NOBRA Initiates New Navigation Rules !

I think these are good ideas, Ted. The other day I heard a ship Captain calling, in VERY limited English, for a "New Orleans Pilot" to help him as his ship was ranging away from the dock at ADM Growmark (Old Farmer's Export). He was receiving no response, due to a couple of factors -- his limited English and pronunciation, and very heavy radio traffic on both channels 16 and 67. With business being so good right now, the extreme high water only adds to the frustrations of those in this very busy marine environment.

I wonder this, and assume you can answer for me: I know these ship captains are very competent in the operation of their vessels, but this is not the first time I have heard calls like this. Do these captains not ever have to work with strong currents anywhere else? To my way of thinking, basic seamanship should cover situations like this. If a captain cannot keep his ship tied up at a dock, is he competent? If he is already tied off, was it not to his satisfaction in the first place? Can he not put out more lines at his discretion? Does he not have a number to call (other than the ship's agent) for tug assistance, pilot assistance, etc.?

On the towboats, we have authority from our companies to call a halt to any operation if we feel conditions are simply unsafe. Does the ship captain not have the same discretion?

I am also interested in the answers to these questions. Captain Bob, when are you going to take a ride with Ted? What an education!!

Mary, I would love to do that IF I could get on a ship at a dock and get off either at an anchorage or at another dock...slim chances, I know. I can swim, but that dad burned pilot ladder (especially on an empty ship!) gives me the willies. I considered several years ago trying to get in the NOBRA pilots, but that ladder, in all kinds of weather, is what put me off!

Hopefully Ted will come in soon and answer our questions.

Captain Bob, I do get you about the ladder, but keep in mind, most of my life, I've been deathly afraid of heights! Seems I got cured the week I got to be watchman on the DQ. The first time I had to go on the PH roof and take down the antennae, I asked myself, Mary, are you going to let a little thing like that prevent you from the opportunity of a lifetime? It became one of my favorite things to do! Ditto the Jacob's ladder. My two grown sons are aghast--they simply cannot believe this is their mother, climbing a ladder up the side of a ship under way!
Hope Captain Ted answers the questions--they are burning now! This kind of thing is always what I loved best about being on the river--the technical stuff, the rules--how does it all work?

Bob , To Answer You Question................................

Greetings From New Orleans ,
Bob , first of all , thanks for your post and secondly , to answer you question concerning the over all competancy of the modern day ship captain , unfotunately most ship captains that I have encountered are NOT very competant mariners ! Now , having said that I cannot speak with authority on the U.S. flaged and Amereican ship captains simply due to the fact that I seldom have to deal with and work with U.S. ship captains . The vast majority of the ships and their respective ship captains are foreign nations simply due to the fact that in this day and age there are very few blue water and U.S. flagged and registered ships .
I have often wondered why this is the case with the foreign flagged ship captains that I encounter and my best guess is simply due to the fact that No. 1 , These foreign ship captains very rarely handle their own ships any more ! When out at sea they are always on auto pilot and follow a compass course and heading and when arriving in port , they all take a Pilot in order to complete their voyage .
No. 2 , These same foreign ship captains have been relegated to pencil pushers and beaurecrats and are usually so exhausted with their over load of work that they seldom have the time and or the energy to re-learn any degree of ship handling that they may have learned from either their marine academies or from any continueing education programs that they may have attended . It really is a sad state of affairs but that is the plain and simple truth that I have encountered over the years that I have been piloting ships on the river .
Bob , that is pretty much it in a " Nut Shell " but it never fails to amaze me how much that these foreign ship captains really do not know or understand when in comes to the close quarter navingation when in an environment such as a river !
Hope this may answer your question concerning this issue and if it has not please feel free to persue it !
Thanks ,
Smooth Sailing !
Ted Davisson
NOBRA 70

Bob Reynolds;25889 wrote: I think these are good ideas, Ted. The other day I heard a ship Captain calling, in VERY limited English, for a "New Orleans Pilot" to help him as his ship was ranging away from the dock at ADM Growmark (Old Farmer's Export). He was receiving no response, due to a couple of factors -- his limited English and pronunciation, and very heavy radio traffic on both channels 16 and 67. With business being so good right now, the extreme high water only adds to the frustrations of those in this very busy marine environment.

I wonder this, and assume you can answer for me: I know these ship captains are very competent in the operation of their vessels, but this is not the first time I have heard calls like this. Do these captains not ever have to work with strong currents anywhere else? To my way of thinking, basic seamanship should cover situations like this. If a captain cannot keep his ship tied up at a dock, is he competent? If he is already tied off, was it not to his satisfaction in the first place? Can he not put out more lines at his discretion? Does he not have a number to call (other than the ship's agent) for tug assistance, pilot assistance, etc.?

On the towboats, we have authority from our companies to call a halt to any operation if we feel conditions are simply unsafe. Does the ship captain not have the same discretion?

Well, that's not only sad, but kind of scary to hear! My only experience on ships has been on the few cruises we've been on, and in addition to those captains being fluent in English (no matter their nationality), the ones I have encountered did their own handling. Two I remember were a Captain Ringborn (Swedish) and Captain Gunter Gummert (German). Both were excellent ship handlers. I just assumed that any ship captain would know how to handle his own ship.

*RE: Navigation Rules/'Jones Act/Ship captains*

Steamboating colleagues:
Many thanks for the fascinating/interesting 'insights' initiated by Ted, Bob and others above--much new to me. The discussion recalls for me the division in the U.S. Navy between 'line' & 'staff' captains [i.e. those who 'navigate' and those who 'administrate.' A number of big blue water ocean lines/passenger carriers follow the same practice. Harbor, channel, river pilots serve an important role in bringing big ships in and out of harbor, estuaries, river mouths. CUNARD, NCL, PRINCESS companies do surrender their ships in the hands of local pilots. Commodore Geoffrey Marr and his son had total control of the old QUEEN ELIZABETH & then newer QE-2. I saw the pilots picked up just outside New York harbor, LeHavre, Cherbourg, Southampton, Panama Canal, Singapore etc. coming in and dropped off going out. I also note our Coast Guard and similar with gun mounted fast chase vessels to welcome and send off ships. Two blue water captains live near me here: one with PRINCESS CRUISES, the other with NCL. One Italian and the other American. "Why do you live out here in Cincinnati?" I asked. Answer: "Our wives from Cincinnati and when off duty we get as far away from water as we can. Both totally abstain from wine or liquor drinks around fellow officers or passengers even for receptions or captain dinners for various reasons.

The mention of the fate of our U.S. Merchant Marine a timely topic. I recently uncovered a monograph witten by Cincinnatian Dr. Phillip Roettinger titled, 'U.S. Merchant Marine, Its Marvelous Rise, Its Decline...Uncertain Future' written way back in December, 1916. More on this in time when I review more and condense.

*MarineLink.com printed on June 25, 2010: 'Senator McCain (R) Introduces Bill to Repeal Jones Act.' Quote: Today [McCain] I am pleased to introduce legislation that would fully repeal the Jones Act, a 1920s law that hinders free trade and favors labor unions over consumer. Specifically, the Jones Act requires that all gods shipped between waterborne ports of the United States be carried by vessels built in the nited states and owned and operated by Americans. This restriction only serves to raise shipping costs, thereby making U.S. farmers less competitive and increasing costs for American consumers." *Much of the above stemming from foreign vessels involved in the recent Gulf oil spill. 'Critics' follow with 'concerns' on standards of said vessels, foreign crews on ocean and--possibly--Great Lake and Inland Rivers vessels. *These not my own words, so don't 'kill the messenger.'

Another 'fuss' in recently months has been the request/legislation of big ocean lines to have their own captains/officers pilot their ships in and out of U.S. ports circumventing U.S. pilots. Obviously a financial issue as these companies see it. Anybody know more about this? It's all out there if you type, click and search.
Well, what do I know?

R. Dale Flick
Coal Haven Landing, Ohio River, Cincinnati.

Maybe there's a #3: They didn't have to go through the stringent training and education that say American, and some European officers go through to get their licenses. Some countries, expecially third world, by comparison, practically give their licenses away, or sell them. So if the ship has a flag of convenience, beware.

Well The " Trick " Is................................................ .....

Bob ,
To answer your other question concerning going up and down a rope Pilot Ladder , on a moving ship out on the Mississippi River , while it is moving through the water , " Well The Trick Is Simply Don't Look Down " !
Now I realize that this is easier said than done , but I distinctly remember the times that " Steamboat Mary " had made a few trips with me and I mentioned this same thing to her and to also stay focused and look where you put your hands and feet ! I also recall how she just seemed to scamper both up and down the ladder with no hesitation or reluctance at all ! Now that I think about it maybe she was just so glad to get off the ship and away from me that she would have done anything to get off the ship sooner ! LOL ! Just Joking !
All joking aside , I have often thought that this is the hardest and most dangerous part of the job and yes there have been a few Pilots " Lost " not only here in the river but in other ports , both foreign and domestic as well .
Think about it and try to imagine this just possible worst case situation . Its the middle of the night , the launch boat your riding on is yawing and leaping up and down , there is a very poor lit and swaying rope ladder , then up to a 40 foot climb , the ladder's rungs are wet and slippery and the launch boat that has just put you on has pulled off and there you are dangling off the side of a moving ship as it slides through the river ! THen when you make it up to the main deck of the ship there might be a crew member that just might speak some broken English to escourt you the bridge of the ship ! Have I got your attention yet ??
Then there are the " Powers That Be " , in the local New Orleans marine industry that think of Pilots in general as , " Over Paid and Glorified Bus Drivers " !! Now , I for one have a lot of respect for bus drivers but I don't think that many of them have to go through this to go to work every day !
Go Figure !
Smooth Sailing !
Ted Davisson
NOBRA 70

Bob Reynolds;25900 wrote: Mary, I would love to do that IF I could get on a ship at a dock and get off either at an anchorage or at another dock...slim chances, I know. I can swim, but that dad burned pilot ladder (especially on an empty ship!) gives me the willies. I considered several years ago trying to get in the NOBRA pilots, but that ladder, in all kinds of weather, is what put me off!

Bob , Well The Trick Is ...........................................

Greetings From New Orleans ,
Bob , to answer your other question concerning going up and down a rope Pilot Ladder , well the trick is , don't look down !! All , joking aside and this has worked for me over these past thirty-one years of doing just this , I just don't look down !! I have a confession to make and that is I have never really cared to much for heights and there have been times when going down the rope Pilot Ladder , that I have had second and even third thoughts of going down that ladder !
Furthermore , I was so impressed of " Steamboat Mary " , when she and Fred made a few trips with me and with very little instruction and advice she scampered up the side of the ship as if she was a pro and had done this as many times as I have ! She was outstanding !
Now , try this worst case scenario out for size !
Its the middle of the night , your half asleep , you ride out on a loud , yawing and bumpy Pilot Boat , the boat operator lands hard against the side of a moving ship , there is a dimly lit rope Pilot Ladder swaying alongside the ship , you have up to a 40' climb , the ladder rungs are worn , wet and slippery , you first have to test the Pilot Ladder by putting you body weight on it because you don't know for sure if it has been secured to the main deck of the ship , then you start your climb , the Pilot Boat then roars off into the dark and there you are climbing up the side of this ship that you may have never been on before and hopefully when you arrive on the main deck of the ship there will be some one there with a flash light that just may speak a bit of broken English at best that will then escort you to the Bridge of the ship ! So , there you have it and now try doing this in reverse when disembarking this same ship !
For me at least , this is the worst part of the whole trip and yes , we have
" lost " Pilots when going up and down the Pilot Ladder both here and in other ports around the world !
Then to add insult to injury , there are those in the local New Orleans , marine industry that think of Pilots as , and I quote , " Over Paid and Glorified Bus Drivers " !! Now , I have a lot of respect for all manner of bus drivers but I don't believe that many id any have to go through all this just to get to work !
If still interested , there is still an Open Invitation for any one to come make a trip with me !!
Go Figure !
Smooth Sailing !
Ted Davisson
NOBRA 70

Bob Reynolds;25911 wrote: Well, that's not only sad, but kind of scary to hear! My only experience on ships has been on the few cruises we've been on, and in addition to those captains being fluent in English (no matter their nationality), the ones I have encountered did their own handling. Two I remember were a Captain Ringborn (Swedish) and Captain Gunter Gummert (German). Both were excellent ship handlers. I just assumed that any ship captain would know how to handle his own ship.