MIGHTY SHIPS ON TV

[Captain Kong]

Last night on Quest, channel 38 in UK, Mighty Ships. Very interesting.
It was a Ore Carrier, 30,000 ton UMIAK 1, She runs from Quebec along the St Laurence past Belle Isle and up the coast of Labrador. to a mine, Voisey's Bay Mine, up a creek. This voyage was in March.
There was Ice all the way from Quebec and got worse up at the top end. Up to 10 metres thick. She was breaking Ice all the way, a 4 to 5 day voyage. She is the only ship designed that way with a reinforced Ice Breaker bow to crush the Ice. She takes stores and fuel oil up to the mine and then loads 30,000 tons of Nickel ore worth over $100,000,000.
It was very interesting watching her going through the Ice and the severe condition with heavy seas in the open sea bit. Good views from the bridge with the Master, only 31 years old with only ten years service at sea.
Nickel is a dangerous cargo and they had to monitor oxygen levels no more than 8% or risk of explosion,
Inert gas is pumped into the holds.
Good views also of the engine room and various problems arising with oil leaks etc.
Cheers
Brian

[vic mcclymont]

I have watched the series of programmes since Quest started.
There are some howlers when you study it closely, like the Captain and the C.O. in the last programme entering a tank whilst at sea to look at a failed sensor. Would that not be the job of an engineer?
They can't tell the difference between a bulker and tanker, I know after being at sea and involved with ships I maybe nitpicking, but they should at least try and get it right.
Its quite a good serious despite its minor failings.