From the Bridge - Company of Master Mariners of Canada

“From the Bridge” August 2009 www.mastermariners.ca
To date, 18 States have ratified the Convention, representing 15.27 per cent of the world’s merchant shipping. The
Convention will enter into force twelve months after the date on which not fewer than 30 States, the combined merchant
fleets of which constitute not less than 35 percent of the gross tonnage of the world’s merchant shipping, have become
Parties to it. The Committee urged other States to ratify the Convention at the earliest opportunity.
The report of a correspondence group on Noise from commercial shipping and its adverse impact on marine life was
considered, and the MEPC agreed to re-establish the correspondence group to continue its work on the future
development of voluntary technical guidelines for ship quieting technologies.
The MEPC agreed to disseminate, via a circular, Guidance on best management practices for removal of anti fouling
coatings from ships, including TBT hull paints, which was developed by the Scientific Groups under the Convention on
the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter, 1972 (London Convention) and its 1996
Protocol (London Protocol).
The International Convention on the Control of Harmful Anti-Fouling Systems on Ships, 2001, entered into force in
September 2008 and requires ships to either replace, or over-coat, any existing organotin-based anti fouling systems.
http://www.motorship.com/currentnews/article.aspARTICLEID=7765
Albion ferries up for sale on Craigslist By Laura Stone, The Province June 17, 2009
It's an odd enough website: a place to find a spare room, an extra concert ticket, and even a no-strings-attached casual
encounter. But who would have thought you could buy a ferry on Craigslist In the "boats" section of the online
advertising mecca, an ad has been posted for two "twin screw double-ended" ferries — the soon-to-be-relics that plied
the Albion ferry route during the pre-Golden Ears Bridge era. The asking price is a cool $1.1 million each.
"Why is that unusual" said Gary Harlow, of marine brokerage company Harlow Marine International Inc., the company
acting as "real estate agent on the water" for boat owner TransLink.
"It sure gets conversations going, doesn't it" he said, adding that
he's posted ads on Craigslist before. The current listing has been
up for the past month and a half.
"When you try to sell something for your client, you try to do as
many ways as you can, and that seemed to be a good way of doing
it. It's not a steady thing with us. It's just we put a few things on
there. It catches people's eye."
The ferries were made by Vancouver Shipyard Co. Ltd. They are
listed as models MV 445 and MV 444, and described in the ad as
having a gross tonnage of 355.04, a reported speed of 10 knots,
hydraulic steering, a passenger capacity of 150 and a 26-vehicle
capacity. The condition is "as-is-where-is. It's the same thing
when you buy something from the government. We're not
guaranteeing anything. You look at it, and that's the way it's sold.
As is."
He added that if the ferries were being built today, they would be worth $15 to $20 million. Harlow said the boat will
"definitely go to some kind of business. I'm hoping it's going to be in B.C."
The last ferry on the Fraser River route between Fort Langley and Maple Ridge B.C. runs at midnight on July 31 2009.
The boats are available for possession on Aug. 1.
The Albion ferry is pictured on its 50th anniversary run in 2007. Photograph by: Jason Payne file, The Province
http://www.theprovince.com/Technology/Albion+ferries+sale+Craigslist/1702160/story.html
From the July 2009 Newsletter of the New Zealand Company of Master Mariners.
An item of interest from the Warden.
Cook Strait Ferry Masters. The question of who is Master at any particular time seems to have caused a bit of an
upset in the judicial system. One of the perceptions that came from the case of Captain David Birchall, who was
apparently signed on as Mate on Santa Regina, was that any person being in charge of the navigation of the vessel
automatically assumes the role of Master. This is so plainly farcical that it denies belief. However, it would appear that
the New Zealand regulations are written in such a way that this can be the way they are interpreted.
AS is usual, nobody asks the mariner what the practicalities of the situation are. MNZ (Maritime New Zealand) is rapidly
running out of anyone with maritime qualifications and doesn’t appear to want professional advice.
For many years, vessels all around the world have operated with only ONE Master. This has been in fair weather and
foul, in reduced visibility, in narrow seaways, and for prolonged periods under the worst of conditions. The Master was
able to delegate responsibilities. He wrote Night Orders for the times when he would normally sleep and ALWAYS it was
his responsibility to be on call if required. This was understood by all on the vessel and particularly his officers.
I understand that the N.Z. authorities decided to change the status quo because, when N.Z. Railways took over the
operation of the ferries, they decided they were to run 4 trips per day and that a Master should not do more than three
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