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Thread: 4 years out of 50

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    Default 4 years out of 50

    As I saw it. Due to the downfall of the British Merchant Navy a lot of people were forced to leave the Industry, I could be considered lucky or unlucky whichever way one looks at it to stay employed one way or another in shipping. These are the facts as I saw them. The Oil Companys have a big say and have a lot of pull in all governmental policies. Most governments need the Cash. Safety laws and limitations of production etc are agreed on. In the North Sea was and hopefully still is a regulation that a vessel capable of taken on all the personell off the installation in the case of a blowout or other emergency. This vessel must always never be further than 5 miles away. A safety vessel has other duties relating to life saving , but is principally there for the convenience of carrying a FRC in case anyone falls off the installation. The cheapest to meet these requirements was to hire vessels at the lowest charter rates going put on the requirements such as seating for all onboard , a hotwater bottle for every survivor, a blanket and a towel. Thats your wack jack.Nothing about fresh water, but packets of soup and such like. nothing about sanitary conditions , most ex fishing boats had only 1 toilet on board and the ship may of been certified to carry 300 survivors. I cant state what the charter rates of these vessels was as no one was told and dont think they were in Lloyds list like Anchor Handlers and supply vessels . It would have been more feasible to retain a supply vessel on station until the next supply vessel arrived in the field , as a supply vessel would have been a much better vessel for the job. However this apart from being inconvenient would have been cost prohibitive as the hire of a supply vessel varied at that time but was usually about 5000 pounds a day. and to have 3 supply vessels servicing a rig as compared to two was money in someones pocket. After the 6 july 1988 a lot of these things hopefully came to light , and
    what I had been suggesting to various owners I worked for to use old ex supply vessels was taken up. The only stipulation on a supply vessel taking up the duties of a stand by vessel was that one third of the deck must be left clear to put the bodys on, live ones preferably. At the time of my leaving the UK the oil companys were still trying to do away with Safety Boats , their claim being that helicopters could take their place. I give them 100 % for trying , anyone taking them up on their offer must be of simple mind ,,, Even when ex supply vessels were used the North Sea Oil Companys were trying to utilize them also for cargo carrying. if they ever did get that passed I only hope the crews of these vessels were paid a bit better than they were. JS
    As regards the work of vessels on charter to an oil company everyone was aware of the safety precautions , but even you had to take a step back to give the first preference to the rig , if you wanted to stay on charter. The priority on any drillrig looking for oil came first and foremost as again at that time and still is Time is money, a rig was on at least 100,000 pounds a day.
    In Australia the rules are slightly better stand by boats were the supply boats being used costly or not. Masters of supply vessels had more say in their actions and the oil companys didnt rule the roost from the loftiest steeple. Once again a breath of fresh air. If they didnt like it then off you go. Thats why I prefer to be in a union. JS
    Last edited by j.sabourn; 4th February 2021 at 05:54 AM.
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    Default Re: 4 years out of 50

    In the 70's in Oz things were about same as UK. 'EverreadyTed Fitzgerald' of Marine Contractors in Darwin had his barge the mv"Blue Walrus" chartered out as a standbye vessel. The seamans union gave hims a serve re supplying the crew with fresh meat. So Ted took the barge across the harbour to his pastoral lease and herded a wild steer into barge, and then shot it. Crew sailed late at night and next morning found there fresh meat, including hide and horns slowly rotting on the deck.
    The "BLUE WALRUS" could be heard from about 10 nm as Ted said 'Silencers did not save him any money and cost plenty to fit and maintain'.

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    Default Re: 4 years out of 50

    I wasn’t in the offshore until 1976 and then on Anchor handlers and supply vessels in the North Sea and have no gripes with them as working vessels and conditions it wasn’t until 1987 that through force of circumstances that I had as an only choice to go on Stand by vessels. This was in the North Sea. On entering the offshore maritime industry in Australia in 1991 you can take it from me that from a Seamans point of view condition s were much in advance of the UK. If you were a surveyor you would not be surveying stand by boats they would be out of your jurisdiction .If you were a government surveyor and had by law to take action due to seaworthiness , you would of had to have a different intelligence in the marine depts. There were more idle fishing vessels looking for work than there were surveyors who were never interested in any case as was not in their job description.JS
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