Rewritten onboard M/T Ternvik June 2011

Aladdin's adventure onboard M/T Stolt Excellence
M/T Stolt Excellence
M/T Stolt Excellence
Picture by Roberto Smera. And I understand it as he lives in Santos Brazil and takes pictures of ships arriving and departing from santos. Check out the web page www.pbase.com/smera/profile for excellent pictures

M/T Stolt Excellence
M/T Stolt Excellence
Picture by Roberto Smera. And I understand it as he lives in Santos Brazil and takes pictures of ships arriving and departing from santos. Check out the web page www.pbase.com/smera/profile for excellent pictures


Stolt Excellence was built 1976 in Normandie, France.
32093 DWT
37073 m³ in 48 tanks.
Length 176.7 m
Beam 27.03 m

Friday 24th of October 1997 and this must have been the day I left for Houston in Texas. I had planned to arrive to Houston on Friday afternoon for a good night out. I had never been to Houston so I had no idea what to expect. But I guess it was a pretty big city so there should be plenty to do. Well, anyway, I had to leave with an early flight from Go:teborg to Copenhagen. I think the flight from Copenhagen left for Chicago around 7 or 8 in the morning.

The flight was delayed by 4 or 5 hours. What to do? I had a few beers at the TAKE OFF bar and from there things got out of hand. I blame it on the early morning and on Scandinavian Airlines that didn't manage to depart according to schedule.

I meet a Steward on the plane that was a neighbour to me when I lived in Båstad. He was working in the business class so I went forward to say hello. I was already tipsy so I don't know how, well, I O'Hare International Airport, Chicagosuspect that my visit wasn't all that appreciated.

Of course, coming to Chicago and I had missed my connection flight to Houston. And passing the Immigration in Chicago didn't improve my mood. They took my pass port.
- Wait!
Then they just disappeared and I got angry. What the ? I went in to their office and asked for my pass port. Yes, these guys are really under the impression that everyone's dream in to come to USA. And my worst experience was in Miami and as I told them.
- The only people want to come to USA is the rally starving and poor peasants south of the border.

And they don't believe their ears when you tell them that “I don't want to stay, take me back O'Hare International Airport, Chicagohome ASAP”
- What?! Are you joking? The American dream....
- Yes, capsized years ago!

Well, I don't know what's wrong with the Immigration, great first impression coming to the US of A. But there are exceptions, arriving to New York and I have always been met by nice immigration Officers. But the exception with capital E is Captain Kid in Texas. Well, actually, all the guys I meet at the Immigration office in Beaumont, Texas has been very nice and help full. Almost as I was looking forward to meet them. But I think these guys have realised that we're bringing business to the country and that they have to look elsewhere for terrorists and illegal immigrants.

Well, they called Stolt's office in Houston and they told me that I should be nice to the Immigration Officers. I was let through the immigration and I had several hours before my flight to Houston. What to do? Of course, there were plenty bars so I spent the time drinking beer and I woke up in the gate after the departure of my flight. DARN!

I had to change my flight for Saturday and I took a taxi to down town Chicago. Middle of the winter and I only had shorts, all my luggage were on the way to Houston.

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Saturday 25th of October 1997
and I woke up with my shoes on. I had had a few Heineken after Aladdin's adventure in Chicagochecking in to my room. I was in no hurry to get out in the winter and I had a plan. Yes, and this one was a very good one. I will have a few beers before going out and when I'm tipsy I won't notice the cold.

Hell yeah, I never noticed the cold because I never made it out of my room. I don't remember the name of my hotel, but it was a huge hotel in down town Chicago. I will try to find a picture on the internet.

Yes, 2011 and all the pictures from my stay in USA October 1997 were found on internet. I didn't take any pictures back then. What a shame, or? But I never found any pictures of my hotel in Chicago, well, I didn't spend much time looking and with our slow internet it takes ages.

I got on my flight and I had to locate my luggage first thing arriving to Houston. They had my luggage in a store room and when I had my stuff I went to get a taxi. I had a guy living in Houston in my class at the Chemical Tanker Safety Course at Warsash Maritime Academy and he had told me that The Galleria was the place to be, at least if you were looking for some night life.
Aladdin's adventure in Houston
I took my bags and I left for the taxi stand at Houston airport. I asked the driver to take me to Comfort Suites in Houston.the Galleria.
- Where in the Galleria.
- Well, do you know any hotel?

We stopped at one hotel, but it was full.
- I know the place, the driver said.

We took off again and we stopped at a hotel that looked OK. I learned that the name of the hotel was Comfort Suites when I was looking for the place on internet in 2011. I was looking on a map over the Galleria, well, when I first looked for the Comfort Suites in Houston.Galleria I only found a shopping mall. But obviously the area is called the Galleria.

I found Ruth's Chris Steak House on the map and I remember this steak house next to my hotel.

Then I spotted a name, Sam's Boat and this must have been the place I went after being at Stolt's office.

I checked in and I had a shower and a change of clothes before leaving my room to explore the night life in Houston. Well, I had expected more after the Chemical Tanker Safety Course together with Aladdin's adventure in Houstonthe guy from Houston. He was talking about the Galleria like it would have been a regular FUNKY TOWN.

There was a place across the street, a Mexican place I think. I little bit further up Aladdin's adventure in Houstonthe road was something that turned out to be a Gentleman's Club and not far from there was a 70's disco. I tried to get in to the gentleman's club.
- Baseball caps not allowed inside
I took off my baseball cap and I went inside. A lot of old guys in cowboy hats and I discovered that it was a gentleman's club. Didn't look like much fun and I left. When I left I told the guy in the door that there were a lot of guys wearing cowboy hats at the place.
- That's the law in Texas.

I continued up Richmond Ave and when I crossed the intersection I heard music on the other side of the road. Turned out to be a Heavy Metal place where they played German Heavy Metal and I spent the time until closing time. They used to close at 2 but as they changed from daylight saving time to winter time they were open an extra hour and I returned to my hotel at 3 o'clock.

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Monday 27th of October 1997
and they picked me up at the hotel for transportation to Stolt's Aladdin's adventure at Ruth's Chris Steak Houseoffice. I had spent the Sunday in my room, well, I think I had had my dinner at Ruth's Chris Steak House next door. This was obviously something very special. I had asked for a nice restaurant.
- You must go to Ruth's Chris next door. The best restaurant!

Well, I can't remember being impressed by Ruth's Chris, but I guess it was OK. Well, Monday morning and we took off towards the office and I asked for a advance on my salary. Well, not an Aladdin's adventure at Sam's Boat in Houstonadvance, I had been home for almost 3 months without receiving any salary.

So I needed money to keep me going in Houston. I can't understand how I made it as long as I did. Must have had some money saved, but I doubt it.

Well, and they had told me that I couldn't work so they had to give me money. They wrote me a Aladdin's adventure at Sam's Boat in Houstoncheck and one of the nice staff at the office drove me to some shack in the area where I could cash the check. I must say that it was a nice staff at Stolt's Houston office. And the driver taking me between the office and my hotel was very fun.

We were plunging down Richmond Ave when we passed Sam's Boat.
- Whoa whoa, what's that? I asked the driver pointing at Sam's Boat.
- That's Sam's Boat, a bar and restaurant. - Looks fun, please let me off here.

I stepped inside and I ordered a Heineken. WOW, the girl working behind the bar was gorgeous Aladdin's adventure at Sam's Boat in Houstonand there were two Farmer Johns' sitting in the bar drooling. One of the guys went out to his El Camino every 20 minutes. He started the engine and he was revving his engine for a minute. Hell, the sound from the engine and we needed ear protectors in the bar. He came back in and when he did it for the fourth time I realised that he did it to impress the girl.

And she was really gorgeous and she looked Aladdin's adventure at Sam's Boat in Houstonbetter by the beer. I asked her how she could stand all the guys sitting in the bar drooling over her. But she told me that she got used to it.
Charisma Man

She gave me a note “We meet at the 70's disco at (forgot the time) o'clock” This was aftr 5 beers so it had been Charisma Man all the time. I remember the beer being 2$ and my bill came to 75$ (NO FOOD) so I must have been a wee bit tipsy.

I also remember me being at the DJ booth playing music and I was more or less thrown out from the place, but Miss Gorgeous first made sure that she got her note back.
Charisma Man
Yes, turning from Charisma Man to The Obnoxious Man within an hour or two. Unnecessary to say, I never made it to the 70's disco. And I still remember, 14 years later, when I'm coming to my room and the magnetic card to my door don't work. I just couldn't muster the energy to go down the reception to ask for help.
Aladdin's adventure in Houston - Hmm, what to do?

Yes. Aladdin is always having a great idea or two up his sleeve. And this time I really had a price Aladdin's adventure in Houstonwinner. Yes, by the time it was the most excellent idea. If I start some commotion the guests will soon start to complain and the hotel will send their best guy to check it out.

I laid down in fron of my door and I started to scream, my plan worked beautiful and there were soon a guy coming to check out what was going on.

+++++++++++++++
Tuesday 28th of October 1997
and I tried to sneak past the reception going for breakfast at the restaurant where I have had my daily breakfast. The hotel Manager must have been waiting for me to show up because as soon as I sat foot in the reception.
- ALADDIN!! CAN YOU PLEASE COME TO MY OFFICE No question mark
We stepped in to his office.
Aladdin's adventure in Houston - WOW!! I have never seen anyone so drunk before!
He was so impressed that I had managed to get back to the hotel.
- How did you get back to the hotel?
I didn't had a clue, but I answered
- By taxi
I really hope it was by taxi and not by police car.

And my “start the commotion” idea was the best ever. He was so impressed, but he had to tell me to take it easy in the future. I had embarrassed the other guests last night and there had been a Aladdin's adventure in Bangkok/ FUNKY TOWNfew complaints.

Same at Rompo Mansion in Bangkok. All the tenants were complaining about me and I never complained. So of course I was one of their most appreciated tenants and I received a 20% discount on the rent. And every time I passed the office they asked me in for cake and stuff.

I finished my breakfast and I was walking around the Richmond Area and I started to drink beer in Aladdin's adventure in Houstonthe afternoon. Believe me, I avoided the Sam's Boat area and I went to explore some other parts of Richmond Ave.

+++++++++++++++
Wednesday 29th of October 1997
and I spent the day in my room watching TV in order to be in good shape when they are coming to pick me up for transportation to Texas City and M/T Stolt Excellence tomorrow morning. I only left my room to go get a breakfast at my ordinary place down at the corner.

+++++++++++++++
Thursday 30th of October 1997
and the very same driver as drove me to the office the other day picked me up at my hotel and drove me to the ship in Texas City. I got sick from the smell of chemicals from the port long before we arrived. The driver dropped me off at the jetty and when I was looking at the ship I was thinking to myself:
- What is this?
No, I was thinking: WHAT A PIECE OF JUNK!!
I was just about to stop the driver when he returned to Houston to ask him to bring me back to Houston and the airport.

I got onboard and I put down my suitcase on the catwalk and I walked up and down the cat walk to have a look on deck. I was in chock, I'm coming from Swedish ships and I had never seen something like this before, a real rust bucket. There were 40 - 50 cargo tanks. All hatches were open so I thought that there was no cargo operation going on. There was this terrible offensive smell all the time. But when I came amidships on the catwalk it was like I was hit by a freight train and I almost felt down on deck. They loaded xylene with open hatches and the vapours were Aladdin's adventure onboard M/T Stolt Excellenceterrible. I found out that all the loading operations were done with open hatches because the tank gauges were not working.

We had a few "HERMETICA" UTI onboard that we used for some of the parcels that they wanted us to discharge or load with vapour return line. When loading and discharging the "very dangerous" cargoes we had to have our hatches closed. Hmm, but most of the cargo lines was leaking, so it was
STOLT SPIRIT
Built as a chemical tanker under yard No.148 by Dubigeaon Normandie, Nantes for Stolt Spirit Inc., Liberia. (Managed by Stolt Nielsens rederi, Oslo.)
19 December 1975 launched.
Tonnage 18.567 gross, 13.169net, 31.294dwt, dim. 176.7 x 27.0 x 15.3m.
draught 11.6m
length bpp. 169.5m.
Powered by a Sulzer diesel, 17.400bhp. speed 17 knots.
46 Tanks total 36.754 cubic meter.

11 November 1997 she got fire in the engine room, which spread, to the superstructure, M/T Stolt Spiritwhile she was moored in the Houston Ship Channel. The next day brought under control. At that time she was loaded with a cargo of staric acid but the fire did not affect the cargo.

She was later settled as a compromised total loss, and laid up in Houston.
She was later sold to a USA company who intend to repair her, but it did not take place.

15 February 2004 under tow of the tug SMITWIJS ROTTERDAM she left Houston, under the flag of Mongolia and renamed in SPIRIT, bound via Cape of Good Hope to Alang in India for scrapping.

She arrived to Alang 19 April 2004 and was beached 21 April 2004.

From www.shipstamps.co.uk
not helping very much use to have the hatches closed during loading.

We were shifting from Texas City to Houston and I think we spend about 1 week changing berths before we left for New Orleans. I remember it as being VERY NICE to leave Houston behind after 1 week of loading and shifting berths even though it only was a few hours to Mississippi River Pilot.

We had just left Houston behind when we got news that M/T Stolt Spirit was on fire in Houston Ship Channel.

The only picture I found of M/T Stolt Spirit was on a stamp. But I found an article in Port of Houston Magazine, in the May/ June 2004 issue there is an article about M/T Stolt Spirit. And as a coincidence I have pages 16 to 19 and you can read them below.

Houston Port Magazine May/ June 2004




We took onboard Mississippi pilot early morning and we had to steam up river Mississippi for a few hours. Hand steering all the way so we put our best man on the wheel. We were going to load a small parcel on a jetty just an hour or so after passing New Orleans
Aladdin's adventure onboard M/T Stolt Excellence
I don't remember what we were loading, but the chemical plant was in the middle of nowhere. We Aladdin's adventure onboard M/T Stolt Excellenceshould load one or two small parcels and I was amazed how long time everything took onboard M/T Stolt Excellence.

Stolt was a huge change for me coming from Swedish tankers. Closed loading and if we're not up and running with the loading or discharging within an hour or so after l fast there is some problem. Here we waited hour after hour before anything started.
Aladdin's adventure onboard M/T Stolt Excellence
It was not far to the first shopping mall in New Orleans, just across one of the bridges and I went Aladdin's adventure onboard M/T Stolt Excellenceashore with the 2nd Officer in the afternoon.

I bought a few CDs with Insane Clown Posse and we returned to the ship just in time for my night watch. After completion we left late in the evening and when I came on my morning watch we had left Mississippi behind. Next stop Europe.

We had nice weather until we had passed Florida. When we had passed Florida the winter weather hit us with full force. Luckily enough we had the sea coming from behind.
Aladdin's adventure onboard M/T Stolt Excellence
Aladdin's adventure onboard M/T Stolt Excellence

Aladdin's adventure onboard M/T Stolt Excellence
Aladdin's adventure onboard M/T Stolt Excellence

Aladdin's adventure onboard M/T Stolt Excellence
Aladdin's adventure onboard M/T Stolt Excellence

November and predominated winds are strong and from west. We had terrible weather all the way M/S Nihonfrom the US to Europe. 1 night on watch I could see plenty light on deck. I called the Captain and I went to investigate.

We had boxes with our lifebelts on boat deck, the boxes and the attaching bolt had been ripped off deck by the waves. When we passed The Azores we received a Mayday on the radio. It was in the night 24th of November 1997 in very severe weather that M/S MSC Carla was
www.harwichhavenshipsandyachts.com
MSC Carla
Built in 1972 as NIHON, she was owned by Swedish East Asiatic Co. Her funnel was yellow with three yellow crowns on a blue disc.

She operated in the Scandutch consortium, sailing between Gothenburg, Hamburg and Rotterdam to Singapore, Hong Kong and Tokyo. She was originally 275.2 metres LOA, but was lengthened in the early 80's to 291 metres. Her propulsion system consisted of 2 controllable pitch wing propellers and one fixed pitch centre propeller.

She was sold to Maersk Line in 1993 and renamed LADBY MAERSK.
She was resold in 1995 and renamed LADBY.
MSC purchased her in 1996 and she was re-named MSC CARLA.
She operated on the Europe to US East Coast service.

On 24th November 1997, just a few days after leaving Le Havre, she broke in two in position 39.31N 025.01W, close to the Azores. Initial reports suggested the crew were pushing the ship too hard in a heavy swell, but the fracture occurred exactly where she was cut in two during the lengthening process. There was an obvious weakness at this point thus exonerating the crew from any neglect.

With the two sections floating freely, the crew (all safe in the aft section) ran the engines astern to keep clear of the bow. Happily, the crew were all rescued by helicopter from the Azores. The forward section subsequently sunk, and the aft section was towed to Spain, and later scrapped.


From www.harwichhavenshipsandyachts.com
sending Mayday signals.

M/S MSC Carla was broken in 2 pieces that was afloat but the 30th of November the fore ship sunk with all the cargo.

The aft ship was towed to Las Palmas for scrapping. All the crew was saved.

M/S MSC Carla was built as M/S Nihon 1972 for Broström.

We were not too far away from M/S Carla and we called a coast radio station in Norway to check if they needed our assistance.

But there were ships on the scene and we could continue to Le Havre in France. Luckily enough all crew survived onboard M/S Carla. I can imagine being on a ship when suddenly half the ship disappears in front of your eyes. An experience we can live without!

MSC Carla
MSC Carla
MSC Carla after she broke in to pieces in the storm.
Pictures from Steve Harris web page.
We arrived to Le Havre, France as our first port in Europe. It was nice to arrive in port Aladdin's adventure onboard M/T Stolt Excellenceleaving the bad weather on the Atlantic behind. But we had the Aladdin's adventure onboard M/T Stolt Excellenceseas coming in from behind all the time so it was OK.

The best thing with M/T Stolt Excellence was the crew, we were, I think, 48 people onboard. We were from all over the world and I was the only one from Sweden. We had of course, people from the Philippines. We had people from Norway, 1 from Denmark, New Zealand, and England, a 3rd Officer from Ghana and one from Croatia. We had a 2nd Officer from Aladdin's adventure onboard M/T Stolt ExcellenceVenezuela, Canadians, both from the French and English part.
I relieved a guy from USA and my reliever came from Australia.

And of course, we had a Chief Officer, from India and no one liked this guy. This guy had a terrible inferiority complex. The first thing he told me back in Texas City was that all Filipinos are stupid and then it continued like this until I signed off.

He told the Cadet hat he was the only “REAL” Chief Officer left in Stolt. What a joke he was!

I don't want to brag, but I think I have gained quite some experience during my years and I have been working with all nationalities. And where ever I have been the Filipino crew has been good and Aladdin's adventure onboard M/T Stolt Excellencethe crews' I have been working with don't mind working with Filipino crew.

But I'm still to ( Written 2011 and I have done this for 27 years) meet anyone that like to work with Indians.

The best was when he should teach our 2nd Officer from Venezuela how to speak Spanish. Our 2nd Officer was at least to say baffled. He could not speak for 20 minutes.

And he thought he knew everything.
- This is how it works!
- Well, I don't think so.
When you showed him how it worked he asked if I wanted to make a bet.
- What?
- Do you want a bet? This is not how it works!
- Well, read the instructions
- Do you want a bet? This is not how it works!
- But the instructions says different
- Do you want a bet? 100$
- OK
- Do you want a bet? 200$
- OK
- Do you want a bet? 300$
- What the ? Make the bet already

Then he just left. Well, I felt sorry for our 3rd Officer from Croatia. He was blamed for Aladdin's adventure onboard M/T Stolt Excellenceeverything that went wrong and the Chief Officer was at Captain's Office blaming the 3rd Officer every time he had f@cked up by himself.

And what kind of Captain is listening to bullshit like this. He should have told the Chief Officer to be on deck if the 3rd Officer didn't manage to do his job. And the 3rd Officer was an experienced Deck Officer and it turned out that it was the Chief Officer that had f@cked up.

We didn't stay for very long in Le Havre and we left for Antwerp and we were loading lub oil. And Mr. F@ck Up had given us stop ullages based on a density for Caustic. I was with 2nd Officer Aladdin's adventure onboard M/T Stolt Excellencewhen we finished the parcel and I was ashore to check the draft, something was wrong. We didn't had the draft expected for this cargo.

We had almost sent away the barge, pure luck we checked the draft and we discovered that we had much more cargo to load. Well, this one he couldn't blame our Croatian 3rd Officer for.

We stayed in Antwerp for almost 2 weeks. We moved around from berth to berth in Antwerp, loading and discharging. We loaded different small parcels, both from shore tanks and from ships and barges. Each parcel required manifold sample, stack sample and tank sample so we ended up with plenty sample bottles.

I remember when we should load at BASF in Antwerp. The Loading Master told us that he didn't want to load the ship because it was looking like H.... He had never seen something like this before and we were almost kicked from the jetty.

Our Indian Chief Officer made himself impossible with all the people and pretty much everyone Aladdin's adventure onboard M/T Stolt Excellenceonboard was useless and he had to run the ship by himself. I never saw him on deck during discharging and loading. He was ashore on Mc Donald's or sitting inside complaining on all onboard and that he had to do everything.

I don't understand how he could leave the ship leaving the loading operation to stupid and useless people, especially when loading dangerous cargoes. Well, thinking of it and we were better off not having him on deck.

Well, never mind, when we came to Europe I stepped in to Captain's office and I gave my notice.
Toluene diisocyanate
(TDI) is an aromatic diisocyanate. It is produced for reaction with polyols to form polyurethanes. It exists in two isomers, 2,4-TDI (CAS: 584-84-9) and 2,6-TDI (CAS: 91-08-7). 2,4-TDI is produced in the pure state, but TDI is often marketed as 80/20 and 65/35 mixtures of the 2,4 and 2,6 isomers respectively. It is a highly produced diisocyanate, accounting for 34.1% of the global isocyanate market in 2000, second only to MDI.

Exposure to TDI and its vapors should be avoided. It is a well-documented causative agent of asthma.

TDI is one of eleven statutorily listed "Extremely Hazardous Substances" under the New Jersey Toxic Catastrophe Prevention Act whose release "would produce a significant likelihood that persons exposed will suffer acute health effects resulting in death or permanent disability." N.J.S.A. 13:1K-21(e)

From Wikipedia
I'm never scared on a ship, but here I was scared all the time. I remember loading TDI, a very dangerous chemical. We didn't connect the cargo arm on the manifold.

We put the loading arm on deck supported by a wooden pallet. Then we Aladdin's adventure onboard M/T Stolt Excellenceconnected a cargo hose to the cargo arm and we put it over top in one of the hatches. I few empty drums under the hose and I really wish I had taken a picture of that arrangement.

In Captain's office complaining about the 3rd officer every day and then Captain called the 3rd Officer to his office. What kind of Captain is that? I real Captain had told the Chief Officer to get his funky ass on deck if the deck officers didn't know how to do their job. OK, first time I should have had a talk with the 3rd Officer, but when it happens every day Chief Officer's presence is called for.

I remember CT Sky, we had a severe list and I went on deck to see what happened. I had been on deck for 3 seconds when I knew what had went wrong and I went to open a valve. In the CCR I asked the 3rd Officer why he didn't do anything.
- If you see that it goes to shit you just can't let it go on going to shit.
- I told our Cadet....
- Who is responsible?
Yes, he is responsible and not the Cadet and if the Cadet can't manage he should take action. And if he is unable he should call me first thing so I can do something about it. Not just stand there Aladdin's adventure onboard M/T Stolt Excellencewith his finger up his nose watching things go wrong.

After Antwerp we left for Rotterdam. After discharging in Rotterdam we had to go out in the Aladdin's adventure onboard M/T Stolt ExcellenceNorth Sea for tank cleaning. It took about 24 hours to do the tank cleaning and when we were ready we returned to Rotterdam for loading.

Well, our Chief Officer got started when we should load from another Stolt ship. After a few minutes the Chief Officer on the other Stolt ship refused to talk to our Chief Officer. Unbelievable, a Stolt to Stolt transfer and our gay made allot of problem. The company was losing money by the minute.

And of course, our 3rd officer ended up in the shit again. Called to Captain's office. I relieved him on deck and he told me that we were ready to start load one parcel. i have forgotten what it was and in which tank. But I called the Chief Officer and we called the Surveyor, we always had a Surveyor taking manifold and stack samples when we started loading. The Surveyor came onboard.

He discovered that we had a barge alongside and that we were loading from the barge as well. And we were not allowed to load while we had a barge alongside. Obviously our Chief Officer was unaware of this or if he was unaware that we had a barge along side.

Now we had to find someone to blame, and our Croatian 3rd Officer was as good as anyone.
- Why didn't you tell Aladdin that the tanks were inspected and approved?
Now our Chief Officer pretended like his intention was never to start loading. Now we had called Aladdin's adventure onboard M/T Stolt Excellence the Surveyor for tank inspection even though I clearly told him that I would call the Surveyor for manifold and stack sample when we started loading.

3rd officer was called to Captain's office. What a joke they were! The Croatian 3rd Officer never returned to Stolt and they lost a good deck officer. And I heard that the Chief Officer was promoted to Captain. I hope that this is not true, but I wouldn't be surprised.

Instead of admitting that they had made a mistake/ being drunk during the hiring process they Aladdin's adventure onboard M/T Stolt Excellencepromote this guy. It's like saying: “We never make any mistakes and we're only having the best crew onboard”

Well, it was nice to leave Europe behind bound for Singapore through the Suez Canal. We stopped to discharge one parcel of lub oil in Marseille, France in the Mediterranean on the way to Suez. The weather was getting better by the day and we could use our summer uniform again, nice.

Arriving to Marseille and we had to report to a radio station. I called them on the VHF radio and they asked for our position. I normally reply with whole degree and minute but as Captain was next to me I replied with 3 decimals on the minutes.
- My position is 45,333° 21,222' North and 002° 21,111' East.
Captain was looking at me like the 7th wonder of the world. I could see him thinking: Where did he get the position from? I suspected it and now I got it confirmed, he didn't know our DHC equipment. Very easy to get the position on the radio display just by a push on a button. And I was Aladdin's adventure onboard M/T Stolt Excellencewatching Captain while reporting our position.

At the degree he looked a wee bit surprised, I guess he had expected me to ask him for the position while he was looking at the GPS. When I started by the minutes he was very surprised and when I started with 3 decimals on the minutes he almost felt on the floor.

When I had reported our position I went to get a cup of tea and I saw Captain moving to the VHF radio. I could see him thinking:
- What the just happened here?
He started to push the buttons but he never found out that we could see our position on the VHF and my guess is that he still wonders how I got the position. Direct contact with God almighty?

We discharged 1 parcel in Marseille before continuing our voyage to Suez and Singapore. We got a British Cadet onboard in Marseille. He arrived without any luggage, it had disappeared on the airport. All his notes were in his bag. He was hoping for the stuff to arrive in Suez. He needed his notes, every time I asked him about some stuff he answered:
- I don't know but I will kick ass when my notebooks arrives.

We celebrated Christmas on the way to Suez, I think we left Marseille the day before Christmas Aladdin's adventure onboard M/T Stolt Excellenceor if it was on Christmas morning.






Our Pilipino crew made a fire in an empty drum on poop deck for BBQ and they grilled a pig for Christmas.

We had 2 or 3 Cooks onboard and as many Mess men so there were plenty people to attend the pig. I and the other 2nd Officer were having our Christmas dinner with the Pilipino crew. We didn't want to eat Aladdin's adventure onboard M/T Stolt Excellencewith the Indian a-hole. It's important to surround yourself with nice people when you want to have a good time.

I will never forget when our Chief Officer came in to the Chief Engineers office. Chief Officer always walking around with the hands in the pocket and he was blue around his eyes. Our Chief Engineer told him that he had been working with a guy running around with his hands in his pocket all day long. One time they had bad weather and the ship was rolling. It was rolling so much so the guy felt and he didn't manage to get his hands out of the pocket and he felt face down on deck.
- He was walking around with two black eyes for a week after that.

I remember that we were running low on diet drinks on our way to Singapore so our Cadet from Aladdin's adventure onboard M/T Stolt ExcellenceCanada and me had to split the diet drinks between us, we were the only ones drinking diet drinks and we managed to make them last until Singapore where we got fresh supply.

We had a bar and Officers day room where I and the Aladdin's adventure onboard M/T Stolt ExcellenceCanadian Cadet were playing some game with airplanes. In the crews dayroom there was a Aladdin's adventure onboard M/T Stolt Excellencestage with instruments and stuff and the Filipino crew liked to play and sing so there were a party almost every night.

Yes, that's what I liked with Stolt, plenty crew from all over the world and we had a very good time, except in ports when I spent the time being afraid. Dangerous cargoes and I don't know how many buckets there were hanging under leaking flanges and pipes. For sure, if the ship would have had Swedish flag we would not have been allowed to leave the jetty.

I remember joining my first ship back in 1984, there we had buckets hanging under the flanges and they were called Helsingborg gaskets. But I have not seen them since and I was quite shocked Aladdin's adventure onboard M/T Stolt Excellenceto discover them in 1997, and especially with dangerous cargoes like the ones we had onboard.

I had a very good time with the Deck officers and we had very fun, our 2nd Officer from Venezuela and I were wearing our uniforms at sea and in port we look like scavengers. Stolt's dress code, uniform in port and when Pilot onboard. As soon as the Pilot came onboard we took off our uniforms.
And of course, Captain noticed and asked:
- Why are you wearing uniform at sea?

First stop after transferring Suez was Singapore. We did a lightering operation on the roads just south of Singapore to a small tanker at arrival. When we completed the lightering we got alongside in Singapore. Loading master and surveyor asking us if we just had been on shipyard.
- Well, what makes you think that. She for sure doesn't look like a newly painted ship, I replied.
- But with all this blaster grits on deck.
Arriving to Singapore we had our deck full of the grits. Then when we were in the port of Singapore our Chief Officer realized that maybe it wasn't looking to good with the ship black of blaster grits. So he had the AB's to shovel it in to the sea. In the port he starts to clean the deck and dumps everything in the water, nice move, port authorities use to love when you throw stuff in the port. Well, there is always the Croatian 3rd officer to blame for your own fuck up's.

In Singapore we had a speed boat (junk) to pick us up so we could go in to the town. I went ashore Aladdin's adventure at Pokka Cafe on Orchard Road, Singaporewith one of the Norwegian Engineers and we ended up at Pokka Cafe on Orchard Road, first time ever, but I was going to come back many times. He was drinking beer and I was drinking milk shakes. He was going to stay the night and I had to go back for my watch onboard. Needless to say, I was green of envy. But we had a good time sitting at the bar drinking and all Aladdin's adventure onboard M/T Stolt Excellencethe waitresses were hovering around us asking questions.
It was nice to get ashore for a few hours, but it was not so very nice to get back onboard again.

Before leaving Singapore for Taiwan we had to wait at the anchorage for bunkers. The bunker barge should arrive the day after and we had a chance to go ashore for a good time while waiting at the anchorage. A speed boat was arranged to pick us up in the evening. We went to night clubs and we had a few beers or a little more than a few. Orchard Tower and I don't remember when they closed, but I got tired and I returned to the ship with our Cook.

We left for Taiwan the day after and first stop in Taiwan was Taichung and I was going to be relieved by an Australian 2nd Officer.

+++++++++++++++
Sunday 18th of January 1988
and I signed off in Taichung, Taiwan. I stayed 1 night on a hotel in Taichung. I was picked up by a taxi early morning the day after for transportation to Taipei and my flight to Bangkok

M/T Stolt Excellence outside Cape Town
Stolt Excellence leaves Cape Town.
I took the picture 19th of May 2004 outside Cape Town

M/T Stolt Excellence outside Cape Town
Stolt Excellence leaves Cape Town.
I took the picture 19th of May 2004 outside Cape Town

M/T Stolt Excellence in Santos, Brazil
Stolt Excellence in Santos.
I took the picture 26th of August 2008 when loading Ethanol with M/T Bro Provider in Santos, Brazil

M/T Stolt Excellence in Santos, Brazil
Stolt Excellence in Santos.
I took the picture 26th of August 2008 when loading Ethanol with M/T Bro Provider in Santos, Brazil

M/T Stolt Excellence in Santos, Brazil
Stolt Excellence in Santos.
I took the picture 26th of August 2008 when leaving Santos with M/T Bro Provider



       
                  

OK, it has come to my knowledge that we have senior citizens at my web page. How hard can it be? So it’s not very easy for them to see the blue coloured links to the next page.
Jiffy (also jiff)

noun [in SING.] informal a moment: we'll be back in a jiffy.

ORIGIN late 18th cent.: of unknown origin.

So as you understand, in a jiff pretty much depends on your internet.
So I put a “Next” button here and I hope that there isn't any problem to understand how to use that one. So just CLICK the “Next” button on your left hand side and you will be on the next page in a jiff!

Marunong ka mag-tagalog? Walang problema! Magpunta sa kabilang pahina pindutin ang “NEXT” button sa itaas

Faites vous parlez le français? Pas de problème! Pour arriver à la page suivante faites s'il vous plaît un déclic le bouton “Next” ci-dessus!

Haga usted dice el español? No hay problema! Ver la siguiente página sólo hacer clic el botón “Next” encima!

Farla parla l'italiano? Non problemi! Per vedere la prossima pagina lo scatto per favore giusto Il bottone “Next” sopra

Sprechen sie Deutsch! Kein problem! Wenn Sie die folgende Seite sehen wollen gerade klicken der Knopf “Next” oben!

คุณพูดภาษาไทยได้ไหม ไม่มีปัญหา ถ้าคุณต้องการไปหน้าถัดไป ให้กดปุ่ม “Next” ข้างบนนี้

Вы говорите по-русски? NJET PROBLEMA! Просто нажмите синюю кнопку "Next" с левой стороны и Вы моментально переместитесь на следующую страницу!

E ni Svenskar och inte förstår Engelska så ska ni skämmas. J och Björn, med det menar jag inte att alla mina stavfel ska ältas varje gång vi träffas.




                                       

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