The winters are extreme in the Northern Hemisphere, but Sanmar ships have been adept at trading even in such climates. Three of them, Sanmar Pavilion, Sanmar Pioneer and Sanmar Progress, have been to the "Ice Zones" the past winter. Sanmar Pavilion and Sanmar Pioneer called at the Port of St. Petersburg of the Russian Federation, while Sanmar Progress called at the ports of Port Alfred and Sorel located just off Quebec/ Montreal in the St. Lawrence Seaway, Canada. All these zones were packed with ice, and required specialised ships called "Ice Breakers" to escort the vessels into port.
Capt. N J Nair, General Manager-Operations, Sanmar Shipping Limited, icebound in St. Lawrence Seaway, Canada.
Ship operations in ice conditions with temperatures as low as -35° C are highly complex. Freezing of lubrication, cooling and hydraulic systems, freezing of water inside the massive ballast water tanks, sea water intakes and cargo hold bilge pumping systems are a constant challenge. Navigation through thick ice also calls for specialised skills so as to avoid getting beset in the ice or damaging the ship’s propulsion and steering systems. The pressure exerted by ice can be
powerful enough to damage the ship’s steel structures. Even washing of cargo holds after discharge of cargo has to be carried out using anti-freeze chemicals and specialised equipment. Cold burns caused by contact of skin with cold steel are just another hazard of the workplace. Operations in such conditions are a constant battle between man and nature. The staff on our ships did a commendable job tackling these technical challenges in extremely inhospitable conditions, earning the praise and commendation of our customers.
With increased awareness of safety and pollution hazards, international bodies such as the International Maritime Organization (IMO) have consistently tried to set procedures in place to avoid accidents at sea.
Sanmar Progress has to crush and displace the ice to reach the berth at the Canadian port.
Beset in ice, Port Alfred.
With the present philosophy of building and nurturing the next generation officers, under the able guidance of the current officers on board our vessels, Sanmar hopes to continue to offer confidence to its customers, primarily pool operators, charterers, oil companies and even
government agencies like the United States Coast Guard (USCG). Incidentally, the USCG has complimented one of our vessels and her crew. The message from the Master read as under:
“Excellent upkeep and maintenance observed both on deck and engine room. Crew and officers’ training, response and communication skills during both life boat and fire drill excellent. General overall impression: outstanding. Only good team work can achieve this.”
In another laudable effort, Sanmar Sonata received a commendation from the US Navy for a successful charter of carriage of jet fuel across the Arabian Gulf ports over a period of three months. The citation awarded to the vessel congratulated the vessel, along with each of the officers on board individually. An extract of the citation reads as follows:
“Your superior service during an extended time charter was exemplary. As an onstation tanker and mobile fuel storage platform, you transferred more than 847,000 barrels of cargo, conducted two ship-to-ship transfers, and made over 35 moves between anchorage and berth without incident. The seamanship, engineering and cargo handling of the officers and crew have nothing been short of superior. You could always be relied upon for exceptional performance. It has been a great pleasure working with Sanmar Sonata and her fine crew. May you always find fair winds and following seas.”
Blanketed in snow, Sanmar Progress.