Expereience Onboard

On board ship training was one of the requirement as ALAM’s cadet in order to complete diploma in nautical study. It also a requirement for the marine department Malaysia in order to attempt competency of compete in order to become a navigator/deck officer. All the cadet should complete their on board training 365 days and above to meet the requirement.

As a sponsored Eaglestar’s cadets (AET) I was sailing onboard crude oil tanker Eagle Louisiana and Eagle Austin. I competed my on board training on board Eagle Louisiana for 5 month and 9 days while on board Eagle Austin 8 months and 14 days. It was a very unforgettable moment and experience that I gained while on this period. First I had to complete my US Visa before joining this both vessel. Once completed as company regulation I had to submit my notice of readiness to join the vessel and also to have valid medical certificate and some certificate such as Basic Training and Fire Fighting to join merchant vessel. This certificate can be issued only once u join the course at licensed academy such ALAM.

Once everything settle I will allowed to join vessel as deck cadet which is relevant to my studies. First vessel that I joined was Eagle Louisiana. I joined this vessel with another 3 deck cadet and 9 engine cadets which also was my batch mates from ALAM. We joined this vessel at Lake Charles Port at Louisiana, USA. We were together on this vessel for 6weeks and being assist by one chief officer and second engineer which were appointed as designated training officer, DTO. A lot of operational things and regulation we learned from them. They really taught us sincerely with their experiences. It was a 6 weeks induction program that AET planned for their cadets. My batch was the first batch to join this program and it was a very useful program that I strongly agreed to continue this program for the batch after me. We learn about inert gas system, cargo operation, navigation, passage planning, and also safety onboard vessel. We frequently take part in all of this operation, and it was a very useful for us in the future.

All the officer also was very kind to us and they also taught us a lot of things while we were onboard. We were divide to shift while doing navigation with the officer on watch. After completed 6 week we were discharge to our respective vessel and will be on our way. I had been choose to stay on this vessel. This vessel voyage was only at South America namely Gulf of Mexico lightering area while I was on board. This vessel was a modular capture vessel, MCV and also was a Dynamic Positioning, DP vessel class two. It has 2 general generator, 2 emergency generator, 4 high voltage generator and 1 water driven generator. It use high expansion firefighting system for engine room and pump room. For thruster rooms it use novec firefighting system. While on deck it use low expansion firefighting system. For the cargo operation it use reciprocating pump which is negative displacement pump for main pump and positive displacement pump during finishing discharging of cargo. It was driven by the steam. For the ballast system it also was a reciprocating pump.

Throughout this experience a lot of thing that I learned which is the most thing that could lead u you success discipline. They taught us to be discipline in our daily life onboard by doing all the work on time. I also learned that punctuality can change u to be better person and able to use the time wisely. I also learned when u are in organization u need to had authority, power, responsibility and accountability in order to be success. Leadership style onboard also should be various based on time. Such autocratic need to apply by the higher rank like captain in order to ensure all the work being done in time and properly. Bureaucratic styles should be perform at all times to maintain standard onboard and following minimum requirement for the safety of the personnel onboard, such 3^rd officer maintaining the lifesaving appliances and firefighting equipment by following LSA CODE and FFA CODE. Democratic styles usually used by the chief officer because he was responsible for the deck department and to ensure all the crew know their job also participate in their job well.