I like Ships too

Kitschshaman · Jan 16, 2021

Brains_N_Boobs said:
https://www.barn orama.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/daily_picdump-75-2.jpg

This is very strange. The news media report the Wakashio being deliberately sunk (her forward section) and resulting oil spills, yet this photo shows cargo holds or grain holds, not an oil or product tanker. There are also no firefighting monitors on the deck, as would be required on an oil or product tanker. Have any idea what gives?

Throbbinsum · Jan 17, 2021

Kitschshaman said:
This is very strange. The news media report the Wakashio being deliberately sunk (her forward section) and resulting oil spills, yet this photo shows cargo holds or grain holds, not an oil or product tanker. There are also no firefighting monitors on the deck, as would be required on an oil or product tanker. Have any idea what gives?

Fuel oil probably.

Kitschshaman · Jan 18, 2021

Throbbinsum said:
Fuel oil probably.

Those tanks would be back in the stern section either Bunker C or diesel (probably bunker C as most vessels I think are slow speed diesels) so why the conflict about sinking the forward section that's nothing but cargo areas? Something just doesn't feel right about the information we're getting...

urguyscott · Jan 18, 2021

FL30 said:
I thought ships had radar so that they could avoid other ships

Cargo and tankers have only skeleton crews aboard. On watch they usually only have two or three at the most on the bridge and no real lookouts like on a military ship. As said radar is only good if someone is looking at it. On a cargo ship the "repeater" on the bridge is the one the Officer of the Deck uses and he just glances at it every so often. They even use "auto" pilot, that is a set course and the ship steers itself much of the time. You would be surprised at how many collisions and near misses there are at sea. Just no one to report it. Even military ships with lots of look outs, radar and sonar maned and a full watch crew get in trouble.

Kitschshaman · Jan 19, 2021

urguyscott said:
Cargo and tankers have only skeleton crews aboard. On watch they usually only have two or three at the most on the bridge and no real lookouts like on a military ship. As said radar is only good if someone is looking at it. On a cargo ship the "repeater" on the bridge is the one the Officer of the Deck uses and he just glances at it every so often. They even use "auto" pilot, that is a set course and the ship steers itself much of the time. You would be surprised at how many collisions and near misses there are at sea. Just no one to report it. Even military ships with lots of look outs, radar and sonar maned and a full watch crew get in trouble.

Absolutely right, and that's in spite of SOLAS (International Safety Of Life At Sea) requirements that sufficient lookouts shall be posted to avoid collision. Of course, any sailor who single-hands is not capable of doing that...so there's that...