Report Text:
On a recent voyage, our Master, ordered the deck crew to throw overboard the used oil and oily rags and other garbage including plastic into the sea with his presence without the knowledge of our Chief Engineer or our Chief Mate. Our Captain did not go away until the deck crew finished throwing the said garbage into the sea.
The next day our Chief Engineer learned that their garbage was thrown overboard as per order of the Captain, he was very angry and upset, and said that those garbage is almost three weeks all in all. I learned that the Chief Engineer ordered to hide their garbage into the tunnel which is also one of our emergency exit and it obstruct the way and also makes engine crew more difficult jobs to do because it’s little bit far when giving ashore for disposal.
CHIRP Comment
This incident took place in international waters. As an emergency escape was involved CHIRP forwarded the report to the vessel operator, confident they would be equally, if not more interested in the environmental aspects. Given the severity of the penalties and the incentives for seafarers to go directly to the authorities in some countries, CHIRP believed the operator would be pleased to receive a discreet indication that there might be issues of concern with respect to the environmental elements of their Safety Management System.
This was not the case and after lengthy correspondence with the operating company and their lawyers, the Maritime Advisory Board decided the vessel operator should be advised the information would be passed to their P&I Club for their assessment. The P&I Club was contacted to ensure they were willing to deal with the issue.
On being informed this was going to take place the operator engaged in positive dialogue and took certain steps which it believed would address the issues raised.
