Old memories revived

Loading on Allcargo Laxmi through barges at Goa

We could not moor to dolphins for some reasons. So we berthed alongside tanker berth no.8 at Goa. Barges came alongside on starboard side and loading was completed using ship’s cranes and shore grabs. Everything went smoothly.

Loading iron ore pellets

This was my first visit to Goa by sea in last 13 years. It was in 1999 when I had come a couple of times on another ship M.V.Nand Srishti. Two years back I had come for a two day camp held at Gurudwara Singh Sabha, Mangour Hill, Vasco organized and conducted by Sukrit, a Ludhiana based NGO. It is about four kilometers from Goa port and is easily reachable.

We decided to go to Gurudwara and meet our old friend and host Mr.Jagwant Singh. He is a very generous and good-natured person. He is the one at whose place we had stayed for two nights, when we came flying down to Goa for the gurmat camp. He has been living in Goa for the last twenty years and is a diver by profession. He also volunteers as Gurudwara president.

We were in luck and we reached Gurudwara in the evening for attending the evening so-dar diwan and doing a bit of sewa. Jagwant promptly recognized me, when I called him on phone and came rushing down to Gurudwara. We exchanged greetings and remembered and talked about the time spent together during the camp.We could not moor to dolphins for some reasons. So we berthed alongside tanker berth no.8 at Goa. Barges came alongside on starboard side and loading was completed using ship’s cranes and shore grabs. Everything went smoothly.

Gurudwara Singh Sabha,  Mangour Hill, Vasco, Goa

This was my first visit to Goa by sea in last 13 years. It was in 1999 when I had come a couple of times on another ship M.V.Nand Srishti. Two years back I had come for a two day camp held at Gurudwara Singh Sabha, Mangour Hill, Vasco organized and conducted by Sukrit, a Ludhiana based NGO. It is about four kilometers from Goa port and is easily reachable.

We decided to go to Gurudwara and meet our old friend and host Mr.Jagwant Singh. He is a very generous and good-natured person. He is the one at whose place we had stayed for two nights, when we came flying down to Goa for the camp. He has been living in Goa for the last twenty years and is running a diving company.He himself is a very experienced and good diver, though he does not dive himself any more. In a way, he is also connected with marine industry and is not a stranger to ships and shipping world. He also volunteers as Gurudwara president.

Jagwant Singh with blogger Captain Yashpal Singh

We were in luck and we reached Gurudwara in the evening for attending the evening so-dar diwan and doing a bit of sewa. Jagwant promptly recognized me, when I called him on phone and came rushing down to Gurudwara. We exchanged greetings and remembered and talked about the time spent together during the camp. He was kind enough to drop us in his vehicle at the port gate.

Dish antenna installed aboard Allcargo Laxmi

My previous two ships were also coastal ships trading around Indian coast. Other than the benefit of mobile phone coverage and easy accessibility to internet, another interesting facility I enjoyed was dish antenna on board. This was quite interesting as we could enjoy the live Gurbani telecast from Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar everyday morning and evening. Resetting the dish antenna with changing courses is not an issue. Usually young officers become very skilled in achieving the desired elevation and azimuth.

Videocon d2h Dish Antenna on Monkey Island

                       So, this time when it was decided that I would be joining M.V.Allcargo Laxmi ( again a coastal ship) I was sure that she would be fitted with dish antenna. But that was not the case. Initially few days passed by. Then I started planning about fitting one onboard. Chief officer and electrical officer immediately offered their services. Both being from Tamil Nadu, they managed everything very well locally in Tuticorin. Presently all Indian ports observing security level 2, some difficulties were faced with customs; but eventually all ended OK.

Allcargo Laxmi at Tuticorin, ready to sail out to sea

      I was in favour of installing DD direct plus. But this being government’s dish antenna, it appears marketing is lacking. This is because we found none dealing in DD direct plus. The reason for its preference is that it provides a large number of   free channels. There is no subscription fee required.

     So, finally we had to settle with d2h Videocon dish. This is also working well. I am happy to receive live telecast of Gurbani from Amritsar. Other favourite programs are gallan te geet (ਗੱਲਾਂ ਤੇ ਗੀਤ), doctor nu milo (ਡਾਕਟਰ ਨੂੰ ਮਿਲੋ), antakshri (ਅੰਤਾਕਸ਼ਰੀ) and ajj da masla (ਅੱਜ ਦਾ ਮੱਸਲਾ) transmitted on DD Punjabi. 

Windmill hubs and blades discharged

Windmill blade and hub at Kandla port

The windmill hubs and windmill blades which we had loaded at Tuticorin, have been successfully discharged at Kandla. This consignment had come from China and was waiting to be transported to port of  Gujrat. Background in the photos speaks clearly of the filth, 

Discharged windmill blades in the background

chaos and mismanagement. We had a chance to go ashore. I had decided to go to Gandhidham Gurudwara with my family. Other than enjoying keertan (ਕੀਰਤਨ) and langar (ਲੰਗਰ) there is nothing worthy of mention. The roads are littered with potholes and loose dirt. There was dust all around & suspended in the air. The worst part was the initial about a kilometer of ride from Kandla port. It was stinking beyond belief. Though the car was non A.C. and it was hot, we were forced to keep the window glasses shut. The stench was simply unbearable.

Now we have arrived at Mormugao on 28^th April late morning. We are drifting waiting to be moored to Dolphin. Vessel will be loading iron ore pellets through barges coming alongside. Vessel’s cranes will be  used. After completion loading we will be headed to N.Mangalore for loading Suzlon’s windmill blades over hatch tops.

Windmill hub being positioned on truck

Iron ore pellets will remain untouched at Karnatka and we will steam northward with blades above  and ore underneath to Kandla again.

Now aboard M.V.Allcargo Laxmi

Windmill Hub in hold of Allcargo Laxmi

Windmill blades aboard Allcargo Laxmi

The vessel I joined around mid march is a small sized general cargo carrier. The vessel is trading along west coast of India. The weather during this period of time is any sailor’s dream. Slight or rippled sea, no or short low swell. There is hardly any rolling or pitching. The sun shines brightly spreading cheer all around.
During this time we have carried Bentonite (a kind of clay with thousand of uses)and steel pipes from Kandla (shipper: Welspun) for GAIL (Gas authority of India Ltd.) at Cochin.
But the most interesting cargo has been the windmill blades (by Suzlon). They are loaded on hatch tops and run to about 60 meters long. At one time we loaded 18 numbers of them. So far, we have been loading them at New Mangalore and taking them to Tuticorin and Kandla.
And last call Tuticorin, we loaded transit cargo of three sets wind mil blades and wind mill hubs. This cargo has come from China and was discharged at Tuticorin. And now we have brought it to Kandla.
                            It shows that India is also taking long strides in harnessing the wind energy – nature’s free source and friendly to environment.
We used to see lot of wind mills on the coast of Germany, Belgium and Holland. Now we will get to see them in our own country.

Windmill Hub