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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   Monday 1st of July 2013 and they called me 20 minutes before 6 o'clock in the morning  - Pilot will board us in 20 minutes
 - I'm coming 
I had a hot shower and I brought my cameras to the bridge. I will have a few pictures before I will put the cameras in the bonded stores. I expect the Tunisian Custom Officers to come on board searching high and low for cameras. So I'm better of playing it safe.  Approaching Didon FSO at the Didon Terminal
 2nd Officer and Captain on the bridge wing checking when our Pilot is coming on board
 It is a gorgeous morning when we are approaching Didon FSV
 Coming closer to Didon FSV
 Coming closer to Didon FSV
 Last picture before I go down to lock up my cameras
I went down with my 2 Canon cameras just after we had picked up our pilot. I ran in to the Pilot and 3 other people on my way down to the bonded store and turned out that we got Custom, Agent and the Surveyor on board together with the Pilot/ Mooring Master/ Loading Master. When I was back on the bridge the Pilot was busy while the other 3 were lounging on the bridge. I was surprised, I saw biscuits and stuff, but no one ate or drank anything. - Do you want coffee? I asked - No thanks  Hmm, working on the oil field so it is most likely real men and they don't drink coffee,  I thought. I decided to try with tea.
- Do you want tea? I asked - No thanks - Do you want Milo? I asked - No thanks This was strange, on other places they start screaming about juice and Coca Cola already when  walking up the gangway. Well, these people seems to be nice enough and I asked them why it was forbidden to have camera.
- No, we don't have anything to hide, the Loading Master said The Custom official told me it was no problem and I went back down to the bonded store and picked up my cameras again. On my way back to the bridge I pondered on the idea to make another video for U-tube. Richard Maersk and tandem mooring with Didon FSO. I was taking quite a few pictures during the TANDEM operation so I have material for yet another exciting SLIDE SHOW!!  Hmm, that will be something for U-tube, the name “Richard Maersk and tandem mooring with Didon FSO” will attract millions of visitors and send millions to my PayPal account. But I will first
 bothered to watch the movie) and that will generate exactly ZIP and then the “movie making” spirit will disappear very quick.
Well, I was drinking my bucket of tea on the bridge, but as we had at least  3 people on the bridge that would claim 1000$ if they caught me eating I skipped the biscuits. So I was getting hungry.
But the article I read in a magazine helped me fight the hunger. I will not only gain my V-shaped torso, I will also get a memory like a horse. That will be something. Well, anyway, it was a beautiful morning and I took pictures of Didon FSO while we were approaching and mooring.  Drawing of our “Tandem mooring” arrangement
 Approaching Didon FSO
 Approaching Didon FSO
 Approaching Didon FSO
And the guys in the small rubber boat will connect the mooring arrangement for us
 Approaching Didon FSO
And the guys in the small rubber boat will connect the mooring arrangement for us
 Approaching Didon FSO
 Approaching Didon FSO
 Approaching Didon FSO
 Approaching Didon FSO
 Approaching Didon FSO
We start heaving on the messenger connected to the chain that will be secured on our fo'c's'le.
The rubber boat leave us topick up the cargo hose  Approaching Didon FSO
We can see the bouy on the mooring chain
 Almost there
 Almost there
 We started to heave on their line at 07:33 and @ 08:00 we had their chain secured in our bow stopper
 We started to heave on their line at 07:33 and @ 08:00 we had their chain secured in our bow stopper
 Tug boat connected aft to pull us in the right direction from Didon FSO durig loading
And we can just imagine how exciting this video will be when I'm ready with it. But I will see when I get the time. We had all fast at 08:00 and I went down to the CCR for the paper work with the Surveyor and we started loading at 10:36 and they expect 22 hours loading ++ with the paper work. So maybe we can leave late tomorrow afternoon. I was in an excellent mood, I had got my bill from Ovale in Greece, 550€. My mood turned from excellent to very bad in a jiff. I had a limit of about 345€ on my PayPal account, so not possible to  pay my bill. I confirmed my credit card to lift the limit, but it seems like this will take a few days. We will be in France in a few days, and yes, I was angry, but mostly disappointed. And who the  recommended PayPal to me? And there was no one mentioning anything about a limit!
+++++++++++++++
Tuesday 2nd of July 2013 and we were supposed ti complete loading at 10 o'clock, but it turned out that they had to strip the tanks on Didon FSO so we didn't complete loading until 11:36.
They were bringing Didon FSO to Malta for dry dock so we will take everything she have on board  and the stripping took longer than expected.
Good, that gave the 2nd officer longer time to admire my cargo plan. It has been pretty boring to do the cargo plan as I have only found yellow and orange HIGH LIGHTERS. But I have manage to arrange a green and one pink HIGH LIGHTER so now it is fun  again. And as the 2nd Officer said “now they looks much better” And right he is, at least it is more fun making them. And of course, more fun to read them.
We had an opportunity to test our MOB boat after lunch, not often we run in to this opportunity. But today we had very nice weather so of course we took the chance. Usually, as mentioned, when at an SPM the guys coming on board start to scream for juice, Coca  Cola and food already walking up the gangway.
But here at Didon Terminal they have their own food delivered in a big box for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And the food looks very good,  and fresh bread for every meal.
If I had known this I would have made a special deal with them, fresh bread  for every meal should be a human right, at least every day. But I'm on diet! And trying to explain my 1000$ bet for them would, well, they would most likely think that I was  crazy. So I never bothered to explain when they asked if I wanted some food and fresh bread. The bread looked very good and I had serious plans to bring some to my cabin.
It took 2 hours to measure the tank, including the temperature and water. We expect a lot of water in the cargo. When we started we only loaded in to 2 tanks as they wanted to clear 90m3 of water from Didon FSO. But when they told me 90m3 they meant water and they didn't mention how much oil that they were going to pump at the same time. I soon had to open 2 more tanks as we got several hundred cubic metres, they were clearing all  their tanks ONE BY ONE so it took some time before we could go to full rate.
The purpose to clear the tanks ONE BY ONE to 2 of our ships tank was to make it easier for them to check how much water there was in the cargo. Easier to measure 2 tanks than all of our tanks. We were doing calculations in my office when it was time to let go the hawser from Didon FSO. I went forward just after 3 o'clock and I asked our Pilot/ Loading Master/ Mooring Master  if I could take some pictures. Better making sure if Didon FSO turns out to be a  secret. I don't want to end up in an Tunisian jail. So I'm better of asking the Mooring Master.
- Is it possible to get some “action” pictures? - Only if you send copies to me!  Time to let go from Didon FSO
 2nd Officer and Mooring Master trying to look busy with their radios
 Didon FSO
 Didon FSO
 Soon time to let go the hawser from Didon FSO
 Pump Man stand-by on the winch
 HERE IT COMES!!! 2nd Officer gives the signal to let go the hawser
Ok, here it is, how it works
And admit, seeing this pictures make you delerious with anticipation about my “Tandem Operation” movie on U-tube.
Yes, the very same video that will make me a billionare  The hawser arrangement
 Here we see the hawser from Didon FSO.
 Here we see the hawser from Didon FSO.
 Here we see the hawser from Didon FSO.
 Here we see the hawser from Didon FSO coming up through the Panama lead
 Here we see the hawser from Didon FSO coming up through the Panama lead
 We pull up the hawser through the BOW STOPPER with a messenger
 We pull up the hawser through the BOW STOPPER with a messenger
 The hawser secured in the BOW STOPPER
 Time to let go the hawser
 Removing the safety pin and lift the BOW STOPPER
 BOW STOPPER secured in open position and we can let go the hawser
 Slacking out the messenger and the hawser slowly with the winch
 Slacking out the messenger and the hawser slowly with the winch
 Pump Man slacking out the messenger and the hawser slowly with the winch
 Hawser and bouy in the water, only messenger remains
 We are clear from Didon FSO @ 15:24 and we're backing off
Our Mooring Master/ Loading Master/ Pilot would give e his e-mail address so I could send the pictures to him. But he came down to the CCR with a note. - I got your web page address from Captain - No need to send any e-mail - No, have you uploaded the pictures already? - No, but if I have the time I will do it tonight - Good, then I will enjoy myself watching the pictures online tonight So you understand what kind of pressure I’m under, always update www.aladdin.st or there will be disappointments out there. And our 2nd Officer is worse than ever. Always ready to appear on a picture or two. But it is for his nephew, not for him - I think he is more interested in gifts and chocolate, not pictures of you! I said. We were off Didon FSO at 15:24 and we will drift a little bit away from Didon Terminal waiting for cargo documents. Then we're off to new adventures in France.  Surveyor, Agent, Loading Master, Captain, Custom Official and Cargo Document Man
 The Cargo Document Man taking a video of us
 The Cargo Document Man taking a video of us
And I'm taking a picture of him taking a video
We signed the cargo documents at 19:45 and we left Didon Terminal shortly after that. I went to up load the latest pictures, a promise to our Pilot/ Loading Master/ Mooring Master. And I hope that I will come back here. A very smooth operation and friendly people. +++++++++++++++
Wednesday 3rd of July 2013 and I received an e-mail during my morning watch, it was from Ovale in Greece, they had received my money and the parcel was sent with DHL. The asked me for a last  minute confirmation of the address. I really hope that they manage to get my Ovale eVic, the pack with Ovale Elipse and the other stuff I ordered to the right address. I got the tracking number and of course, I checked it out first thing when I was back in my cabin, my stuff is on the way!
 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 I was busy until 16 thirty with gas detectors and my cargo plan. Busy all the time, but I had time to complete my “compass error” video before I went for dinner. The dinner was yet another  disappointment. And I asked our 2nd Officer if it wasn't time for an Aladdin chocolate moment on the  bridge. I only had tea and some slices of salami-type sausage and I was feeling a bit peckish.
We went out to the vegetable fridge in the kitchen and our 2nd Officer having his head down my duffel bag. He was soon having his hand full of Marabou Schweizernöt and Aladdin  chocolate. We decided to go for the Marabou Aladdin chocolate.
I didn't feel completely good about it, I'm still on diet so the extra Marabou  Aladdin chocolate is not anything I need. But it is darn good, and it is soon reaching the expiry date.
And as I'm not coming home before the expiry date we can as well finish the chocolate. I  gave the Aladdin box to our 2nd Officer in hope of him keeping it away from me.
I was soon back in my cabin and I completed my exciting video, the money maker, the “Tandem Operation at Didon Oil Field” video. So now I have 2 completed videos. Well, I will have to choose some music for them before they are completed. I'm trying some different tunes and I will  hopefully soon find something that goes with the video and then I just have to  upload them to U-tube. And who knows? Maybe I can retire after uploading these videos.
Retire? Well, you will have to be careful with all the clicking and watching, if I get to many  “HITS” I can retire and there will be no more adventures from the 7 seas.
I was on the bridge at 8 and I put on the kettle first thing. A little foggy, but otherwise the weather was nice and I was enjoying my tea when our 2nd engineer and 2nd Officer came on the bridge. They slammed the box of Aladdin chocolate on the chart table and our 2nd Officer tried to rip the box open. He soon gave up and he got a pair of scissors. A few seconds later and the box were open. Our 2nd Engineer had obviously been interested in the white piece of chocolate in the middle. But he has always missed the white piece so today he jumped over the box. - TODAY I CHOOSE FIRST! He said throwing himself over the box  2nd Engineer is aiming for the white chocolate
 2nd Engineer looking for another favourite
Our 2nd Officer was second man in the box and when I made it to the box I thought that it  would be a good idea to take 4 piece in one go, or to risk that my favourites where gone. But no risk, our 2nd Engineer was soon asking for the pieces tasting like coffee.
I could not believe my luck, who the foock wants to eat chocolate with coffee flavour. The good pieces will remain for me. I still remember when I was 12 or something. Playing with  the neighbour and his mom asked if we wanted ice cream.
 - YES YES!!!!
I know I have told you this story before, but to make a short story even shorter. I ripped off the wrapping around the cone and I had a lick.  COFFEE flavour.
It has never taken me longer to eat an ice cream. Hell, no, I wasn't eating the ice cream, the ice  cream melted and was running down my arms while sitting around their kitchen table.
Well, brought up well, today I would have thrown the darn ice cream, but not possible as a well behaved child. Well, anyway, we were soon in the bottom layer in the Aladdin box and I got the white piece. I chased down the Aladdin chocolate with a bucket of tea and it tasted excellent. We  killed some time talking about the good ol' times before they left the bridge.
Well, alone again and the time passed pretty quickly and it was soonmidnight and I dashed off to my cabin to see the latest updates from DHL. The parcel is in Italy now and by the time I wake up tomorrow it will most likely be in France. And I hope that I will get the parcel on Friday when we arrive to Fos de Mer.
 +++++++++++++++
Thursday 4th of July 2013 and I was dead tired when my alarm went off. It was 7 thirty, but as we had advanced ships time during the night it was like 6 thirty in the morning. Dead tired or not, I went in to my desk in the day room. And God! I miss my Diet MAX, and I really hope we get some with our stores in France.
Well, anyway, I checked DHL's web page for the latest status of my parcel before going for my shower. And my parcel had arrived to Marseille earlier this morning.  I came to the bridge t 8 o'clock and it was a gorgeous morning and I had the crew to start panting. Starboard side is ready, just a few stencils to go. The extra painters continued on Port side  with the chipping and painting. I enjoyed my watch with tea and music and time was pretty quick. There had been a strike in France and we received a message that we might be delayed. Good, more time for painting and chipping.
Around 11 o'clock and we had to do a cargo calculation. Maximum intake for 39 feet draft, loading in France for Cyprus. That sounds like a good trip, about 5 days and we have plenty to do on deck. Yes, Cyprus is not Scandinavia, but I have already given up the MIDNIGHT SUN adventure. July already and by the time we would be back autumn would be in full force. But I got a few days of summer in Scandinavia.   My rest hours were red yesterday and today so I went to bed after lunch, and when I woke up I checked DHL again. Still with the courier and I went to my office for some work. I checked DHL  just before dinner, no updates. But we got an e-mail from our Agent after dinner. My parcel was received and they would bring it onboard ASAP.
I was back in my cabin with the e-mail and just then I received an e-mail from Ovale in Greece. They were worried that my parcel wouldn’t make it in time. I sent them the good news and just then DHL's web page updated my status. DELIVERED! Excellent!  But there was another set-back, my videos are ready and I just started some new exciting ACTION videos from my fire fighting courses when our Engineer told me that I needed royalty  free music. Or the videos would not be approved by u-tube. DARN! And darn again, I had spent so much time picking the perfect music.
And I learnt that it is YOU TUBE and not U-tube. And  this should be something fantastic according to our 4th Engineer. Hell yeah, he made a whole Euro last month.
And who knows? Maybe I can make 2! Well, anyway, coming on the bridge at 8 and the weather had become better and the wind disappeared. ETA Fos anchorage, around 9 o'clock tomorrow morning.  A bad afternoon have turned in to a nice evening All the Tandem Operation action on Didon Oil Field made me take a lot of pictures. Just wait for  the action movie to appear on YOU TUBE, you will be notified on www.aladdin.st as soon as I have sorted the problem with the music so I can upload the video.
But until then we have to enjoy the pictures. And yes, the pictures have turned this page in to something heavy to down load and I split the month of July 2013 in to second part. Arrival to Fos anchorage HANG ON! 17th of February 2015 and I got an e-mail from Tyson’s Ships Riggers. They had asked for permission to use some of my pictures from the Didon Terminal when we loaded from Didon FSO in their new brochure They had asked for permission to use some of my pictures for their SPM Brochure, and who am I to say no? So just click HERE and you can see the SPM Brochure.
    
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