No. Cadet
Today the 1st year students of the Antwerp Maritime Academy left for their first training cruise at sea on board the STS Dar Mlodziezy where they will receive practical shipboard training.
On the bridge, the 2nd pilot navigates the vessel until halfway through the trip. Then, the 1st pilot takes over, and the 2nd pilot assists by coordinating the tugs and addressing any questions from the captain or crew. He also supports the 1st pilot during maneuvers if needed.
Time-lapse of the last 2hr and 12min of my upriver trip with MT Hafnia Neso - AFRAMAX tanker - fully loaded with gasoil.
Top down view...
Moored in the lock. With some Vaseline, the tugs can get out as well...
Inbound Antwerp with a loaded tanker. Cargo: 102,747 tonnes of gasoil. Draught 14.7m loa 250m breadth 44m. 4 tugboat job as the largest lock is out of service for maintenance and we have to go to a slightly smaller one. (would use 3 otherwise)
In case the US DeptofWar and The WhiteHouse didn't get the memo yet. Their war on Iran has evolved into "the War to reopen Hormuz" about 4 days ago....
Latest message regarding merchant navy:
- BTB: Offices closed on March 12 because of the strike
- ACV: latest message regarding merchant seafarers: June 2019 (!) about gender equality
- ACLVB: end-of-year bonus 2025
So since the war in Iran started, none of the Belgian labour organizations (BTB-ABVV, ACV-koopvaardij, and ACLVB-koopvaardij) have even mentioned Belgian seafarers in the Gulf.
That is not the case now, because ships were already in the area when the safety situation deteriorated."
According to the ship owners association: “The existing regulation for dangerous areas is based on a clear personal choice for the crew members: whether or not to go, coupled with a surcharge.
Dutch shipowners have been refusing to recognize the Persian Gulf as a war zone for well over a week. It has been agreed in the seafarers' collective labor agreement that they should receive double pay when sailing through a war zone. www.transport-online.nl/120635/vakbo...
Oei ja sorry. Was ineens druk. Ik beloof dat ik het uitleg
Ik kom er deze avond op terug. Even slapen nu. Nacht gewerkt.
My quick interview (in Dutch) on VRT Radio 1 explaining the basics about mines and how it affects merchant navy ships. Also a little bit about the Convention relative to the Laying of Automatic Submarine Contact Mines. The Hague, 18 October 1907.
www.vrt.be/vrtmax/luist...
Not sure how to put the 4 videos on 1 screen. Hope this works for you. I did clean the lens halfway through. Anyway. Arrival with MSC Lauren (366m) in Antwerp. Oh, and my battery ran out. Not my best day today.
Nee. en de actie was trouwens van de VTS operatoren en de redeboten/loodsboten; niet van de loodsen zoals in de media verscheen
At least we have breakfast....
Inbound with MSC Lauren. Wind force 7, gusts up to 9. Received a little booboo when my leg was trapped between pilot boat and ladder
"Trump administration underestimated Iran war’s impact on Strait of Hormuz" ... Oh really? Hadn't noticed that... 😒🙄 www.cnn.com/2026/03/12/p...
Nighttime job...
Sweden Arrests Crewmember from Stateless Cargo Ship. The Coast Guard said one crewmember was arrested and taken ashore for what it called a “serious crime,” without providing details on the person’s position aboard the ship or nationality. maritime-executive.com/article/swed...
The WaPo has suggested that 2 vessels owned by Iranian Shipping Lines (IRISL) have left the port of Gaolan, China, destined for Bandar Abbas and potentially laden with sodium perchlorate,a chemical used for manufacturing solid fuel for ballistic missiles maritime-executive.com/article/two-...
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright told CNBC that the U.S. Navy is not ready to begin escorting oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz.
The Navy might be in a position to start escorting tankers by the end of the month. www.cnbc.com/2026/03/12/e...
In a notice issued Thursday, the Norwegian Maritime Authority (NMA) announced that Norwegian-flagged vessels are no longer permitted to enter the Persian Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz until further notice. gcaptain.com/norway-bars-...
And what is that job moving?
Your iPhone. Your smartwatch. Your fuel. Your food. Your clothes.
The normal life that people around the world take for granted.
– living in a metal box in the middle of the ocean so the rest of the world can live comfortably
– riding out 20-degree rolls at sea because the job still has to be done.
Guts is:
– leaving your child for months and watching life happen through a screen
– missing weddings, birthdays, and the “once in a lifetime” moments
– being away when someone you love is buried
