Photoshooting on the „BEK“-Ships - RHL | Reederei Hamburger Lloyd

N E W S L E T T E R 

No. 15 

editorial 

Dear Readers, 

We are delighted that, with this fifteenth issue 

of our newsletter, we can present you 

with a veritable jubilee Edition. Since the 

summer of 2008, our quarterly company periodical 

“THE BRIDGE” has tirelessly been informing 

you of the goings-on and developments 

within our company and on our ships. 

“THE BRIDGE” was created, quite simply, 

to form a bridge – between you, dear colleagues 

on board, the RHL office crew 

ashore, and all interested readers from the 

finance, seafaring and port management 

industry – in order to maintain and foster 

the good relationship between all of us. 

But fifteen issues of “THE BRIDGE” is not 

the only anniversary for us: HAMBuRGER 

LLOYD is due to celebrate its fifth birthday! 

The foundation of RHL REEDEREI HAM- 

BuRGER LLOYD was recorded in the Commercial 

Register of the Free and Hanseatic 

City of Hamburg on june 11 th 2007. 

THE BRIDGE 

HAMBURGER LLOYD SHORE TO SHIP 

2012 continues to be a very eventful year 

for HAMBuRGER LLOYD. On May 2 nd , we 

were able to take command of our fleet’s 

thirteenth vessel, Shanghai Shipyard’s Hull 

Newbuilding SS1181. In the preceding 

days, all associated parties celebrated the 

naming ceremonies for RHL CONSCIENTIA 

and RHL CONCORDIA. Now, in a mere few 

weeks, we expect the delivery of SS1182, 

which will extend our fleet to fourteen units 

with altogether 485,556 tdw, or 39,719 TEu. 

When considering this development, one 

must bear in mind that our good ship “RHL” 

had to brave the storms of the financial, economic 

and national crises, and battle the consequences 

of the global shipping crisis, since 

it was founded. In all modesty: We can be a 

little proud of what we have accomplished. 

A ship can only brave a storm if it has a good 

crew; a crew in which everyone does the right 

thing at the right time. We are thankful to all 

of you for your exceptional contributions towards 

our success; thankful to the crews on 

THE BRIDGE I No. 15 

jubilee edition 

15 

juLY 2012 

board our vessels, to everybody in our head 

office in Hamburg, and to our shipyard site 

team in Shanghai. We sincerely hope that 

those first signs of a market recovery prove 

true, and that they will help our ship “RHL” 

into calmer waters after four years of crisis. 

In this spirit, we would like to wish you all a 

safe journey and a happy return home. 

Cordially, 

Dr. Christian Olearius 

Harald Block 

Hauke Pane

crew lists 

MELL SENTOSA | RHL AuDACIA 

Rank First name(s) Surname 

Master Ljubomir Karabaic 

Chief Officer Igor Goloborodko 

Second Officer Enoc J. Micu 

Third Officer Eufemio Jr. S. Hotohot 

Chief Engineer Nikolay M. Geshev 

Second Engineer Andrii Nesterenko 

Third Engineer Allan P. Ibabao 

Electrical Engineer Oleg Fiskov 

Fitter Primo Jr. U. Panes 

Cook Fernando Jr. M. Adriano 

Bosun Roberto C. Franco 

Able Seaman 1 Carlito Jr. G. Villalon 

Able Seaman 2 Ricardo S. Hijanda 

Able Seaman 3 Reynaldo R. Tolete 

Ordinary Seaman 1 Joan D. Dela Cruz 

Ordinary Seaman 2 Michael L. Lopez Dion 

Oiler 1 Georgie D. Plameras 

Oiler 2 Joart P. Malicay 

Wiper Joselito G. Castillano 

Messman Nestor M. Lumio 

On Wednesday May 02 nd 2012, Reederei 

Hamburger Lloyd took command of the 

first of four 4,600 TEU wide-beam Containership 

Newbuildings from Shanghai Shipyard 

Ltd., Chong Ming Island. The delivery 

of the next Newbuilding (No. SS1182) is 

expected for August of this year. 

In the course of a double naming ceremony 

on Monday April 30 th , Hull No. 1181 was 

named M/V “RHL Conscientia” by Mrs Barbara 

Olearius, and the identical sister vessel, 

Hull No. 1182, M/V “RHL Concordia” by Mrs 

Gabriele E. Block. 

The Godmothers Mrs Barbara Olearius and Mrs 

Gabriele E. Block listen attentively to various 

speakers of the occasion. 

Rank 

RHL ASTRuM 

First name(s) Surname 

Master Vadim Shipilov 

Chief Officer Sergei Gostev 

Second Officer Chenvie Go 

Third Officer Eduardo Buenaventura 

Chief Engineer Evgenii Titov 

Second Engineer Gerry Tayamora 

Third Engineer Michael B. Yutiga 

Electrical Engineer Gistex Flojemon 

Fitter Frenel Calangi 

Cook Manuel Cuerdo 

Bosun Richard G. Navarro 

Able Seaman 1 Isabelo M. Pioc 

Able Seaman 2 Ariel A. Nicdao 

Able Seaman 3 Randy L. Quimba 

Ordinary Seaman 1 Aurelio Jr. B. Andres 

Ordinary Seaman 2 Nomer M. Daroy 

Deck Cadet Mariss Zigats 

Oiler 1 Oliver F. Pepito 

Oiler 2 Feliciano E. Segundino 

Messman Rodrigo Jr. S. Navaja 

Wiper Brian Devinosa 

A stiff breeze notwithstanding, both ladies 

successfully managed to break the bottles 

on the prows of ”their” ships, wishing them 

the obligatory six inches of water below 

their keels at all times. Directly following 

the ceremony, the shipyard hosted a banquet 

for everybody present. 

The “RHL Conscientia”, built as Hull Number 

SS1181 at Shanghai Shipyard, is under 

an initial charter for the Chilean Liner 

Shipping Company “Compania Chilena de 

Navegacion Interoceanica S.A.”, and will 

trade between China, Korea and the West 

Coast of South America under the name 

“CCNI Aysen” for the next 12 months. Beginning 

in Shanghai, the “RHL Conscientia” 

will enter into service on May 12 th under 


RHL AGILITAS 


Master Neven Dujmic 

Chief Officer Nikolay P. Nakov 

Second Officer Plamen H. Petrov 

Third Officer Elbert Jr. D. Arriesgado 

Chief Engineer Anton A. Velkov 

Second Engineer Ernesto Perez Armendariz 

Tird Engineer Thalapitiya Palle K. Somaveera 

Electrical Engineer Sherwin Roy A. Dalu 

Fitter Miguel A. Lumogdang 

Cook Joel T. Ido 

Bosun Allan M. Lutero 

Able Seaman 1 Amando P. Torres 

Able Seaman 2 Emmanuel Ron C. Bruzola 

Able Seaman 3 Roberto T. Cruz 

Ordinary Seaman 1 John Gabriel T. Juanga 

Ordinary Seaman 2 Joseph Star C. Sebua 

Oiler 1 Henry O. Orbeta 

Oiler 2 Sunny Jr. Z. Raquel 

Wiper Benhur Jr. T. Buala 

Messman Rabby C. Matematico 

RHL AuRORA 


Master Igor Taran 

Chief Officer Dubravko Rumora 

Second Officer Donald Sator 

Third Officer Richard O. Furton 

Chief Engineer Nikolaj Kazanovskij 

Second Engineer Rajapakse Wijayasekara 

Third Engineer Hezron L. Valenzuela 

Electrical Engineer Dehiwalage Perera 

Fitter Marlon A. Villamante 

Cook Melandro E. Drew 

Bosun Julius A. Cabanero 

Able Seaman 1 Gemer V. Bautista 

Able Seaman 2 Noel Labatorio 

Able Seaman 3 Geronimo Jr. S. Sepacio 

Ordinary Seaman 1 Mark Harold L. Alviar 

Ordinary Seaman 2 Beltran A. Dimzon 

Deck Cadet Silvestrs Cirulis 

Oiler 1 Lolindo Rigodon 

Oiler 2 Chris Matarong 

Wiper Sheldon P. Pagdato 

Messman Noel A. Quinopa 

Double naming ceremony 

Hamburger Lloyd takes over 4,600 TEu Containership in China 

the command of Captain jurij Savliukevic. 

RHL has ordered altogether four vessels of 

identical build from Shanghai, China, which 

are due for delivery within the year. 

M/V “RHL Conscientia” is the 13 th vessel for 

us. The freshly named ship is 259.80m long, 

37.3m wide and carries 57,000 tons at 12.5m 

design draught. She can take 4,620 TEu, of 

which 1,856 TEu in the holds and 2,764 on 

deck, up to 7 tiers high. Her homogenous 

loading capacity amounts to 3,620 TEu of 14 

tons each. Altogether, there are 600 reefer 

sockets available on deck, and a 36,240 kW 

MAN Main Engine, type 8K80ME, allows the 

GL-classified newbuilding a cruising speed 

of 23.3 knots, while consuming economic 

115 tons per day.

RHL AQuA 


Master Nathaniel P. Nanglihan 

Chief Officer Florante I. Nico 

Second Officer Artur Savelyev 

Third Officer Erwin A. Dulce 

Chief Engineer Vladimirs Skackovs 

Second Engineer Ognyan R. Kyurchiev 

Third Engineer Oleg Kalayda 

Electrical Engineer Liyana P. Pathirane 

Fitter Jacob O. De La Cruz 

Cook Rayman T. Arguelles 

Bosun Torcuato Jr. L. Jomolo 

Able Seaman 1 Roger P. Ortega 

Able Seaman 2 Jaime M. Fiel 

Able Seaman 3 Charlie B. Guevarra 

Ordinary Seaman 1 Mark Ian P. Flores 

Ordinary Seaman 2 Paul John P. Launio 

Engine Cadet Alemayehu G. Sibane 

Oiler 1 Darius B. Jonatas 

Oiler 2 Jonele V. Constantino 

Wiper Andrew O. Del Socorro 

Messman Lenwill B. Parde 

Thomas Duffé, born in Kiel, Germany, 

worked as a ship’s cook when he was a 

young man. But for 25 years now, he has 

been putting his heart and soul into his 

job as a photographer. 

For his idea of a cookery book containing 

the favourite recipes of ship’s cooks from 

around the globe, he could soon win over 

the well-respected North German publishers 

“Ankerherz” (“anchor heart”). For several 

months now, he has been working on 

RHL FELICITAS 


Master Eugen Selaru 

Chief Officer Dmytro Smelsky 

Second Officer Adrian Gheorghe 

Third Officer Joraph M. Tabal 

Chief Engineer Georgi Radev 

Second Engineer Marian Constanda 

Third Engineer Sofronio J. Marquez 

Electrical Engineer Jayaweera A. Seneviratne 

Electrician Cadet Arturs Artjomovs 

Fitter Diego E. Masiado 

Cook Ronwaldo J. Gelle 

Bosun Edilberto Jr. L. Hautea 

Able Seaman 1 Ruben L. Lavalle 

Able Seaman 2 Jayson P. Cantimbuhan 

Able Seaman 3 John Wilbert M. Torres 

Ordinary Seaman Alfie M. Caimbon 

Ordinary Seaman Michael A. Sapiter 

Oiler 1 Crisanto W. Piape 

Oiler 2 Alfredo Jr. J. Decripito 

Wiper Joel L. Luna 

Messman Christopher Colombus H. Tiantes 


RHL FIDELITAS 


Master Zeljko Asanovic 

Chief Officer Mykhaylo Ostroglyad 

Second Officer Sergej Jurov 

Third Officer Nguyen T. Long 

Chief Engineer Anatoliiy Dyachenko 

Second Engineer Dragan Rosandic 

Third Engineer Peregrino I. Nico 

Electrical Engineer Mauro Nemec 

Fitter Expedito L. Taleon 

Cook Sergio Fernando L. Oreta 

Bosun Nicolas A. Batuhan 

Able Seaman 1 Jay B. Ballesteros 

Able Seaman 2 Richard A. Lim 

Able Seaman 3 Rizaldy M. Alcaide 

Able Seaman 4 Manuel III B. Barral 

Ordinary Seaman Rommel P. Montalban 

Oiler 1 Alexander B. Nunez 

Oiler 2 Allan V. Maranon 

Wiper Eliseo Oliver S. Ramirez 

Messman Edwin J. Cabral 

this project. His aim is to pass on simple, 

traditional cooking, and not to put out just 

another “designer” cookbook. 

He has already visited about 30 cooks on 

board their ships in Hamburg and Bremerhaven. 

They shared their favourite recipes 

with him, and many an interesting story in 

the bargain. 

Because our “BEK” vessels call at Hamburg 

regularly, we asked them for help in this 

project. The feedback we received was extremely 

positive. Our Cooks were so friendly 

as to provide help with his collection of 

photos and recipes, even to add to it,and 

they willingly revealed their favourite recipe 

for him. We would like to thank the respective 

crews for their assistance. 

This unique cookery book is planned for 

publication in early 2013, and our fleet will 

surely be provided with a number of copies. 

But for now, let us show you some of the photographic 

results of Mr Duffé’s visits. 

RHL FIDuCIA 


Master Zoran Radisic 

Chief Officer Jovito L. Balabat 

Second Officer Josip Perkov 

Third Officer Jan C. Legaspina 

Chief Engineer Adrian Glomnicu 

Second Engineer Ireneo H. Abuyen 

Third Engineer Vladimir D. Dimov 

Electrical Engineer Dammika I. Nakandala 

Electrician Cadet Ilmars Kucins 

Fitter Eduards Jocus 

Cook Bernie R. Tadeo 

Bosun Mario C. Manigbas 

Able Seaman 1 Danilo G. Umlas 

Able Seaman 2 Timoteo Jr. D. Silan 

Able Seaman 3 Edzel C. Sapinosa 

Ordinary Seaman 1 Federico Jr. D. Borja 

Ordinary Seaman 2 Christian F. Deloy 

Deck Cadet Dragomir P. Ryahov 

Oiler 1 Julius V. Natan 

Oiler 2 Rhey Salvador J. Villanueva 

Wiper Joezaldy P. Segovia 

Messman Julius Ceasar V. Simon 

<strong>Photoshooting</strong> on the „BEK“-Ships 

A photographer visits the galleys and the cooks 

Mr. Thomas Duffeé on board of “RHL Reinbek” 

with Chief Cook Mr. Dalino 

Chief Cook Mr. Bimbo, “RHL Flottbek” 

Chief Cook Mr. Alano, “RHL Barmbek” 

Chief Cook Mr. Ross, “RHL Eilbek”

crew lists 

EILBEK 


Master Igor Gudziy 

Chief Officer Dmitrij Secin 

Second Officer Jakov Maric 

Third Officer Vladimir Vakhomchik 

Chief Engineer Dmitriy Albu 

Second Engineer Felix P. Figueroa 

Third Engineer Ranushka P. Siriwansa 

Electrical Engineer Jose Jr. R. Leonen 

Electrician Cadet Oskars Kapteinis 

Fitter Elmer S. Aquino 

Cook Michael Ross D. Bautista 

Bosun Selderico III S. Jover 

Able Seaman 1 Reagan S. Villanueva 

Able Seaman 2 Jose Edwin B. Almenso 

Able Seaman 3 Percival G. Gargantiel 

Ordinary Seaman 1 Jose Vermon D. Ortega 

Ordinary Seaman 2 Joerex E. Ramillete 

Oiler Julius L. Bautista 

Messman Leonard Y. Balabat 

REINBEK 


Master Ivan Poleshko 

Chief Officer Salvador A. Damaso 

Second Officer Mark Giovanni H. Cortez 

Third Officer Goran Ilievski 

Chief Engineer Andrej Mezencev 

Second Engineer Antans Ketlerjus 

Third Engineer Eduardo Jr. B. Deseo 

Engine Cadet Roberts Krauklis 

Electrical Engineer Gordon Lancelot S. Perera 

Fitter Lobert A. Cabanado 

Cook Danilo F. Alarcon 

Bosun Catalino Jr. T. Millado 

Able Seaman 1 Joseph C. Collado 

Able Seaman 2 Henry S. Cordova 

Able Seaman 3 Felix P. Acob 

Ordinary Seaman 1 Rowell G. Motol 

Ordinary Seaman 2 Denver S. Tanigue 

Deck Cadet Gvido Paulins 

Oiler Ali T. Monje 

Messman Richson A. Batilo 


FLOTTBEK 


Master Nathaniel D. Dallego 

Chief Officer Atanas P. Petrov 

Second Officer Dmytro Kovtun 

Third Officer Tikkamage G. Perera 

Chief Engineer Igor Podvalnyj 

Second Engineer Elmore G. Clavaton 

Third Engineer Todor B. Todorov 

Electrical Engineer Adrian Lemnaru 

Fitter Renato C. Tornea 

Cook Bimbo G. Sangalang 

Able Seaman 1 Ramyther D. Tutong 

Able Seaman 2 Roy N. Manayon 

Able Seaman 3 Randy S. Laguisma 

Ordinary Seaman 1 Fernando J. Josoy 

Ordinary Seaman 2 Roberto R. Par 

Deck Cadet Deniss Dobrovenskis 

Bosun Antonio J. Melegrito 

Oiler Jovic Q. Espino 

Messman Christopher C. Cerbolles 

Safety Awareness 

– or what we can learn from the Aviation Industry 

There have been numerous surveys and 

studies in the field of accidents and safety; 

they fill whole books. This article does neither 

attempt to summarize their results, 

nor to reinvent them. Instead, it wants to 

put forward three proposals for new approaches 

to day-to-day safety on board, 

and to encourage a lively, continuous debate 

on the subject. In this context, the 

aviation industry’s approach to safety – 

the systems and operations in use – is very 

interesting and merits an exploration from 

the shipping point of view. 

Many Surveys have investigated different 

reasons for serious accidents. All came to 

the conclusion that it is almost never possible 

to isolate one single cause or originating 

incident. In the great majority of cases, 

it is an unlucky chain of events that leads 

to a sometimes devastating outcome. It is 

essential that we learn to interrupt these 

disastrous chains of errors. 

This is not easy, since the possible combinations 

of mistakes and events is, of course, 

infinite; any combination of technical defects, 

human failure, component overload, 

human overwork and countless further 

reasons is imaginable. Also, although any 

of these individual events may occur often 

in our everyday routine, this does not make 

them catastrophic in themselves – only the 

cumulative effect of a whole sequence of 

such events. 

The aviation industry trains all personnel to 

recognise even small mistakes in their earliest 

stages, to understand their impact, and 

to cut them short. This is the only way to 

break a chain of errors, the only way to prevent 

disaster. In shipping, we also need to 

adopt this kind of safety awareness, and we 

need to live it. We are talking about seemingly 

harmless mistakes or defects, which 

need to be identified and stopped. 

This kind of thinking does not, by the way, 

aim at reprimanding or punishing anybody 

involved – this must not play any part in it. 

Rather, all participants should strive to recognise 

problems early, to change their actions 

accordingly, and to avoid these problems 

altogether in the future. Increased 

safety awareness will come to you easily 

and naturally if you always remember that 

BARMBEK 


Master Konstantin Panshin 

Chief Officer Merkuriy Muntyan 

Second Officer Robert H. Villaflores 

Third Officer Emiliano Jr. N. Novo 

Chief Engineer Aleksandr Bychalov 

Second Engineer Alexander Voronkov 

Third Engineer Carlos Jr. D. Torres 

Electrical Engineer Goran Andlar 

Fitter Matias III R. Misagal 

Cook Ronald D. Radovan 

Bosun Virgilio Jr. A. Laurea 

Able Seaman 1 Arthur S. Umlas 

Able Seaman 2 Crisostomo Allan F. Monakil 

Able Seaman 3 John Marven L. Bolivar 

Ordinary Seaman 1 Jayson S. Garcia 

Ordinary Seaman 2 Ramil J. Alejandro 

Deck Cadet Edgars Vasilkovs 

Oiler Edgar N. Montero 

Messman Rowel I. Abrigonda 

any event you may be dealing with, no matter 

how “insignificant” it seems, can make 

that big difference. 

The aviation industry’s intricate emergency 

preparedness is another feature worth taking 

a closer look at. Before every flight, a list 

is compiled for every single leg of the route, 

consisting of every nearest emergency airport 

at any given time; thus, in the event 

of a distress situation, no time is wasted 

determining an alternative route. This kind 

of preparation speeds the emergency proceedings 

up significantly.

RHL CONSCIENTIA 


Master Jurij Savliukevic 

Chief Officer Vitaliy Davydenko 

Second Officer Anton Semenas 

Third Officer Svetlana Ormane 

Chief Engineer Sergei Semenov 

Second Engineer Konstantin S. Chomutov 

Third Engineer Emil N. Dimitrov 

Electrical Engineer Erwin Z. Villanueva 

Fitter Romeo O. Tataro 

Cook Renato M. Takahupikang 

Bosun Edilberto C. Vicente 

Able Seaman 1 Pedro M. Piyao 

Able Seaman 2 Renato C. Morgia 

Able Seaman 3 Forest March M. Goda 

Ordinary Seaman 1 Kim Dominic G. Santillana 

Ordinary Seaman 2 Rex Amen L. Goco 

Wiper Jerico T. Tolentino 

Oiler Melvin B. Maranan 

Oiler Rowie E. Espinosa 

Messman Jose Allan D. Cempron 

Supernumerery Oksana Davydenko 

I realise that we already use checklists and 

standard procedures in shipping. Yet this 

comparison with the aviation industry is 

aimed at illustrating the importance of 

checklists, which should not be underestimated. 

Even the most highly-trained airline 

pilots, with decades of experience, start off 

every single flight – even if it is their fourth 

on the same day – with a checklist. I am 

quite sure that they know it by heart, but 

that is not the point, not at all. Maybe they 

are overworked, or tired, or preoccupied, 

thinking of their family or a recent argument, 

or maybe routine is getting the better 

of them – a checklist can help to stop 

a dangerous chain of mistakes right there. 

We can do what they do! Checklists and 

Emergency Preparedness need to be lived 

and breathed. 

This brings us to my third example, in which 

seafaring probably differs most significantly 

from aviation, for both traditional and cultural 

reasons. I am talking about the willingness 

and capability of superiors to let themselves 

be questioned by their subordinates 

– and, in the other direction, the willingness 

and capability of subordinates to question 

their superiors’ decisions and actions. This is 

extremely important, error-preventing behaviour, 

yet its acceptance within the multinational 

seafaring community is relatively 

low, and it is additionally hampered by what 

specialist literature calls “power distance”. 

What are we talking about here? I guess you 

know this kind of situation, whether on a 

professional or a private level, where (maybe 

while driving a car) you have to make a decision, 

but afterwards, you are not one hundred 

per cent sure whether it is the right one. 

You review the situation, you contemplate 

your decision, you doubt … yet in the end, at 

a loss for alternatives, you stick to your choice 

and fail to act (you do not, in this case, maybe 

slow down a little). It will be okay … 

But will it? In circumstances such as this 

one, a constructive comment from a passenger, 

a colleague or, yes, a subordinate 

can help relax the situation and speed up 

any necessary actions. You no longer feel 

you have to stick to your decision, no matter 

what. Whether you continue on your 

chosen course, or whether you alter it, you 

are being backed by a second opinion. Or, 

at least, you have been challenged to review 

your actions critically – because they 

may well be quite correct. This feedback 

loop can be the determining point where 

a fatal error chain is broken. 

Obviously, it is not my intention to diminish 

the authority of our senior personnel, 

nor of any other superior. The abovementioned 

notwithstanding, the aviation 

industry still unshakingly believes in an 

aircraft pilot’s final power of decision, and 

that the rest of the crew should remain 

subordinate to him. However, it is a successful 

industry culture to question decisions 

which have not been understood, or 

to challenge critical manoeuvres. A confident 

superior must (and will) allow feedback 

of this kind, and his or her position is 


not weakened by it in any way. In fact, the 

opposite is the case. 

In this respect, the shipping community still 

has a lot to learn from the aviation industry. 

We expect every senior employee at Hamburger 

Lloyd – on board as well as ashore 

– to help this attitude live and thrive, to 

advocate it, and to demand the according 

behaviour from their co-workers. 

People with different national backgrounds 

will adapt to this attitude with 

different levels of ease. The term “power 

distance” sums the problem up neatly; a 

Filipino sailor will have greater problems 

challenging a superior than a Swedish one, 

both for different cultural and traditional 

reasons. Any person in a superior position 

must always remember this, and strive to 

counterwork or lend support, whichever 

may be required. This article aims at making 

a first step. 

Michael Brandhoff

Equatorial Baptism 

A closer look at the history of Line-Crossing ceremonies 

Equatorial Baptism ceremonies, also called 

Line-Crossing ceremonies or Neptune’s 

Baptism, were first mentioned in the 16 th 

century during the time of the Portuguese 

discovery expeditions. The term describes 

an initiation rite in the navy or merchant 

navy, not a baptism in the religious sense. 

The custom developed in order to accept 

newcomers or outsiders into the working 

and sailing community, usually after 

some kind of 

test of courage. 

His acceptance, 

and the approval 

of the newly-formed 

bond, was 

generally sealed 

by a donation of 

alcoholic beverages 

from the 

baptism candidate. 

The basic principle of Equatorial Baptism 

is the idea that all inhabitants of the northern 

hemisphere are “un-clean”, and that 

their bodies and souls need to be cleansed, 

to prepare them for entering the realm of 

Neptune, god of water and the sea. 

Practice and intensity of the ritual has varied 

throughout the centuries. up until 

the middle of the 18 th century, it was quite 

common to drag the candidates through 

the waters by a rope attached to the yardarm 

peak. But bit by bit, all outboard dipping 

acts were moved up on deck. 

Depending on the Master’s agreement, 

that always has priority, the ritual’s main 

components are the mock interrogation, 

the sermon, the vow, the candidate being 

shaved, cleansed, “medically” checked and, 

of course, dipped. 

The practice of confirming the candidate’s 

attendance at the ceremony by presenting 

him with a baptism certificate, complete 

with a marine-inspired, mythological name, 

was not common until the late 19 th century, 

when it started to become increasingly popular. 

The actions of the “priest”, the “barber” 

and the 

“doctor” are 

modelled on 

their counterpartsashore 

and are 

derived from 

traditional 

handicraft 

customs. 

Concerning the continuity 

of the tradition of Equatorial Baptism, it 

is noteworthy that, in the first half of the 

20 th century, it was usual to hold a ceremony 

for every single line-crossing event on 

sailing ships, while the mechanically powered 

steam ships might cross the equator 

several times without a baptism. Initiators 

were always the members of the crew, who 

would organise and conduct the event, 

while Master, Chief Engineer and Chief 

Mate would be mere spectators. 

An equatorial baptism ceremony would 

typically take the following course: 

On the evening before the baptism, Triton, 

son of Neptune, appears and demands to 

see documentation confirming every crew 

member’s line-crossing at a former time. All 

those without the relevant documents are 


warned that they should prepare themselves 

for a baptism ceremony on the following day. 

According to some accounts, the baptism 

itself starts by locking away the candidates 

and subjecting them to great heat, noise 

and bad smells for hours on the following 

day. Then, they are sent to the quarterdeck, 

one by one. On the way there, they may 

have to crawl through a wind sack, while 

being hampered with full-on fire hoses, or 

being beaten with sticks from crew members 

on the outside. upon arrival, they are 

received by Neptune, his daughter Thetis, 

the priest and the doctor. Neptune lectures 

them on their impurity, and comments 

on their recent accidents and mishaps, reported 

by other members of the crew. The 

priest then appeals to Neptune for mercy, 

asks him to admit the candidates into his realm, 

and says a prayer for them. 

Next, Thetis is introduced, and the men are 

forced to kiss her feet, which are covered in 

something foul-tasting and disgusting; their 

heads are often forced down into it. 

This is followed by the medical check-up by 

the doctor. It may include an oversized “stethoscope” 

with a sandpaper membrane, 

causing a most painful examination. Candidates 

may have to take different kinds of 

“tablets”, made from anything revolting at 

hand, such as castor oil, pig urine, flour, dog 

or cat faeces, which are pushed down the 

applicants’ throats with spoons so that they 

are forced to swallow. 

Finally, the priest “anoints“ (oils and blesses) 

the men with a tar-like, sticky substance, 

which is then painfully removed with 

sharp lye solutions and wire brushes. This 

is followed by a rough shave and a radical 

haircut, leaving the freshly baptised sailors 

looking more than laughable. 

The whole ceremony is conducted with the 

applicants sitting on a plank over a large tub, 

which gets especially made for this occasion. 

After Neptune has given his booming 

assent to the candidates’ admission into his 

realm, and the candidates have given their 

vow to respect and abide by his rules, they 

suddenly get pulled backwards into the tub.

Equatorial Baptism M/V “Rothenstein” 

NEPTUNE’S SPEECH 

Dear Captain, 

I am pleased to welcome you and your crew in my 

waters once more, especially after running loose in 

East Asia for so long. It seems that you are drawn 

into my realm time and again. 

I greet all you lousy, unbaptised scallywags of the 

Northern hemisphere. Rest assured that through 

our baptism you will finally become respectable 

seafarers. 

After his visit to your vessel yesterday, Triton informed 

me of 40 unshaved, dirty and diseased fellows 

here, in dire need of baptism. In spite of a heavy 

workload, we decided to hurry here and carry out 

our holy mission immediately. 

My court and I shall endeavour to perform the baptism 

in a dignified way, and according to the old 

traditions. 

Before we commence the baptism itself, however, 

the Minister would like to present your seniors with 

medals for their faithful services. 

(source: Uwe Pane 1959) 

Submerged to a point where many have 

thought they would drown, they are permitted 

to breathe from time to time, and have to 

name the amount of drinks they are prepared 

to buy for the crew in return for release. 

Depending on rank and popularity, this may 

cost as much as a whole month’s wages. 

At some stage in history, captains started to 

forbid the painful shaves and ridiculous haircuts, 

because, after all, the men are supposed 

to represent their company in the ports, and 

not go around half bald with face injuries. 

Also – as can be imagined by above account 

– the procedure got badly out of hand in 

some cases. Many an injury was reported, 

and, allegedly, even deaths (the latter, 

however, we could not verify reliably). The 

painful journey through the wind sack is 

said to have caused some heavy injuries. 

Being locked up, without water, for hours 

in temperatures of sometimes more than 

50°C has been described as sheer torture. 

And the “tablets” are reported to have made 

many people sick, with diarrhoea and bad 

stomach ache lasting for days. 

Luckily, the ceremony remained a tough 

but fun activity on most occasions, and 

many sailors look back on it today with 

smiles on their faces. 

Nowadays, the tradition of Equatorial Baptism 

has mostly disappeared. Present-day 

shipping does not leave much time for it, 

and the modern mix of cultures means 

that there are only few people left who 

come from a background that remembers 

it. And there are much stricter rules in force 

regarding the treatment of fellow human 

beings, which of course is a good thing. 

These days, if there is a Line-Crossing Ceremony 

of some kind, the baptism candidate 

may merely be pushed into the swimming 

pool, or a bucket of water emptied over 

Good day everybody! My name is Mariss, 

and I work as a Deck Cadet on “RHL Astrum”. 

As we all know, sailors have many different 

traditions, some originating from older 

times, and some from not so long ago. On 

February 5 th 2012, I had the opportunity 

to participate in one of the best–known 

old traditions – the Equatorial Baptism of 

a sailor when he crosses the equator for 

the first time in his life. And this is how it 

happened. 

In the middle of just a normal working day, 

I was asked to come up to the bridge. When 

I arrived, Captain Bagovic said some words 

and congratulated me on this „historical” 

event. After I checked that the GPS really 

showed the letter “S” instead of “N”, we took 

some pictures and shook hands. Then he 

suggested that we should go outside and 

take some more pictures in a better light, 

and I, suspecting nothing, agreed. But 

when I was waiting for the camera flash, a 

different kind of flash hit me instead. Above 

me, on the Monkey Deck (Navigation Deck), 

secretly awaiting his moment, the 3rd Mate 

was hiding with a barrelful of water, which 

he promptly emptied on my head! 

So now, after receiving this wet greeting 

from Neptune, I can officially call myself a 

“sailor of the world’s seas”. 

Mariss Zigats 

Deck Cadet, RHL Astrum 


his head from the deck above – as was recently 

reported from our own RHL Astrum. 

This entirely positive event will, no doubt, 

be remembered for many years to come by 

all who were present. 

Bettina Pane 

sources: 

• http://forum-marinearchiv.de/smf/index.php/topic, 

11524.0.html 

• „… Inseipt, Afrasiert un Rin na`t Küben“ 

„Linientaufen auf deutschen Schiffen von der Mitte des 

19. bis Mitte des 20. jahrhunderts“, by Wolfgang Steusloff 

• http://www.w-roedle.de/equator/equator.htm 

Equatorial Baptism on RHL Astrum

Happy Birthday RHL! 

A chronicle of the last 5 years 

In the spring of 2006, the people who are 

RHL’s executive associates today got together 

with a closely allied ship-owner. 

The aim of this meeting was to found a 

ship-broking company, which was to specialise 

in the chartering, purchase and sale 

of container vessels. At that time, the shipping 

markets were flourishing, and spirits 

were high, even downright euphoric. 

On September 7 th 2006, the first office location 

of BCH BEFRACHTuNGSCONTOR HAM- 

BuRG was opened. Initially, it was in charge 

of brokering the contracting of three 5,100 

TEu container ships (today’s RHL F-Class) 

for HHSI HANSA HAMBuRG SHIPPING IN- 

TERNATIONAL, and for arranging Chartering 

services for the 1,700 TEu A-Class 

vessels. After a few months of very successful 

business, it became apparent that, for 

structural reasons, an own shipping company 

needed to be established. This was the 

founding hour of HAMBuRGER LLOYD, and 

on june 11 th 2007, 

the foundation 

of RHL REEDE- 

REI HAMBuRGER 

LLOYD GmbH & CO 

KG was recorded 

in the Commercial 

Register of the Free 

and Hanseatic City 

of Hamburg. 

The young shipping company only had 

three and a half months to prepare for taking 

over its very first ship, M/V RHL AGI- 

LITAS. What was then only a small team 

successfully managed to make the business 

operable during this time, so that the 

vessel – which was still under construction 

under the name M/V WILHELM BuSCH – 

could be named M/V RHL AGILITAS by Mrs 

Bettina Pane on September 21 st 2007, and 

could start trading for Hapag-Llyod in their 

Asia-Services immediately after delivery. 


This was followed by the naming of M/V 

RHL AQuA by Mrs Waltraut Wilks on December 

3 rd 2007. Shortly after, the 1,700 

TEu ship – which had been built under the 

name of M/V THEODOR FONTANE – started 

into its initial charter at HAPAG LLOYD and 

traded in the Mexican West Coast/South 

America service. 

january 1 st 2008 saw the merger of 

BEFRACHTuNGSCONTOR HAMBuRG and 

HAMBuRGER LLOYD, and today’s circle of 

associates have been the owners of the

company ever since. Currently 22 employees 

control the operation and deployment of 

our container ship fleet, which will consist 

of fourteen units of altogether 485,556 tdw, 

or 39,719 TEu, as from the summer of 2012; 

430 sailors are deployed on them on an alternating 

basis. A team of 10 shipbuilding 

experts is currently overseeing the construction 

of two further 4,600 TEu vessels – from 

the cutting of the first steel plate up to fully 

operational delivery – on jiangnan Shipyard 

in Shanghai, China. 

Hamburger Lloyd Milestones 2007–2012 

2006 

07.09.2006 first office premises of 

BCH Befrachtunsgcontor Hamburg GmbH & Co. KG 

September contracting of three 5,100 TEu vessels (F-Class), 

Hull H2431, H2432 and H2433 

2007 

11.06.2007 founding of HAMBuRGER LLOYD 

RHL Reederei Hamburger Lloyd GmbH & CO KG 

September take-over of M/V ”RHL AGILITAS” 

December take-over of M/V ”RHL AQuA” 

2008 

01.01.2008 Merger of RHL and BCH to 

RHL Reederei Hamburger Lloyd GmbH & CO KG 

january contracting of two 5,100 TEu vessels, H1025A and H1026A 

january take-over of M/V ”RHL AuDACIA” 

june take-over of M/V ”RHL AuRORA” and M/V ”RHL ASTRuM” 

(ex M/V ”Matthias Claudius” and M/V ”Heinrich Heine”) 

june sale of M/V “RHL AuDACIA”, combined with a management contract 

September first edition of RHL’s company newsletter “THE BRIDGE” 

September 

2009 

contracting of the first wide-beam design, Hulls SS1181 / SS1182 

january change of design for H1025A and H1026A to wide beam 

10.11.2009 founding of WLCM Wappen Lloyd Crewmanagement GmbH & Co. KG 

in co-operation with Wappen Reederei 

2010 

March take-over of M/V ”Reinbek“ 

March take-over of M/V ”Eilbek” 

March take-over of M/V ”RHL Felicitas” 

April take-over of M/V ”Flottbek” 

june take-over of M/V ”Barmbek” 

june take-over of M/V ”RHL Fidelitas” 

july take-over of M/V ”RHL Fiducia” 

2011 

2012 


Was a busy year considering the take-over of 7 ships in 2010 

whereof 3 newbuildings 

April take-over of M/V ”RHL Conscientia”, Hull SS1181 

August take-over of M/V ”RHL Concordia”, Hull SSSS1182 

2013 “FUTURE” 

take-over of two further C-class vessels of wide-beam design, 

Hulls H1025A and H1026A

staff on board 

Nguyen Thanh Long 

Third Officer RHL Fidelitas 

Dear readers of THE BRIDGE newsletter, 

I am Nguyen Thanh Long, the Vietnamese 

3 rd Officer of “RHL Fidelitas”. One of my entertainments 

at sea is reading THE BRIDGE 

newsletter, where I can get information 

about our company, our sister ships, newbuildings, 

many cultures from different 

countries, our colleagues ashore and at 

sea, and so on. After reading and learning 

about our shore-based staff in previous 

newsletters, we have now been asked to 

complete the “staff” page with introductions 

from seafaring personnel. I thought 

this was a very nice and important idea, 

and it gave me the chance to share many 

stories about myself, a seafarer on board a 

ship, and a little about my family and Vietnamese 

home country. 

I was born and grew up in a town northwest 

of Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon), 

where the Saigon River is busy with ships 

which go in and out every day. When I was 

young, my family and I used to travel to 

Vung Tau beach, Vung Tau City (southern 

Vietnam), where many tourists go during 

summertime to enjoy seafood, sunrises, 

sunsets and good weather. I don’t know 

when the image of ships, the sound of the 

waves, the fresh winds and the freedom 

of the sea first gave me an interest in exploring 

the world, but after finishing high 

school, I chose to start studying Navigation 

at the university of Transport in Ho Chi 

Minh City. When I was a third-year student, 

I met a cute girl, a student from the university 

of Culture near my university, and we 

had a really romantic time together. 

Following five years of hard studying, I 

graduated from university in 2007, after 

completing my student research project. 

In my last year, I was lucky to be selected 

by a German shipowner for a Cadet program 

at uT-STC (Maritime Education and 

Human Resource Training Centre, Ho Chi 

Minh City), where many good Vietnamese 

officers are trained and find jobs with shipowners 

around the world. 

I started my career as a seaman on the 

modern and good container vessels “CMA 

CGM Togo” and “CMA CGM Comoe”, with 

rotations of Asia – southwest Africa, Asia – 

Brazil, Brazil – Middle East, southwest Africa 

– Northern Europe. I worked with good 

Masters and Officers, picked up many skills, 

good memories and excellent experiences. 

I enjoyed good, bad, hot and cold weather, 

and of course I felt home and sea sick when 

I first joined a ship. 

After completing the practical part of my 

training, I could be promoted from Deck Cadet 

to Officer by the Master. So I went back 

to school, concentrated on my Officer’s License 

Exam and passed it successfully. 

In shipping, many stories are unpredictable. 

I joined a japanese ship as a trainee, was a 

3rd officer on the Bulk/Log carrier “Lodestar 

Forest”, then a 3rd officer on the Norwegianowned 

LPG/E/C tanker “Norgas Patricia”. M/V 

“Lodestar Forest” brought me from Asia to 

New Zealand and the uSA with long, big 

logs and a special lashing system; or small 

piles of coal ore brought from ashore on 

large barges at Bansamasin anchorage, Indonesia, 

bound for New Zealand. On the 

Gas Tanker “Norgas Patricia”, I enjoyed white 


snow on our cargo pipes, in spite of the hot, 

Middle Eastern weather: while loading and 

discharging Ethylene, -103 degrees must be 

maintained at all times. 

A lucky chance rose when WLCM was established. 

The captain I worked with on M/ 

Vs “CMA CGM Togo” and “Comoe” and I had 

not sailed together for two years due to assignments 

in different companies, but we 

had stayed in contact by email. For the second 

time in my career, he gave me a chance: 

he recommended me to Mr john Goes, 

who had already selected me as a Cadet 

for “MPC Steamship” when I was a last-year 

student. As the first Vietnamese officer with 

WLCM and RHL, I joined “RHL Fidelitas” as 

Third Officer under the command of Captain 

josif Zultanovskij, with a very friendly 

crew. We work together well. “RHL Fidelitas” 

is a really good ship, and the crew, which is 

like a big, multi-national family, gives all of 

us the feeling that we are working at home. 

From my side, I am really satisfied to be a 

team member of WLCM, and I hope here 

will be my final destination. 

With my experience on different kinds of 

ship, going to different places with many 

different cultures, sailing with multi-national 

crews, from Asians such as Koreans, 

japanese, Chinese, Filipinos and Sri-Lankans, 

to Europeans, I can say that I am 

very happy that I can work here, learn new 

things and explore the world. 

And by my side always is my love, that same 

cute girl from university, who has by now 

completed her studies, worked as a bookstore 

manager, and has waited for me every 

time I joined a ship. It has been six years 

since we met and fell in love. She is my wife 

now, and three months pregnant as I write 

these words. The Year of the Dragon will 

bring us much good luck. 

All of us know that a seaman’s life must be 

far from his family. Sometimes he must suffer 

hard weather, hard work under pressure, 

stand-by any time for manoeuvring, the 

heat of cargo operations and many other 

risks at sea. We find happiness in safe sailing, 

a small piece of news from our country, 

a simple email exchange with our family, 

a short telephone call and hearing the 

voices of our loved ones. Sailors are really 

hard workers, earn the cleanest money, and 

hope always to return home safely to the 

family. Near or far, a seafarer can always see 

happiness appearing at the horizon.

The Socialist Republic of Vietnam in the 

Far East has a long, S-shaped coast on the 

South China Sea. The climate in the North 

is different to that in the South; there are 

numerous wonders and beautiful places for 

tourists from everywhere in the world. Vietnamese 

people are very friendly, and you 

are all welcome. 

Via this article, I would like to thank you, 

my wife, for always being on my side when 

I am sailing, and I would like to thank you, 

Captain Marinko Milotic, for always telling 

me “TO GOOD PEOPLE, GOOD THINGS WILL 

COME”, and finally you, Mr. john Goes, for 

bringing me to WLCM/RHL. 

And in the end, I hope that reading this 

has brought moments of relaxation to you, 

dear readers, after a day of hard work – be 

it on a ship or ashore. 

Best regards, 

Third Officer Nguyen Thanh Long 

RHL Fidelitas 

staff ashore 

Thorsten Hamann 

Crew Superintendent WLCM 

Thorsten Hamann and his son Thore 

In the early stages of my life, I already felt 

a strong affinity to sailing and the sea, and 

Barbecue on board RHL Agilitas 

had the wish to become a sailor. At the beginning 

of October 2011, I completed the 

last piece of the puzzle (so far) by joining 

Mr john Goes and his team at WLCM. 

After growing up in the countryside of 

Lower Saxony (North Germany), my path 

towards the sea led me to Hamburg, where 

I eventually went to study. 

I had initially started an apprenticeship as 

a ship mechanic in the Baltic Seaport of 

Rostock/ Warnemünde, which I intended to 

follow up with Nautical Studies in order to 

become a Ship Officer. unfortunately, a serious 

work accident in the Engine Room, in 

my first months on board, upset my plans. 

This accident, which was followed by three 

months of total incapacity to work, forced 

me to find a shore-based way into shipping. 

I decided on business studies, and completed 

the compulsory internships in the 

maritime crewing sector. These helped as- 


These photos reached us from RHL Agilitas, 

while on voyage in Caribbean waters. 

After stressful weeks of docking in Bremerhaven, 

the crew finally found some 

time to relax together, by means of a 

good old aft-deck barbecue. 

sure me that I was doing the right thing. It 

gives me great motivation and satisfaction 

to assume responsibility for a team of welltrained 

maritime personnel, as I believe this 

is one of the key factors to the success of 

the shipping industry. 

After completing my business studies, I 

continued to work in maritime crewing, 

nationally and internationally (Cyprus), before 

I had the opportunity to join WLCM’s 

young, dynamic team. 

Next to my job, my wife and young son are 

the most important part of my life, and I try 

to enjoy every free minute with them. 

I live by the motto “Live, laugh – and fight.” 

Likes: 

• my family (wife & son) 

• shipping 

• sunny days in the garden 

• honesty 

• sports 

• peace and quiet 

(or the calm before the storm?) 

Dislikes: 

• fear-mongering 

• lies (dishonesty) 

• deception

crew ‘s corner 

Welcome – Leaving – Promotions 

New Fleet Director Wappen Reederei 

On April 1 st 2012, Captain Peter Frömming 

took over the position of Fleet Director at 

Wappen Reederei. 

Mr Frömming looks back 

on many a year’s experience 

in the area of tanker 

shipping, all of these for 

German companies. After 

his time as a cadet on gas 

tankers (LPG) with “Hartmann 

Reederei”, he spent 

the officers’ years after his studies on oil 

and chemical tankers belonging to “RIGEL 

Schiffahrts GmbH & Co. KG”. Before moving 

to a job ashore, Mr Frömming was Master 

on RIGEL’s 25,000 m 3 Chemical/E3 tankers. 

Before joining the Wappen Reederei team, 

Captain Frömming was the leader of RIGEL’s 

Nautical and Technical Inspection Departments, 

including Quality Management, Insurance 

and Seafaring Personnel. Prior to that, he 

had broadened his expertise in several years 

as Fleet Operation and Quality Manager. 

editor ‘ s note 

Dear colleagues on land and on board, 

Keeping our newsletter informative, interesting 

and original is very important to us. 

Any suggestions, be they on a specialized 

or general topic, ideas for quizzes and competitions 

or even reports on some special 

event on board or on land would be very 

welcome. And should any of you fancy putting 

pen to paper, or have taken some nice 

photos, we’d be glad to hear from you. just 

send your contributions to: 

Welcome aboard the RHL team: 

• Technical Department-RHL 

Mr Risto Sipiläinen, 

Nautical Superintendent 

• Finance and Accounting Department 

Mrs Melanie Sewckow, Accountant 

• Assistant 

Mrs Karina Schwitalla, Assistant 

• Crewing Company (WLCM) 

Mr Klaus Tobaben, Company driver 

Signed off: 

Mr Thomas Sudeck, company driver, has 

left our company, and we wish him all the 

best for the future. 

Promotions 

• TD Mr Michael Brandhoff (RHL) was promoted 

to Member of the Board as from 

February 1 st 2012 

• Crew Superintendent Mr Thorsten Hamann 

(WLCM) has received full power of attorney 

• Mr Stefan Koleczko has been promoted to 

Head of Finance and Accounting of Reederei 

Hambuger Lloyd, WLCM and Wappen 

Reederei 

• Mrs Anita Stojanoski has been promoted 

to Management Assistant 

thebridge@hamburger-lloyd.de 

And at this point it is time to say thank you 

very much for your efforts, and not least for 

your courage! During the last months, we 

received several interesting contributions, 

especially from our colleagues on board. 

These articles will definitely find their places 

in one of the next editions of “The Bridge”. 


• Mr Dmitrij Albu has been promoted to 

Chief Engineer on RHL “Eilbek” 

Birthdays 

We would like to congratulate: 

• Chief Engineer Mr Skackovs 

on his 55 th birthday (10.04.1957) 

• Chief Mate Mr Petrov 


• Chief Mate Mr Ranasinghe 


• Chief Mate Mr Tyutyunchenko 


Congratulations 

to Captain Igor 

Taran and his 

wife Svitlana Lazarenko 

on the 

birth of their 

daughter Anastasiya 

on February 

15 th 2012 

and congratulations to Captain Victor Volkov 

and his wife Olesya on the birth of their 

daughter Miroslava on june 05 th 2012. 

impressum 

Editor: 

RHL Reederei Hamburger Lloyd 

GmbH & CO KG 

Zirkusweg 2, 20359 Hamburg 

Germany 

Tel.: +49 (0)40 8788 968-0 

Fax: +49 (0)40 8788 968-29 

E-mail: thebridge@hamburger-lloyd.de 

www.hamburger-lloyd.com 

Editorial Team: Bettina Pane, Margaret 

Schindler 

Layout: STILPuNKT3 Designbüro 

Pictures: RHL Reederei Hamburger Lloyd, 

Capt. uwe Pane, fotolia, istockphoto

Photoshooting on the „BEK“-Ships - RHL | Reederei Hamburger Lloyd

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