Fred Olsen

[James Curry]

John ship owners can do what they want , well at least here in the UK ask an ex P&O ferries employees.
Is the Australian MN still a protected industry or was it ever a protected industry? I do know they had a very strong union and the wages were I believe top notch.

[j.sabourn]

You don’t have to be a ship owner to run ships , take it out of their hands nationalise it as previous said . In the 50s and 60s a very small percentage of British Shipping was taken over by BISCO and most employed by same were happy . Do you for one moment think that Russian and Chinese Shipping is there purely for profit . Every ship they have is well over manned , most of their crews have primary naval training and have two blades to any sword they might wield. A merchant navy is one of an Islands first line of Defense. JS

[James Curry]

Chinese ships well manned , old chinese saying, many hands make light work.

[Ivan Cloherty]

Do you for one moment think that Russian and Chinese Shipping is there purely for profit . Every ship they have is well over manned , most of their crews have primary naval training and have two blades to any sword they might wield. A merchant navy is one of an Islands first line of Defense. JS

I commented upon this some years ago but the Chinese are now coming to the end of their five year Merchant Navy upgrade plan, all coastal vessels built within the plan time must be able to maintain a minimum speed of 12 knots at all times, all ocean vessels must be able to maintain a minimum speed of 20 knots at all times, most exceed this in both categories. All vessels must have localised strengthening to allow outfitting of 'defence?' equipment, that should probably have read offensive equipment, and as John says all Chinese vessels have a military trained contingent aboard. Of the 100,000 merchant ships plying the world's oceans, 17,000 are sailing under the Chinese flag, draw your own conclusions.

At one time the Chinese were light years behind the West in their merchant fleet and in the 1960's their more modern ships were ex Liberty ships. However in their wisdom the West decided that China with its cheap labour would be a good place to build its new tonnage and in its wisdom allowed main engines, auxiliaries, radar, navigational aids, and radio etc etc to be built under licence thereby passing on knowledge that the Chinese did not have, western shipyards sent general arrangement, shell expansion , midship section and other plans to China so that China could start building the appropriate yards to facilitate the building of said vessels.

It is said that roosters come home to roost, but that will not happen, as the Chinese have already eaten the rooster.

[j.sabourn]

As regards manpower and experienced seamen , having sailed with them I would say similar applies especially to the manpower side of the Russians. And if our admirals and self Defense Forces don’t know this , then they are too late in learning it this late in the game. JS.

[Keith Tindell]

Ref 24, My eldest son who is a computer engineer, his speciality is embedded software and protection, he maintains that where all our computer software ,chips etc, mostly manufactured in China, already contains spyware. Just think all ships aircraft etc , the Chinese are involved in some way. My son at this time is working with the USA military on the software in there ornaments, and blocking this to prevent hacking. All too much knowledge for me, but thats the gist of it . kt

[j.sabourn]

#23 And man that fly upside down will have crack up . JS

[happy daze john in oz]

Theer was many years ago here in Oz the ANL shipping company, now long gone.
As far as IO am aware the only ships that may resemble a MN here are the regular ferry runs to Tasmania.
There was a time when if the crew in the dinning area saw an MN badges on you they did not charge for the food you bought, but that no doubt has changed.
It has been reported that any foreign ship in an Australian port requires additional crew they will not take on any from Oz.
If they do then they must pay them under Australian rates of pay including all benefits such as sick pay, annual leave and super.
There are many ships sailing from Freo but all overseas ones taking our exports, coal and iron ore to China and others.

[Colin Wood]

Sorry JS, not often I disagree with you, but Confucius, he say, Honorable lady pilot, she fly upside down, she have honorable crack up.

[j.sabourn]

Well I knew it was something like that but a bit out of touch these days , and as we live in a sexually equality world thought it didn’t matter . And being the gentleman I ain’t ,didn’t want to cast any aspersions on any lady honourable or not. Now if Confucius could be talked into taking the honourable chair in China , we could all rest in bed and feel safe. Cheers JS