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“The postings on this site are my own and don't represent Maersk Group's position, strategies or opinions. All views are my own”
No longer any need to use the Internet Explorer or run the Internet Explorer rendering engine. I gave up IE after the introduction of Internet Explorer 11
  Page is tested in Fire Fox, Chrome and Safari. Looks like it works OK in all browsers, except the sounds in Safari. Of course, browsing www.aladdin.st in Safari on an iPad is a different story, nothing looks as it should   Friday 26th of July 2013 and as token of appreciation for the CLICK we start Part-4 with a picture of our 4th Engineer. We were in the Sea of Marmara when I came on the bridge at 8 and  we had left the Pilot behind. We had about 6 hours to go to the Bosporus entrance in Istanbul. So I expected a day time transit of the Bosporus with plenty pictures. And I would start the ballast exchange during the evening.
I was farting along in the TSS towards Istanbul when I heard Marmara VTS calling a ship on the VHF. They asked what their problem was. - No problem Seems like the TS wasn't satisfied with the answer and they asked about any problem with the engine or steering gear. - No everything is working fine, we will be a Bosporus in a few hours. Now it sounded like the guy at the VTS lost his temper. - What are you doing, is everything working well? - Yes - You are stopped in the VTS, and you are crossing the VTS - We are changing course trying to get contact with the satellite - YOU ARE IN A VTS!!!! I called Marmara VTS 2 hours before arrival and they told me that we had to go to the drifting  area, no transit until midnight and all my plans turned to 
I changed our course a wee bit to starboard to get out of the TSS so we could be drifting during the day. And we were not alone waiting for the North bound convoy to the Black Sea. I went on deck with Pump Man after lunch and we tried to fix a sensor for the ballast tank. We had a new sensor but it was not the same and our Pump Man went to look for another sensor card and I went for a power nap during the afternoon. Our 2nd Officer got started about the Marabou Aladdin chocolate at dinner and he went to get a  box in our Cook's fridge.
- We will come to the bridge at 8! - That's the spirit They started to call the ships drifting around us around 9 o'clock. The first ship was told to be at the Pilot station at 02:00 and the continued with the other ships, all ships to be at the Pilot station with 10 minutes interval. Then there was a giant lap between 03:10 something and us. We were disappointed, well, not me because I will be sleeping by then (  Hopefully)
- Richard Maersk, be at the Pilot station at 4 o'clock.  Marabou Aladdin chocolate moment on the bridge
 Marabou Aladdin chocolate moment on the bridge
They brought postcards from Novorossiysk to show me their home town
 Marabou Aladdin chocolate moment on the bridge
They brought postcards from Novorossiysk to show me their home town
 Marabou Aladdin chocolate moment on the bridge
They brought postcards from Novorossiysk to show me their home town
Our 2nd Officer told me that his nephew had arranged for 3 litres of honey for the arrival. - So what have you brought him? I asked - Nothing, never mind  I could not believe my ears, here we have a guy that reacted “prompt” when he heard about our need of good quality honey. Our 2nd Officer told us that the best honey in the world comes from Novorossiysk. Well, he has obviously never been to Sweden.
Never mind, I can see his little nephew carrying a drum of this year’s honey around town just because he heard of our urge for honey. I had expected our 2nd Officer to arrange some gifts for him, but nothing. So our hero had to take care of it by himself.  We're steaming towards Novorossiysk and the Nephew with full speed
Our 2nd Officer couldn't care less about gifts
 We're steaming towards Novorossiysk and the Nephew with full speed
Our 2nd Officer couldn't care less about gifts
 But someone cares...
 ... our hero
 Our Hero goes to arrange some gifts at his secret stash
Yes, he have to hide it or our 2nd Officer would have finished the Aladdin chocolate a long time ago
 Our returns with a box of Aladdin chocolate
 You know where to kick him if he tries to sell the Aladdin chocolate to you
+++++++++++++++
Saturday 27th of July 2013 and we were out of Bosporus when I came to relieve our new 2nd Officer for breakfast. He went for a quick breakfast and I was soon in the CCR starting our  ballast water exchange.
We need to exchange our ballast water before arrival to Novorossiysk, brackish water in the Black Sea and they will check the water at arrival. Very easy to see if we have done the exchange. If the density is 1.025 (SW) we have not changed the water. The water should be around 1.015 in the Black Sea. We checked the first tank and the density was 1.011 so they must obviously have been a lot of rain around here lately. But I was happy with  the result and we could continue with the next pair of ballast tanks.
So I'm in my office listening to music filling up ballast water logs and the rest of our crew is continuing to chip and paint the  flanges on our pipes on deck
I had been on deck checking a few important things and I ran in to our 4th Engineer on the way back to my office. He stopped in the middle of the stairs. - Hey Chief! Take a picture - WHAT!!?? - Take a picture of me It is not like I have millions of extra hours with nothing to do, but he had clicked and this will of course have to pay off.  - OK, I can take a picture
 DB# 3 is full again
 DB# 3 is full again
 And now we have to check the density
 And now we have to check the density
 And now we have to check the density
 And now we have to check the density
 Water density 1.013
DB# 3 was almost empty when we approached a rain shower and the painting and chipping  stopped on deck. But we were soon having sun shine again and the crew could continue the chipping. I started to fill DB 3P/S again just before 3 o'clock and I went to my cabin to update my web page. This tanks will hopefully be ready around 4 o'clock and then the DB #4 will be ready around 7. Yes, my rest hour will be red again.
Ballast tanks #3 started to overflow around 16:25 and we went to check the density, it was 1.013 and we continued with ballast tanks #4. DB 1 and 5 will be done by the FLOW THROUGH method. I had my dinner and #4 ballast tanks were empty 5 minutes before 7 and I expect 90 minutes to fill the tanks. So I will be a wee bit late for my evening watch
+++++++++++++++
Sunday 28th of July 2013 and my alarm went off at 9 thirty. We had advanced ships time during the night so it was like 8 thirty. I put my alarm to 11 and I continued my well needed sleep. I was  not thoroughly rested at 11 but  I was feeling better than I did at 9 thirty.
I went for lunch at 12 and I had a chat with Pump Man on the way to the mess room. We will check the water density in the last ballast tanks after lunch. And then of course, to fill up the ballast reports. Today we had warm lunch, thanks to my “discussion” with our Cook yesterday. It is not good enough to come for a meal and the food is ice cold. The crew was happy about the changes. And of course, I had a pot of tea to go with the lunch. I'm on diet so I didn't had any ice cream, but the rest of the guys had ice cream. I went on deck  with our Pump Man to check our ballast water and the density was between 1.010 and 1.011 so our ballast water exchange had been successful.
We started our IG plant for an hour to pop up the pressure in our tanks before arrival and while we did this I filled up the ballast water exchange reports, 1 copy for me and 1 copy for the  Russian authorities that we expect at arrival to Novorossiysk.
I can't remember ever having any problem with documents and shit when I came to the old Soviet Union, but today. They look at expiry dates on the chocolate hoping to find something. Of course millions to be paid in fines if something is a day or two old. But of course, a million dollar is soon turned in to a carton of cigarettes.  We are starting the IG plant in the afternoon
I ran the IG for an hour and when we stopped the IG plant I went to my cabin to watch a DVD, the first DVD I have had the time for since I joined the ship. And, well, I had my 2 last Marabou  Schweizernöt while watching the movie.
I tried to get some sleep after the movie and I had expected to fall asleep without any problem after two Schweizernön. But I failed and I went to the mess room for dinner. I was still full so it was mostly for the company. Some sweet corn and tea before I returned to my cabin. I went to see our 2nd Officer and I had to go to the bridge, we were approaching Novorossiysk and he was on the bridge wing taking pictures. He told me about some pictures he had been taken when we had passed the Bosporus the other  day. He showed me the pictures on the camera and we went to my  cabin to check them out on my computer.
He told me that this was some “ONCE IN A LIFE TIME” pictures. I told him that I could put them on my web page with a LIKE clicker and he would soon know exactly how “ONCE IN A LIFE TIME” the pictures were.  - YES PLEASE!!
  Passing Istanbul on the Bosporus on the way to Novorossiysk
Picture by our 2nd Officer
 Passing Istanbul on the Bosporus on the way to Novorossiysk
Picture by our 2nd Officer
 Passing Istanbul on the Bosporus on the way to Novorossiysk
Picture by our 2nd Officer
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
we were dropping our anchor when I came up on the bridge at 8 o'clock. It was a beautiful evening and we had plenty ships anchored around us waiting to come alongside. Our berthing prospects is for 1 o'clock in the morning, not a very good time. Our new 2nd Officer had called his mother and she had been speakingwith the Agent. - Earliest tomorrow. Our Chief Engineer talked with his son on the phone. He has a company and he deliver stuff to some construction in the port and he said that we would be alongside on the 31st. Well, we will have to see and as usual our Agent has come up with ZIP.  Novorossiysk Anchorage
 Novorossiysk Anchorage
 Novorossiysk Anchorage
 Novorossiysk Anchorage
+++++++++++++++
Monday 29th of July 2013 and I was enjoying my tea and the nice weather when I discovered our new 2nd Officer at the pool. He was obviously enjoying himself
- Some people have no worries in the world As this was not enough he was soon in the door to the bridge. - Fer foocks sake! Get dressed, I'm enjoying my tea! He was soon gone and I could attend to my super important things. Can't say that time passed quickly, it was quite tedious but suddenly at 9 thirty. Novorossiysk Port Control called me on the VHF CH 09. This was totally unexpected and I wondered what the f**k they wanted.  No worries in the world at Novorossiysk Anchorage
 No worries in the world at Novorossiysk Anchorage
 No worries in the world at Novorossiysk Anchorage
 They asked us to prepare our engine and heave up our anchor. They asked me to call them on the VHF when our engine was ready. So I called the engine department and asked them to get our engine ready for action.  - We're going alongside
 - We will soon have the engine up and running
- That's the spirit!
We started with the pre arrival checklist and the engine was ready at 10 o'clock and we went forward to heave up the anchor. Our 2nd Officers from Novorossiysk were jumping up and down in excitements. Well, at least I imagine so, they were most likely sleeping. When we called our 2nd Officer for stand-by he came on the bridge. He asked why I hadn't called him before, he needed to call his dad so he could be on the breakwater taking pictures of us entering the port. He was on the fo'c's'le when we entered the port of Novorossiysk and he called the bridge on the radio. He wanted them to use the horn to great his dad. But the Pilot told Captain that it was not allowed to use the horn. - Fine... Problem.... Misunderstand.... Big Problem.... Not allowed.... Big fine....  Heaving up the anchor ready to leave Novorossiysk Anchorage
 Taking up extra lose ropes on the poop deck for arrival to Novorossiysk
 Taking up extra lose ropes on the poop deck for arrival to Novorossiysk
 Port of Novorossiysk
 Novorossiysk
Well, horn or not, our 2nd Officer was at least delirious with anticipation to meet his parents, sister and nephew. He was talking about honey and Russian chocolate and he disappeared at 4 o'clock to meet a disappointed nephew. His parents had a pass to get on board to visit, but as his sister and nephew had a different family name they ran in to trouble getting permission to come on board. So the nephew was at least  to say disappointed, he had been looking forward to come on board to meet Mr. A and to get a chance to end up on aladdin.st.
And our 2nd Officer was furious when he left the ship at 4 o'clock in the afternoon. I had been busy all afternoon doing a new cargo plan, changed load orders and we had to wait for confirmation from Handytankers before we could start loading. It was 19:42 before we could start and our new 2nd Officer asked if I could cover for him while he went to pick up his mother at the gate. - No worries He left and he was back after 30 minutes or so. And as the gentleman he is he carried all the bags, filled with gifts when they came back.  Some special cake from Novorossiysk
 - WHAT ABOUT MY DIET!! Russian chocolate
- HEY! I'M ON DIET!! The best, fresh straw berries and raspberries with (Swedish?) ice cream
 Never mind the diet!! Of course, a picture for remembrance
There was some cake, a speciality from Novorossiysk and chocolate and there was nothing stopping our new 2nd Officer, he went on and on about this chocolate.  - Yeah-yeah blah-blah, we see about that
I was just about to go back to my cabin when he told me that I had to stay, his mother had brought fresh straw berries and fresh raspberries with: - Russian ice cream, the best in the world! - Russian ice cream best in the world!! What are you on? Russian ice cream, what is that, paper pulp straight from the freezer?
- Hang on! I will go to arrange fresh straw berries and rasp berries with ice cream - OK, but the Russian ice cream isn't going to make me jump up and down in excitements, I said. He came back with some bowls brimmed with berries and ice cream and I was at east to say sceptical. I still remember the glass of apple juice I ordered in the old Soviet Union. They brought me a glass of something reminded me of slime or snot. - What the  Did you sneeze in my glass? 
I tried the ice cream - What the is this? Reminded me of Ängelholms glass, the best ice cream in the world.
- Are you sure this is Russian ice cream? This was the best in a very long time, and I haven't had fresh raspberries for many many years.  Hmm, this was some very excellent ice cream and I had emptied the bowl in 0.5 and I returned to my cabin. But first our new 2nd Officer had to take a picture of me and his mother. I opened the chocolate box straight away when I was back in my cabin. I finished half the  box and I was full of agony and I felt bad. My diet was for sure down the drain.
It was just after 10 o'clock in the evening when our 2nd Officer called me. - My nephew is on board in 10 minutes and you have to come down here to meet my family
His nephew expected to meet Aladdin and I went down to the CCR and they came on board 10 minutes later and I think his nephew was more scared than excited the firs few seconds. Aladdin is  for sure looking better and younger on picture. But  as soon as you get used....
Well, he brought a drum of honey and I don't think we will be able to finish all that honey before it is time to sign off. His nephew brought me one of those Russian dolls, matruiskiya or whatever they call them. Will be a nice remembrance from Novorossiysk. Our 2nd Officer had some Russian chocolate and he tried to convince me that it was the best chocolate in the world. - Isn't it good? - Good? It is chocolate and all chocolate are more or less good. A Snickers is good, but there is nothing special with it like. Schweizernöt or Aladdin chocolate, that's something special. And we were eating Aladdin chocolate and no one touched the Russia chocolate. Well, except for out 2nd Officer. I was eating this chocolate with loud noises. - Mmmmm this is the best chocolate. He did a bad job trying to convince us, we could all see that he wanted to eat Aladdin chocolate.  A picture for remembrance
 A picture for remembrance
 A picture for remembrance
 Our 2nd Officer trying to convince us that the Russian chocolate is the best
Our 2nd Officer's father was very excited over www.aladdin.st and they are following our adventures every day. It was interesting to speak with him and it turned out that he was an Engineer inspecting pipe lines. He told me that he had been on a pipe layer putting down gas pipe lines on the bottom of the Black Sea. 400km of pipe line in 5 or 7 months, ad they had to stop every time it started to blow. Each pipe is about 12 meters long and it took 5 minutes to get every  piece welded and ready.
And then we understand that it is a machine doing the welding and not a welder. +++++++++++++++
Tuesday 30th of July 2013 and I woke up just after 11 o'clock so there is no chance for my rest hours to get red today. We had just started the first parcel of the 2nd parcel when I came down  to the CCR. But there was no sign of the garbage collector and he should have been here earlier this morning.
They were soon stopping the loading due to some thunderstorms and it was stop until 15:00 when they resumed loading again. An arse whupping rate of 1500m³/h, for an hour, then it was back to 2 or 300m³/h again. Our 2nd Officer called them and they told him that they were not able to maintain the loading rate. Well, the cargo comes here with train and I remember one time loading Russian oil from train wagons. The loading was stopped for several days and no one knew where the train was, missing somewhere in  Siberia. Well, Russia is a big country and a train is disappearing and no one cares.
But the garbage guy arrived and I put my best man in charge on filling up the documents, an invaluable experience for him. And I could get a picture. Yes, we're kicking arse around here and we held a Safety meeting and a management meeting in the afternoon. We were drinking tea and eating Russian chocolate while held the meetings. Captain had promised tea and chocolate so you can imagine that I was disappointed when I had to do my own tea. We finished at 4 and I went to the CCR, our 2nd Officer was going ashore but I didn't bother to try going ashore. They had told us that my discharge book wasn't good enough. But our 2nd Officer wanted me to try anyway, he had a lot of exciting stuff to show me in Novorossiysk. I didn't bother going to the gate to try but our 2nd Officer brought my discharge book ashore to inquiry about the problem. He called back and he told me that I had too many stamps in my book. Well, I guess I save some money staying on board. Our new 2nd Officer told me that his mom was on the way on board after the dinner. - She is bringing more ice cream! - Well, my diet is beyond saviour, but I'm off to hide in my cabin
I was in my cabin watching a movie when I heard someone knocking on my door. It was a very weak knock so I wasn't sure, I turned down the sound and there it was again. It was our new 2nd  Officer and he dropped a pack of ice cream in my cabin.
- What the is this?
- Have a look - The motherfoocker is melting! I ripped open the ice cream and I enjoyed ice cream with my movie. When I was ready with the movie I went down to the CCR to see if his mother was still on board. I have planned to give her a box of Aladdin chocolate. And I will try to upload the latest drivel to www.aladdin.st with our new 2nd Officer's phone. He can use this as a WIFI router and the more I see of these smart phones the more I'm thinking of buying one. Of course, it will be a Nokia or a Samsung, or anything NOT made in China.  Some Swedish Aladdin chocolate
+++++++++++++++
Wednesday 31st of July 2013 and we were down to 100m³/h when I came down to the CCR in the morning. So it looks like we will have to stay in Novorossiysk for quite some time. But the 32st of July 2013 will go down the history books as the day www.aladdin.st went live on YOU TUBE. I uploaded 2 small sized videos and the other videos will be uploaded when I'm back home to my own internet. But until then you have 2 videos, not bad.
 Lo and behold, I found the time to upload a few more Blockbusters during the afternoon and all in all I managed to upload 7 videos. And there might be time for a few more during the evening.
My discharge book is full of stamps from Russia and they won't let me ashore because they can’t find the space to put more stamps. But we decided to give it a try as we had found a corner where  they can put a stamp. We were at least to say happy about our discovery, YOU TUBE release party isn't something that we want to miss.
So we left the ship around 4 thirty with my discharge book, but as I said, we were full of confidence. One corner for the stamp and we were in a good mood.  Full of stamps
 Full of stamps
But we found a corner for their new stamp
 Full of stamps
 Full of stamps
It took us 5 minutes to walk to the gate and the girl looked at my discharge book and she checked  the crew list. #1 and #2 was marked and she said that #1 and #2 were not allowed ashore.
We called the Agent and he would be here in 3 minutes and then we would go to the immigration together. The girl told us that the plan was changed and the Agent would come with an Immigration Officer We waited and we had time to see us around. We could see Richard Maersk and we discovered a poster on the wall. Novorossiysk Seaman's Club, the only safe place in town. Well, it didn't look like a place to throw a YOU TUBE release party. The Agent and the Immigration Officer arrived and it was big problem Captain had obviously signed a paper that he and I would not leave the ship and here I was at the gate. So the Immigration Office and the Agent escorted us back to the ship and the Agent was scared because he was the one that had told us to go to the gate to see if we could get ashore.  We could see Richard Maersk from the gate
 A sign on the immigration house
we were back on board and Captain had to sign a letter of guarantee that he and I wouldn't set foot on the jetty again. Well, I save money and I have time to prepare a few more Blockbusters  for the www.aladdin.st channel on YOU TUBE.
I was called for every hour about the loading and we had a man coming on board, he told me that they would complete the parcel in 2 hours. Yeah! He told me that they would load an additional 5000MT on our 2nd Parcel. - What the We only have space for 3600MT
This was no problem and we would discuss this later. I showed him our agreement. - No problem - No, but coming ashore is a very big problem! Well, the month of July 2013 have come to an end and we swing right over to the month of August 2013, and I suspect August will start as July ended. Loading in Novorossiysk.
    
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