.19 Mutual Funds $3,312.59 Total $11,553.42 Change since previous report $226.68 Total interest earned since previous report $26.35 Total interest earned year to date $72.95 Mutual funds experienced a loss of $31.20 during the month due to market corrections. All money on deposit, with one invoice outstanding for $1,585.47 2) Fall Seminar Financial Report Funds received $1,055.00 Costs $1,585.47 Sponsorship received from Westminster Tugs and TSI. Total number of attendees to date is 7 Captain Andy Patterson MNI Treasurer BC Branch Letter to the Editor Letter to the Editor - Amoco Cadiz Dear Ed, I attended the Marine Transportation Workshop sponsored by the Branchon November 17th at SFU Harbour Centre, Vancouver. It was an interestingevent, but I have to bring to the attention of those of our members presentthat a very misleading statement was made by Capt. Bill Nash of TransportCanada, ISM Port State Control. 'Capt' Nash spoke to one of his slides referring to the grounding in1978 of AMOCO CADIZ and sub-standard ships in the same breath. I objectedto that implication and said I thought the VLCC, if not on her maiden voyage, was a fairly new ship and far from being sub-standard. In fact as it later turned out she was four years old and built to ABS Maltese Cross A1 Circle E Oil Carrier. The following day I contacted the Liberian Bureau of Maritime Affairs who kindly offered to send me the Official Interim Report of the Marine Board of Investigation dated 23rd February 1978. Briefly it states:- "The AMOCO CADIZ was a relatively new vessel, built only in 1974 in a Spanish shipyard of high reputation and was equipped with all the most modern aids to navigation, being classed in the highest class of one of the most reputable Classification Societies. She was owned by a company registered in the United States of America and manned by an Italian crew. It is not without significance that three of the deck officers were holders of Masters Licenses both Italian and Liberian and four of the engineer officers held Italian licenses, three with Liberian Chief Engineer's. It soon became clear to the Board that the causes of this lamentable casualty were not to be found in the fact that AMOCO CADIZ happened to fly the Liberian flag, or that she was an ill-equipped or ill-manned vessel." Initially, it was the breakdown of the steering gear which was theprincipal effective cause of the casualty . Events then went from bad toworse. The rudder flopping about broke the bolts and the steering roomhad to be abandoned as too dangerous. An earlier course change to starboardto avoid a Westbound ship which had wrongly entered the Eastbound TrafficLane, put her a mile closer to the shore than would otherwise have been. (The limits of this Lane were subsequently moved further North). Communications with the German salvage tug in English left somethingto be desired. Some dickering took place regarding Lloyds Open Form TheMaster failed to prepare both anchors in sufficient time and eventuallyonly prepared one which then broke the windlass when it grabbed the bottom.Time lost in communicating with head office in Chicago when the Mastershould have been taking the responsibilities of his command. A second andmore powerful salvage tug was 15 miles away heading East when she was requestedto assist, but arrived too late when AMOCO CADIZ took the ground creatingthe biggest oil pollution of French tourist beaches. The Board had to contend with a singular lack of co-operation fromthe French authorities as well as a good deal of hostility from the Frenchmedia. Both Master's were placed under arrest and not allowed to leaveFrance whilst investigations were conducted by the French courts. All documentssaved were impounded and only with difficulty were the Bureau of MaritimeAffairs able to get copies of some of them. Permission for a Liberian Officialto attend the Investigation was refused. It was several months later whenthe two vital witnesses were released that they were able to give evidenceto the Board. In addition to other difficulties the French Radio Stationat Brest persistently refused to release copies of their official recordof radio messages exchanged between the various parties in relation tothis casualty. This was in marked contrast to the British Post Office whoreadily consented to produce those picked up by British Radio Stations.This lack of co-operation on the part of the French authorities was hardlyconsistent with IMCO Resolution A.173 dated 28 November 1968 to which theGovernments of France and Liberia were parties. If your appetite for morein depth information has been whetted, members may request this reportfrom The Office of the Deputy Commissioner of Maritime Affairs, R.L. c/oLiberian Services Inc. Reston International Center, Reston. VA. 22091. Mr.Nash replied to my follow-up email by stating that what he had meant tosay was that the AMOCO CADIZ incident was the fore-runner of the Paris Memorandum on Port State Control. Well, he might have fooled me had I not known something about the casualty, so what the rest of the attendees thought is anybody's guess. Mine being, that probably the great majority came away thinking that the AMOCO CADIZ was in fact a sub-standard vessel. Alan Shard, FNI. Nautical Institute Nautical Institute British Columbia Branch Minutes of the Directors Meeting 14th November 2002 Present: Captain B. M. Johnston FNI Chairman Captain G.B. Drewery MNI Vice-Chairman, Mainland Captain J.K. Steele MNI Secretary Directors: Captain D. Snider MNI Members: Regrets received from: Captains Shard, Patterson, Smiley, Farid, Silvester, Batchelor, Bowles, Avey, Marshall, Lewis, Kitching and Lt Cdr. Stanford. There being a quorum, the Chairman called the meeting to order at 1701 hours. Item 1: Adoption of the Agenda It was moved by Captain Drewery and seconded by Captain Snider that the Agenda be adopted as written. Carried Item 2: Minutes of the last meeting The Chairman tabled correspondence that he had been dealing with as follows: Receipt of letters from Transport Canada and Coast Guard replying to the Branch request for sponsorship of Captain Farid to CMAC in Ottawa. Both replies were in the negative. The despatch of a paper outlining the Branch position on Light Characteristics on Charts to CHS that resulted from Captain Farid s work in this area. The despatch of a letter of thanks to Mr. Ron Parkinson for the use of the facilities at the Institute of Ocean Sciences for the Fall Seminar. The Chairman indicated that he had used the opportunity of the President s visit to speak to him about the Branch concerns with respect to SEAWAYS and to hand over our letter personally. It was moved by Captain Snider and seconded by Captain Drewery that the Minutes of the last meeting be approved as written. Carried Item 3: Business Arising from the last meeting These matters were dealt with under the previous item. Item 4: Treasurer s Report The Secretary tabled the Treasurer s report which is as follows: Seminar All receipts are on deposit and bills have been paid for the facility and catering. Outstanding bills are expected for the presenter gifts. For future seminars, suggestions: Held on a weekday Assign an audio/visual expert to run the toys. Bank Balance All outstanding bills paid except seminar gifts and Capt. Farid s Ottawa expenses. Capt. Andy Patterson Treasurer. The Directors viewed with satisfaction the Treasurer s Report and discussed his recommendations for future seminars. It was decided that these issues would be better dealt with at a meeting with more Directors present and when plans were being discussed. Item 5: Seminar Debrief It was the considered opinion of those present that the seminar was a great success, both from the point of content and the location. If anything, the panel could perhaps be scheduled for two hours in the future to allow for participants to become more involved. The organizers, Captain Smiley, Captain Lewis and Captain Patterson are to be congratulated for a job well done. Item 6: Log Tow Lighting The Directors, having reviewed the report of the Transport Canada Working Group circulated earlier by the Secretary, were of the opinion that the recommendations in it to amend the Canadian Modifications to the Collision Regulations were worthy of support. Captain Snider pointed out that a Victoria based industry, Carmanah Technologies, has developed some excellent self-charging lights which would be ideal in this situation and wondered if Carmanah was aware of this issue. The Chairman directed that a letter be drafted for his signature, supporting the Working Group s recommendations and that the Secretary speak to Carmanah and ensure that they were aware of this initiative. Action: Secretary. Item 7: Branch Web Site Some Directors reported difficulty opening some of the Web Site pages and had been contacted by non-members on this issue as well. The Secretary suggested that better communications with the membership might be accomplished if the Minutes of the monthly meetings were available on the Web Site, rather than only circulated to people who were generally at the meeting anyway. Captain Snider reminded the meeting that these issues had been discussed when the whole question of a Branch Web Site was discussed some time ago. It had always been intended that the Web Site fulfill a major communications function, but through pressure of business he and the Web Master had been unable to ensure this occurred. As editor of Bow Wave , he was most anxious to improve this situation. To this end, he volunteered to contact Captain Bowles and progress this initiative. Captain Drewery offered his assistance in sharing the workload and suggested that there might be consideration for a mail box on the Web Site and that the Secretary should be given the responsibility for ensuring replies were made to any and all inquiries. Action: Captain Snider Item 8: General Operator Certificate Course and NPES Contributions The Secretary reported having received notification from Captain Kitching to the effect that he will donate some of the funds charged by his company for this course to the NPES. As it is assumed that Captain Kitching would wish this information to be widely disseminated, the meeting considered how best this might be accomplished. Captain Snider pointed out that the widest distribution would be via the Bow Wave , but at the moment there is a policy of no advertising in it. He personally, saw no reason to exclude this source of revenue that might be generated by our newsletter but he would need direction from the Board on this matter. The Chairman considered the matter required consideration by a larger number of Directors and asked the Secretary to raise the issue at a subsequent meeting. Action: Secretary Item 9: Fund Raiser The meeting considered a number of points raised in an E-mail from Captain Smiley. Thanks to Ron Parkinson-letter sent Sponsorship by AMSBC-noted for future events Kursk video screening- an innovative idea that could be simple to implement and could raise the visibility of the Branch in both Vancouver and Victoria. Captain Snider suggested that if this is successful it might lead to monthly events open to the public in which members might make a series of presentations based on their experiences, either current or from their time before the mast. The Chairman concurred and suggested that this proposal should be further developed at the next meeting. Action: Secretary Item 10- Any Other Business The Secretary informed the meeting that he had discovered through reading the Canada Gazette that a Branch member had recently been elevated to the Order of Canada. Captain Michel Pouliot, recently retired President of the International Pilots Association is now an Officer of the Order. During CMAC, Captain Farid had taken the opportunity of being with Captain Pouliot to offer the congratulations of the Branch. Captain Pouliot expressed delight that we had noted this event and thanked those members present in Ottawa for their kind wishes. The Chairman reported having received a draft regulation as part of Transport Canada s reform of the Sewage Pollution Regulatory Reform Process. Interested parties are invited to comment and it is the Chairman s wish that Directors review this document and bring their ideas to the next meeting. A copy of this document is attached to these Minutes. Action : All Sartorial Note: The Secretary reported receipt of red NI ties from London if any member is in need of one. Cost $15.00 Item 11: Next Meeting The next meeting will be in the same place and at the same time on Thursday, 12 th December 2002. The ship being safely in her berth, it was moved by Captain Snider that the meeting be adjourned. Carried Submitted: Approved Captain J.K. Steele - Secretary Captain B. M. Johnston- Chairman The Nautical Institute The Nautical Institute BC Branch Fall Seminar "Ship Safety & Environmental Seminar" October 26, 2002 - Victoria B.C On 26th October, the B.C. Branch held its second annual Safety and Environment Seminar at the Institute of Ocean Sciences (IOS), Patricia Bay, just north of Victoria. It was a resounding success In his opening address, the Chairman, Captain Brian Johnston welcomed Captain Robbie Middleton, noting that this is the second year that we have been privileged to have the President with us for this seminar. In his remarks, Captain Middleton pointed out that he is no stranger to the B.C. Coast having first visited in the 1960 s and then worked from Vancouver regularly. He congratulated the members in having such an active Branch and encouraged them to recruit more members, particularly the younger generation serving at sea. The Branch should also look at the Eleven Strategies of the NI with a view to focussing the Branch s energies on one or more of them. The seminar then received a most informative demonstration by Mr Ian Glen of PMT Fleet Technologies on the subject of ship evacuation research. Through the use of both volunteers and computer simulation, his company can show evacuation patterns for passengers, potential choke points, counterflows and most importantly, the time taken to reach the nearest lifesaving appliance. Urgent business prevented the attendance of the speaker from SMIT Americas and Captain David Smiley stood in, presenting their material including a description of the ROLS (Remote Offloading System). This has been used with great success in removing liquid cargo from sunken vessels such as the chemical tanker 'Ivoli Sun' before it has a chance to leak, causing a much larger environmental problem. Even double hulls are no problem to the ROLS. Captain Smiley then concluded the SMIT Americas presentation with a video made by Mammoet-SMIT of the raising of the Russian submarine Kursk . This surely must rank as one of the most challenging salvage operations ever undertaken and the blend of superb organization, continuous innovation and hard work was clearly evident in the video. The next speaker, Mike Gardiner of Acklands Grainger, brought the seminar up to date on improvements to self contained breathing apparatus used in fire fighting. It was most interesting to hear that as of this year, all new SCBA will be fitted with a heads up display in the mask indicating the amount of air left in the cylinder as well as nose clips to prevent CO 2 build up in the face-piece. Mike also briefed on an alarm device that is triggered if the SCBA wearer stops breathing for 18 seconds. The base station is alerted of the problem and which specific wearer is in trouble, a key piece of information if two or more teams are attacking a shipboard fire. We were fortunate to have one of our members, Captain Mike Cormier, the Harbourmaster of the Port of Vancouver with us to provided a very thorough briefing on the complex and challenging task of increasing security at the port. Clearly, there will be initiatives taken on many fronts, some of which are as simple as perimeter fencing and some as technically sophisticated as the Mobile Vehicle and Cargo Inspection System for scanning containers with a gamma ray system. With a throughput of 114 million TEU s per year, this process has to be both efficient and fast. After lunch, Mr Paul Slattery of Mustang Survival spoke on recent advances in lifejackets and survival suits, pointing out that person using inflatable boats account for 50% of all lifejackets (PFDs) worn, a testament to their popularity. He described the challenges in the ongoing struggle to persuade people on the water to wear lifejackets and the efforts being made to provide attractive, comfortable and affordable products. His model of the latest in Working Dry Suits was greatly admired. The presentations concluded with Captain Joachim Ruether, Branch member speaking on the Hatecke Freefall Lifeboats. He gave a most interesting insight into the company and the development of this method of abandoning ship. Several members had experience of the use of this type of lifesaving appliance and were able to describe the sensation of dropping 25 metres into the sea, without any visual reference at all! The Seminar concluded with a panel chaired by the President, discussing the pros and cons of various types of lifesaving appliances. Given the broad range of experience represented by those present, opinions were readily given and taken. If there was any regret expressed, it was that this item was all to short in order to close the seminar at the appointed hour. In closing, the President congratulated the Branch on the seminar and stated that this sort of event was what the NI is all about. He repeated his challenge to the Branch to take on one or more of the NI Strategies and wished the Branch well in the future. The thanks of all who attended must go to the organizers, Captain David Smiley, Captain Andy Patterson and Captain John Lewis for a very enjoyable and well-organized event. Nautical Institute Nautical Institute British Columbia Branch 15 th Annual General Meeting Minutes of the 15th Annual General Meeting Held at the Grand Hotel, Nanaimo, B.C. on Saturday 20th March 2004 Members Present: 25 Proxies: 6 At 1035, Captain Stan Bowles FNI, opened the meeting with a warm welcome to all present. He observed that the Branch is now approaching 15 years old and that much has been accomplished in that time. He then went on to point out that our success has been due in no small part to the efforts of those who freely give of their time and talents to ensure that the Branch is a visible entity in the marine industry. He then thanked the Board of Directors and in particular those members who work hard at maintaining the delivery of first class seminars on a regular basis. Special mention was made of the sterling work of Captain Andy Patterson, the Treasurer who maintained the checks and balances of the Branch's financial wellbeing. In conclusion, he noted that business is what the AGM is all about and that it was now time to hear reports from those tasked with Branch operation. He stated that he believed that we have had a successful year and are on a roll. However, much remains to be done. Secretary's Report The Hon Sec, Captain Jim Steele reported on his work during the year just passed and expressed some concern that communications with members of the Branch were not as they should be. This is partly because there seems to be no satisfactory method of determining exactly who are members. Those who join apply directly to London and are presumably accepted. A notification appears in SEAWAYS in due course with the Branch affiliation noted. However, the Branch is not informed of the details of the new member in terms of address and telephone number etc. This has caused some new members to feel unwelcome as no one contacts them from the Branch. However, as their details are unknown, this is hardly surprising. Furthermore, the Secretary pointed out that the response from members to the invitation to the AGM is also cause for concern. His mailout to 131 potential attendees resulted in 6 envelopes returned by the Post Office, 8 regrets and 18 acceptances. This hardly constitutes staying in communication with members. The Secretary indicated that it is his intention to work on improving this situation in the year to come. On a brighter note, the Secretary reported that the past year had resulted in the raising to Fellow status Captain David Whitaker of Vancouver. Furthermore, he had great pleasure in pointing out that one of our lady members. Ms T. Edwards had advanced her certification qualifications to merit full Member status from AMNI. (Secretarial Note: The Secretary deeply regrets that by an oversight he omitted to mention that Captain David Snider MNI , the Branch Communications Director, was the runner-up for the Lloyd s/Nautical Institute Shipmaster of the Year Award this year and that Captain Mike Fothergill of Nanaimo has also been appointed a Fellow. The Secretary offers his apologies to the gentlemen concerned.) He mentioned the monthly Directors meetings that occur aboard one of the BC Ferries vessels and invited all members to attend and observe their Board of Directors in action. One meeting this past year had been held via email and had proved successful, although this was not an ideal method where extensive discussion was needed. In concluding, he asked that a motion to approve the Minutes of the last AGM be made. It was moved by Captain Smiley and seconded by Captain Vale, that the Minutes of the 14th Annual General Meeting be approved. Carried. Treasurer's Report The Hon Treasurer, Captain Andy Patterson reported that the Branch had enjoyed a sound financial year as a result of changing financial institutions and excellent sponsorship levels for our seminars. In reviewing the details of the 2004 Budget that he was proposing, Captain Patterson pointed out that as a result of the Directors' decision to waive the registration fee for the AGM, there will be no revenue for this event where he had originally expected some $700. The Spring seminar on Marine Security was presently in a loss situation with only 25 people signed up so far. He reminded everyone that the 24th March was the deadline for early bird registration. He went on to report that the annual subvention from NI HQ had been received and thanks to a favorable exchange rate, the Branch had banked $2300. It was moved by Captain Johnston and seconded by Captain Drewery that the 2004 Budget be approved. Carried Webmaster's Report Captain Richard Smith, the webmaster for the Branch reported that the website has had some 5000 hits so far and is showing considerable activity. Members will soon see changes to the cosmetics of the site designed to encourage them to revisit from time to time. He asked that if members found their details on the membership page incorrect to call him to make appropriate changes and to let the Secretary know as well. To keep the site interesting, Captain Smith requested articles and pictures from members as often as possible. He stressed that articles should not be lengthy as this usually nullifies their value. His plans for 2004 include contacting other sites such as the Chamber of Shipping, to establish links to our website. He asked for feedback on the site, especially those items that should be removed and replaced when stale. Captain Turpin asked if it was possible to advertise nautical training on the website and he was told that the Branch policy has been that if the item will potentially generate revenue, then the Branch would ask for a small financial contribution toward the cost of keeping the site going. General information is considered to be a service to the marine community and would not be charged for. Election of Officers and Directors The Chairman and Board of Directors then stepped down. Captain Fothergill, as the Nominations Chairman, then took the Chair and informed the meeting of the slate of Officers and Directors proposed for the coming year. They are as follows: Chairman: Captain S. W. Bowles FNI Vice-Chairman (Mainland): Captain G.B. Drewery MNI Vice-Chairman (Island): Captain Z. Farid FNI Treasurer: Captain A. S. Patterson MNI Communications Director: Captain D. Snider MNI Secretary: Captain J. K. Steele MNI Directors Captain A. Shard FNI (Hon Life Director) Lt Cdr G. Stanford FNI Captain B. Silvester FNI Captain B. Johnston FNI Captain J. Clarkson FNI Captain D. Smiley MNI Captain R. Smith MNI Captain C. Frappell MNI Captain J. Lewis MNI Captain D. Avey MNI Captain A. Lee MNI Captain H. Silvester MNI Captain Fothergill asked for a motion to elect this slate of officers and directors. Captain Vale made the motion which was seconded by Captain (N) Greenwood. Carried The new Chairman, Captain Bowles, then took the Chair for the remainder of the meeting. Commenting on the new slate, he explained that it had been the wish of the past Board that Lt Cdr Stanford's long and outstanding contribution to the Branch be recognized and it was proposed that this could be accomplished by making him an Honorary Life Director. This position had been created within the Branch some years ago and it was entirely within the purview of the membership to make this appointment. Captain Bowles moved that Lieutenant Commander Gerry Stanford be elected as an Honorary Life Director of the British Columbia Branch of the Nautical Institute in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the wellbeing of the Branch and the nautical profession in general. This motion was seconded by Captain Shard. Carried. Nautical Professional Education Society of Canada Report. As Captain Whitaker, the Secretary/Treasurer of the NPESC was unable to be present, Captain Brian Johnston read his report to the meeting. In essence, Captain Whitaker's report cited another busy year for the Society. with an appeal to members to forward their dues to him if they have not already done so. As he pointed out, the Society needs to continue adding to the funds it has invested with the two Foundations in order to generate awards that keep pace with the costs of education. The Society would also like to create new scholarships if possible because there is certainly no shortage of need for them. Copies of the NPESC newsletter "SEATIMES" were circulated so that members could read the details of the winners of the scholarships and to see the new entrants into our profession receiving credit for their efforts. In answer to a question from the floor, Captain Johnston introduced Captain Avey as the Branch's representative to the Maritime Coalition on Education which is sponsored by the Western Marine Community and the Chamber of Shipping. Captain Avey gave a brief overview of the Task Force that has been assembled to look at the needs for the west coast marine industry in terms of trained personnel over the next decade or so. It appears that there will be significant shortages of senior shore managers in all sectors of the industry unless something is done and done soon to bring more people into the industry and to persuade them to stay. He invited those interested to attend a seminar on these Human Resources issues that has as its aim making key managers aware of both the potential problem and the work of the Task Force. Branch Business Plan At the request of the Chairman, the Secretary introduced this item by explaining that the Board of Directors had decided that to ensure that the Branch resources match its goals and aims there needed to be a Branch Business Plan. This would contain, inter alia, the goals for the short, medium and long term in terms of projects to be undertaken by the Branch. It would become standard procedure for the membership to review the accomplishments of the past year at each AGM and approve the projects for the coming year. In this way, it was hoped that the Branch's progress could be measured and value for effort determined. The Secretary stressed that the projects listed in the draft Plan that the meeting had before it were only suggestions that had been inserted for discussion purposes and the membership should decide whether they wanted to do all, some or none of them when deciding to approve the Business Plan. He pointed out that the members of the Branch were in the best position to make this decision, knowing their own work schedules. Captain B. Silvester pointed out that a medium term project that might be of merit was the exploration with colleges and universities the question of credit for holding higher certificates of competency. When mariners might choose to further their academic education, holding a Master Mariner's qualification and with years of experience, should entitle them to some academic credits perhaps. Some members reported having achieved this on a personal basis in South Africa and the UK and suggested that it would be most appropriate to explore this matter with Canadian academic institutions. Captain Ruether pointed out that the short-term projects chosen for the draft Business Plan all fell within the mandate of the Branch and indeed the Nautical Institute in general and should therefore be embarked upon without delay. It was moved by Captain B. Silvester and seconded by Captain Farid that the BC Branch Business plan be adopted as written with the addition of one medium term project as discussed above. (Copy attached) Carried. Guest Speaker The Harbourmaster for the Port of Nanaimo being unable to come at the last moment to make a presentation, the Chairman prevailed upon Captain Alan Shard FNI, one of the Branch founders to speak informally on his recent trip in RMS "Queen Mary 2" on her maiden voyage. Captain Shard's first -hand account of the trip from Southampton across the Atlantic in this remarkable vessel was fascinating, particularly for members who remember the halcyon days when transatlantic travel resulted in one's arrival relaxed, refreshed and ready for whatever was to follow; a contrast from to-day's state of dehydration, severe leg cramp and an internal disorder! Captain Shard's sharp eye noticed a great deal and he was able to provide a mariner's view of the ship and to answer many questions concerning her layout, lifesaving equipment, manning, security procedures etc, Any Other Business Captain Farid reminded the meeting that this year and the next one are very important years at CMAC as the reforms based on the new Canada Shipping Act are discussed. It is most important that any members with concerns get in touch with him as the Branch representative at the meeting. Chairman's Closing Remarks The Chairman voiced his disappointment at the small numbers who turned out, but considered that the content of the meeting has been excellent with a lot of work accomplished. The AGM is not just the conclusion of a year's work but provides an insight into the wider issues with which the Branch deals. He expressed hope that all the members were happy with what the Branch is doing and the plans for the future. He concluded by thanking Captain Frappell for organizing the meeting venue and making the arrangements for transporting the Mainland contingent to and from the ferry terminal. There being no further business, it was moved by Captain B. Silvester that the meeting be adjourned. Carried. Submitted by: Captain J.K. Steele MNI - Secretary Approved by: Captain S. W. Bowles FNI - Chairman Notice of Annual General Meeting Notice of Annual General Meeting Date: Saturday March 20th 2004 Location: The Grand Hotel, Nanaimo (4898 Rutherford Road - East of the Old Island Highway, just North of Long Lake and across the road from the Rutherford Shopping Mall The meeting will be open for registration from 10:00 am and will be called to order at 10:30 am. A buffet lunch will be served after the business of the Branch has been concluded. The meeting will then hear a presentation by Captain Pitcher, the Harbourmaster of The Port of Nanaimo on the development plan for the port. Kindly advise the Secretary, Captain James K. Steele, of your attention to attend by either:- a)