Maritime Carol

After our Maritime Transport Operator Plans have been accepted by MNZ, the real journey begins with regular training and recording the training. Knowing how busy maritime transport operators are with keeping their business going, my clients now receive monthly training email reminders. By following this simple system, operators should have completed all required training within twelve months (as per most operator plans.) The first module was an MTOP crossword puzzle.     Crews were encouraged to go through their MTOP to find answers to the questions.   One firm was so into it, they returned the completed crossword and I sent off a Certificate of Achievement to go in their manual.  The aim is to make training fun. This month was a Safety Equipment word search with encouragement to know the location of each piece of equipment.     It's too easy to tick the box in the Ship's Log, assuming that everything is in its place and working - but is it? Next mo...

Built in 1964 this iconic Hellyer's Creek wharf is being renovated fifty years later.  With a permit from the Marine Department, Dad felled huge pines lining the foreshore, towed them to Riverhead for treatment, barged them back and started building his wharf. He's been gone nearly twenty years, and with the wharf needing structural strengthening, Moorings & Marine have been called in for the task.  With rotten timber removed, railings & gateway replaced, the old wharf is standing proud again.    Once their work is completed, Total Marine Services will replace the damaged and sunk pontoon with a new one, secure it to the structure and once again the wharf will be sturdy, compliant and safe... 

It's a cold dark night and we're steaming back to port.  It's been a great day, everything went well, satisfied passengers/fishermen/customers/full fish bins/or a job well done. Then in the wheelhouse, an alarm goes off  - suddenly everything happens. We go through the system (if there's time) then before we know it, we're preparing to abandon ship. A May Day call is made and that's us ...until someone rescues us. It's times such as this that our safety equipment must be operational.   Our life jackets must be serviced and located where they should be.   Our flares need to be current and the lifebuoy light must be ready to shine.   There's no time for that now.    But there is today... (don't just tick the box) June - is the month to check your Safety Equipment list is current and everything is operational.