Good vs Bad Experiences onboard

I’m writing this blog is to share my experiences during my 1st year shipboard training as a deck cadet. I joined ship under management of BUMI ARMADA BERHAD. I have completed more than 12 months sea time, in order to continue our third year and finished studies in ALAM. My experience in shipboard was memorable for me and a lot of things I learn from there.When the first time I embark the ship I feel very excited and at the same time a little bit nervous but not because of I’m afraid this ship is going to sink. I’m afraid what if I can’t do all the tasks given but that will not fade away my purpose for coming here. During onboard I got chance to meet a lot of crew from different background and we were living like family. In order  to make sure ships operation going very well and we were working as a team.

My first ship I joined was anchor handling tug supply (AHTS) vessel.The vessel trades at Kikeh Oilfied at the Sarawak high seas to provide services such as transport supplies to and from the offshore platform and FPSO. I have given chance to maneuver the vessel in maintaining the tanker in position while in static tow operation. It quite hard for me for the first time because  need  to consider the sea motion like current and wave. For the first time I experienced bad weather due to monsoon during my tenure onboard this ship. I got seasickness and it was quite bad for me. I have no appetite even the food was really good for almost one week. I’m not consume any seasickness tablet as my captain advise just let our body recover itself. Then after that everything just back to normal.  

My last ship was MV Armada Firman 2, accommodation workboat fitted with DP2. The vessel trades at Baronia oilfield at Sarawak high seas which provide offshore accommodation and living facilities for personnel to and from worksites, deck space, workshops for fabrication and crane supply. I also have experienced fasting on board during holy ramadhan month. It was quite challenging as we need to work hard for the all the day. Then, we performed Tarawikh prayers together onboard. I also got chance to celebrate "Hari Gawai" onboard which is an annual festival celebrated by Dayak people in Sarawak. Many games conducted such as Ngajat Dance, blowpipe contest  (sumpit), karaoke and many more that bring the culture of Gawai Dayak celebrations mode.

One of the best thing, I was very lucky to see the installation of new topside platform at this oilfield. This operation only can be done by special purposes for the topside operation.  This topside was delivered by Xiang Rui Kou (XRK), semi-submersible vessels from Hyundai Heavy Industries, Korea. The vessel will remove the sea-fastening, de-ballasted and maneuvered into the jacket (substructure) in DP mode. As soon as the vessel is exactly in the correct position, the vessel will ballasts quickly bringing the topside in contact with the jacket. When the topside already on top of the jacket, with sufficient gap between the vessel and topside. Then the vessel will maneuver out of the jacket. Within 7 hours, one new big platform established at this oilfield and it was really amazing.

Throughout my experience on board, the most happiest moments everyone of seafarers was when my name came out in the list of offsigning crew. I was so excited and happy as I already completed my seatime and of course celebrated Hari Raya with my family. The sign off feeling cannot described by words after all the hard time I faced through out of 12 months on board ship. I’m coming home and good to see my family again.