I(Being the daily accounts of my experience as a seafarer)
NlTRODUCTION

Early in life I had wanted to do Computer science but by stroke of fate I studied civil engineering. I practiced both in public and private sectors,in all aspects and fields of the course- from design and construction to drainage to roads to building and to even the environmental aspect of it. Although my experience was disjointed but I still got design and detailing jobs occasionally. I longed to get a complete contract of my own but the opportunity never came, so I did not have any financial breakthrough. As family upkeep and commitments continued to grow I started to look elsewhere. Thank Allah if you have a wife who is your friend and so supportive and wants to see you succeed by all means. She started pushing the idea, even though she knows I may not accept. She knows if I accept she will know how to talk to her brother who is a seafarer. Even though I had people around me that have things to do on board ship and myself having followed a friend on board to repair a copier, I never imagined myself working on board. I have had some vague ideas about how expensive is their trainings and that some even go all the way to Ghana to do it. Even when I began to ruminate about the idea and I told a friend who goes onboard sometimes to do jobs, he told me an experience which still made me tarry for sometime. He said he knows of a banker who had gone to use his leave period to work onboard but was hit by on of the ship's rope that snapped back and he died immediately.
But as life bit harder I succumbed to the idea and approached my brother in law. He said he would have discussed it with me before now but his thinking was that I will not like the idea. However he was very happy and he promised to assist with all he can and he did. He started putting me through and I did the trainings. As he was also working in the galley (kitchen) department on board he was so sure he will be able to talk to his superiors and they will accept me to start as a steward (GS) in the company he is working for. After the training it was now to get the discharge certificate from NIMASA but it was not available and was very difficult to get but eventually they gave me a temporary one. Now when it was time for me to drop my documents at his company he was surprised they said they can't take anyone without previous experience. It's understandably though as the company is known to pay much and they won't want to do that for zero experience. So he now had to direct me to another company which he had worked before. They don't pay well but they accept people with zero experience. On that fateful day that I went to submit my documents and the crew manager of the present company I am with saw me. He asked for the position I was applying for and I told him GS. He said ; ,"Ustaz (meaning Islamic scholar- even though I'm not one) for your age you can't go for steward, most of those captains are younger than you. And especially those Indians they would frustrate you, so you will be going in as wiper. That was why I changed to wiper even though I didn't know what he meant that. Also that day when he had entered his office back another visitor in the reception room butressed his point and said it was a good advice. As wiper though it also involves much cleaning but you only work every four hours then go back to your cabin to rest. That it was much easier. When I later told my mentor, he reluctantly accepted as it's not his department and might not really be able to influence my posting. Anyway that was how the journey started and I will be forever grateful to the crew manager for that route he made me take. I like the Engine room department as I had an engineering background and it gives one the opportunity to move up the ladder in the profession.

There are many types of ships which include:
*Oil and gas tankers
*Cargo ships
*Cruise ships etc.
Oil and gas tankers are those used transfer oil cargoes such as crude, AGO (diesel), Premium motor spirit (PMS, petrol), Jet A1 (kerosene), lubricants etc and gas. Cargo ships are those that carry goods via containers while cruise ships are luxurious ships where people go to pass time, more like a moving hotel. The Titanic was such one.
Crew on a ship are graded into two:
1. Officers and
2. Ratings.
Below is the full line up of the ship's crew.
The officers are like the 'ogas'(masters) while the ratings are like the 'omoses' (errand boys). The treatment between both two are poles apart. They have their separate messrooms, and their salary grades too differ. If you ever want to come onboard try as much as you can to come as an officer. The departments in a ship are four;
1. The bridge
2. The deck
3. The engine room and
4. The galley.
The bridge people are the administrators of the ship and headed by the captain(also known as master). To work here you must have read nautical engineering in marine school. Some of the bridge people also have duties on deck so they are intertwined.
To become an engine room officer you need to go to a marine school for like 4years after which you will do a compulsory one year cadetship on board. This is like the IT in regular schools ore housemanship in the medical schools. After your cadetship you then go for an exam after if you pass you then qualify to be a 4th Engineer from which you can progress to finally become a chief Engineer. As for the galley we only have the chief cook and the GS(steward). To be the chief cook you must know how to cook intercontinental dishes and anybody could serve as a steward as long ás you can clean and run errands. So also are the other ratings you could come without any previous onboard knowledge and then learn on the job. They too can have a career progression from the lowest level to the highest level in the departments after some ample seafaring time and taking some exams.
From a personal opinion, starting seafaring at a very young age is the best. I don't believe in taking seafaring as a lifetime career unless you are ready to sacrifice more of the little time you have on Earth to be at Sea. One must set a target of how many years you wish to spend offshore and stick to it and finally end your life onshore. Luckily you can still be employed into the shipping company office jobs if you feel like continuing your career. Seafaring job can be very enticing,if you don't plan yourself very well you will find yourself always wanting to come back.
Seafaring and ladies- now I know and met ladies working onboard ship and wondered what brought them to that condition. If you don't know your value you will find yourself in a place that is degrading you but you will feel it's upgrading you.As for me seafaring is a no- no for ladies. Why? This is because Allah the creator of all beings and the Knower of all things said; 'Wa laisa zakari kal untha' meaning 'the male can not be like the female or put in another way the female can not be like the male '. If you are a lady that you are in a career that takes too much of your time away from your primary role in life which is taking care of your home (family) and you see anyone encouraging and hailing you in that then know that the person doesn't like you. But as for you who doesn't want a family life that is up to you. Maybe the football team example will make my point clearer. In a football team, we have players each with different roles and position. None of the roles can be underestimated, anyone failing in his role will affect not only him but the entire team. Most times it is the players that get most of the glory of a team's success and I doubt if a goal keeper has ever won player of the year award. Now if a goal keeper starts thinking that he too wants to get the glory, he now leaves the goal post and goes right into the field what do we think can happen. Disaster! Can any other player play his role? No!

Such is the importance of a woman. Whatever glory comes to the family is to her credits though she may not always be acknowledged for it. But the Amighty who has given her that role always compensate her very well if she plays the role to the best of her ability.
Coming to seafaring and men/marriage. As I mentioned earlier, for men it's best they start seafaring at very early age, probably before marriage and keep themselves chaste. If marriage comes while you have started seafaring, you must consider very well the kind of woman you want to marry very well. If you are the kind of man that can't keep chaste consider seafaring with short contracts like two weeks onshore and two weeks offshore, or one month onshore and one month offshore. An average seafaring contracts runs at least 6 months but can extend more than that depending on conditions that may or may not be under your control. Islamically you are not supposed to leave a woman for more than four to six months except in rare cases which I know must be religious or cases to which you are helpless. So the woman you want to marry must be made to know the conditions surrounding a seafarer's life. We have been created with different appetite for food, such is our urge for the opposite sex. Some can withstand it for long and some can't, which might be no fault of theirs. So if you want your partner to be faithful then consider her condition. As for those who enter into seafaring after marriage (like myself )at least you must have understood your partner and know her endurance level. If you know this and you still go ahead into seafaring, if your marriage hit the rocks then you might have noone to blame except yourself.
Seafaring life is a very enticing life and as one of the officers in our ship said, working onboard and if you are in a good level you can get in a month a salary of a year's work on land and you don't even need to deduct any money for transportation. If you are not careful you might spend most part of your life at sea. Anyway if you have decided seafaring career for yourself, I wish you the best of luck. I welcome comments and creative criticism especially from my seniors and those that have preceded me in this field and my prayer is; 'May you never labour in vain' . Aamin.

Quite a fascinating experience
Do you mind sharing how a willing individual can go about your kind of job
Thanks

Bismillah Rahmani Roheem
My Life at Sea
(Being my daily accounts of my experience as a seafarer)


Day One (Tuesday 8th August,2023
I can say my seafaring experience started with the company Oceanic Transport Limited (not real name).
My contract was signed on the 8th of August 2023, 3 copies- one was left at the office and I was to take 2 along one for myself and one for the ship's captain. I embarked on the ship ST.MT. ZAHZOO (not real name) the same day. My experience while taking the flying boat to the ship was also interesting. From the window I could see the sea and some ships too were scattered here and there. I also noticed some big granite stones were used to line some places which I figure is to break the strength of the ocean waves and prevent them from going beyond. We were stopped on the way by NDLEA officials and they enquire from the driver who we were to which he answered surveyors and crew members. One of them entered and asked the only lady among us some questions and asked to identify herself which she did. We also stopped at Naval checkpoint and there was not any issue.
Now we arrived at the ship and myself and one other person. The scalar (rope ladder) was dropped and we had to carefully climb. Luckily the ship had stair about midway which was used to finally enter the ship. The captain was around and asked for my age which I told him. He asked if that was my first time on board ship which I answered in the affirmative. He said I was older than him and he asked a question which I could not answer. Not a very hard one but because it was long I studied the training book. The officer that came with me said I should have just said something as once you are taught a thing you come to know it as everybody started from somewhere. I pray the captain doesn't use it against me.

I was ushered in and shown the cabin I was to stay. It had an occupant, a cadet,, Mr. Stanley who received me very well and showed me where to put my luggage ( to be contd)

Ezini:
Quite a fascinating experience
Do you mind sharing how a willing individual can go about your kind of job
Thanks

Just follow me along

Interesting

Day one (contd)

I was asked if I wanted to eat and I said yes after which I was taken to the Galley (kitchen and dining area) where I ate.
I had arrived around after 1200noon , so I was told the routine of the engine room which I was to work as a wiper(the lowest position in the engine room). The daily routine is as below;
Breakfast: 0700-0800
Work starts 0800
Short break 1000-1030
Long break 1200 - 1300
Short break 1500-1530
Work closes 1700
Dinner 1700-1730
So I resumed with them by 1300. I was introduced to the other engine room crew which included, Chief,2nd and 3rd Engineers, oiler,fitters I guess it included others which I was yet to be Introduced to. I was given my first task which was cutting some old clothes into small rags to be later used for cleaning. It was a bit hard as I started feeling cramps on my fingers while using the scissors. To my surprise the 2nd engineer- an expatriate- Bangladeshi to be exact also brought knife and he started cutting too so others too joined. I was made to feel at home and some of them gave me words of advice and hope of very good prospects if I put in my best to the job. I was later taken around by the oiler, I was shown the store,boiler room, IG,(inert gas) platform,,bilges, etc. At 1500 one of them asked me to go out for fresh air and at 1700 I was told to close. While relaxing and thinking of bathing and going to eat it was announced by the ship radio (PA) system that the supply of drinking water has arrived and that all should come down to assist. It was carried up from the speed boat with a crane and myself and some of the crews offloaded and put inside the ship.

Now I met some Hausa crew members while I came in and in the dining I was not able to ask whether there was a Mosque. So I prayed Zuhr as qusr around 1500 and Asr around 1700. I could not know where qibla is so I just faced a place. I intend praying my magrib and ishai together as qusr jamiu as I am putting this notes to an end.

Day one (contd)

Forgot to add that after bringing the drinking water in, I was given my own ration which was 7 packs. I was also given a packet of Lux soap and a satchet of detergent (klin). The toilet is 'American wonder' you use it and come out to flush. The flushing system is at the back of the toilet and it consists of a hose cut into two, one side with a stopper the other side is free. If you want to flush you remove the stopper and use your hands to join the mouths of the hoses together and pooosh! you have flushed. Late in the night I met one of the Hausa brothers who showed me the TV room they were using for prayers.

Day 2 (Wednesday 9th August, 2023)

I resumed for work a few minutes to 0800 today and went straight to the workshop to continue my rag cutting task. I had already being told by my cabin mate that I should always endeavor to get to work by 0750H. One of the ladies working in the ECR (Engine Control Room) came to call me and said that the chief engineer didn't know I had come that I should always come to the ECR first or else the chief engineer(CE) will think I came late. On getting to the ECR met some other officers of the engine room. The CE addressed all of us on being hardworking and avoid being negligent. He said he's watching and will take disciplinary action if necessary. He then dismissed us. After sometime he called me to ask for the ship I had worked before and I answered that this was my first time on board. He said I should be very careful being a first timer I should take things easy and should stay away from moving machinery until I know how to operate it. He asked for my career ambition which I told him I wish to progress to oiler then upwards. He then informed me that I should come to his cabin on Saturdays or Sundays to collect his boiler and civil suit to wash. Below is the hierarchy of the engine room ( from top to bottom):
Chief Engineer
2nd Engineer
3rd Engineer
Electrician
Fitter
Motorman
Oiler 1
Oiler 2
Wiper
(I may update in the future in case it's not correct)
One of the expatriate (of which I am yet to know his designation) came to call me that the CE wants to do some work that I should assist him. I went to help him bring in some of the things he wants to use to work in the workshop. He later instructed me to empty the dustbin which I did with the help of my cabin mate and the motorman. I also went down the engine room with both of them to clean the filter of the high sea check.
Veronica one of the ladies came to call us that provisions for the ship had arrived and that we should collect and put in store. While we were collecting the provisions I moved close to Alhaji Sariyu He told me he wondered why people are so selfish. He said the monthly allocation for the ship for food provisions is 1.2m but that everyone wants to cut their own share. From the captain, Chief Cook up to the people bringing it. We both agreed that that is the general attitude of Nigerians always wanting to get selfish benefits for any chance given to them. I was called to the 'Bridge' (Office of the captain and the ship's navigation center)today at several times to get my personal data and documents.

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Following

Ok

In the absence of pictures, forget this thread, Op.

Pls someone that waiting for his/her employment letter should summarize this...

Insightful

Pictures or adonbilivit.

Theboss001:
NO PICS?

personal phones not allowed😊

Nonsense

🙂

Nawaooooooo

I have always wanted to work in a ship, they nickname me in secondary school was maritime because I always talking about being a sailor

Okay

Congratulations...i love the write up...its encouraging