Sea trials (again)

The AM has been suffering from writers block. Corporate restructure and a review of capital spending has killed the motivation to blog for the past couple of weeks.

At the airport on a Sunday morning, returning to Subic Bay for sea trials of PN66 RTM Cook. The Philipinnes is in the middle of the monsoon season with heavy rain and the odd typhoon forecast. Sea trials are scheduled for Tuesday to Thursday, shorter because the 'first ship' tests were done on PN65 RTM Cook. The site team is reporting that PN66 is better prepared and has a shorter defects list.

The lineup at the Yard now is PN66 ready for sea trials, PN67 and PN68 alongside fitting out and PN69-72 under construction in Dock 6. Will post when Wi-fi is available. Also posting to Instagram, ID antipodean_mariner.

AM

PN65 Blues

PN65 remains undelivered as the wrangling continues as to what constitutes a completed ship. During the UMS test, a four hour period when the Engineroom is in lockdown, this ship has to run at normal sea speed with no alarms and no engineers.

During this test, the standby generator kicked in when a main compressor started, lighting up the alarm panel and calling into question the design of the power management system.

No ship is ever perfect, and the objective is to ensure the list of defects is as small as is operationally conscionable for the operating crew. PN65 sets the standard for the following sister-ships.

Delivery is now scheduled for 2nd July, over a month past the contract date - not an auspicious start. First cargo will be iron ore for China, after a quick stop in Singapore to bunker. The AM is planning to join her in Australia for the first loading and see how she and the crew performs. Sea trial data has proven speed, deadweight and the performance of the main engine. With the valve and fuel pumps on the engine  hydraulically actuated, there is no rhythmic clatter of camshafts. The engine and turbocharger just roar.

Now that the AM has learned how to insert clips, a short sequence as PN65 returns to the Yard in June after trials.

AM

Sea trials diary Friday 8th/Saturday 9th June

Friday's schedule went out the window as speed trials, which were to be completed by Thursday afternoon, were still going on in the small hours of Friday. The team in charge of this test has been at their station for 24 hours and everyone was getting grumpy as the expected results were not materializing at the end of each speed run.

Steaming out past Grande Island

The trial schedule called for the ship to make two runs (one North then one South) over a measured 2 nautical mile distance after making a run up of 5 miles. What the test team was doing was running a 30 mile leg, then the taking the speed by GPS over the last 2 miles. The speed trials were consequently 28 miles apart in waters with different weather, tide and current influences. As much as the AM tried to argue that they had were making an 'error in principle', including getting the Korean Dock-Master/Captain to explain, they refused to change the test procedure. If the ship doesn't meet her contractual speed, the Builders are required to compensate the Owners through a 'liquidated damages' formula. Data will be presented next week for scrutiny.

The Anchoring trial went OK but the Blackout test, when the Emergency Generator has to start and carry the essential safety and navigation load, was a Fail. The offending component was cannibalized from her sister-ship PN66 and brought out on a tug on Saturday morning. With several critical items still a 'Fail', the majority of the Filipino workers were disembarked on to a tug back to Subic and spares and more food were loaded for another day at sea.

A tropical squall came in over the ship as we were doing the Anchoring Test. Nice cloud formation

Approaching the Yard, with sisters PN67, 68, 69 and 70 in Dock 6 (left)

With 13 days to go until Delivery there is still a lot to do, and the AM harbors doubts that she will make the scheduled date. Some of the unfortunate Koreans were going out again the next day (Sunday) for another sea trial. After 4 days of long hours,crowded cabins and snatched sleep, morale among the Koreans was low and we were happy to get back to dock, off the ship and into a hotel for a night's sleep.

Back alongside, the run for the gangway

AM and Ms AM, Subic Bay

The Antipodean Mariner

Sea Trials Diary - Monday 21st May

AM is back in Manila for a day before heading back home. Key components of the Main Engine have been opened up for inspection and corrosion, as a consequence of the water contamination, has been found on bearing surfaces and in the oil channels.

Corrosion on the inside of the lube oil pipes

The inside of the pipes are not coated on the basis that they will be immersed in lubricating oil for their working life.

Bearing pin with corrosion on the load-bearing surface

The Main Engine manufacturers are mobilising a team to polish the bearing surface 'in situ', which will take another week alongside. In the meantime, work is continuing on finishing work and painting before the naming ceremony at the end of this month.

It now seems unlikely that the AM will see PN65 undergo her sea trials, but another seven to go...

AM, in Manila

Sea Trials Diary - Tuesday 15th May

Out of date sequence with the Wednesday to Saturday Postings:-

With only one day to go before putting to sea, the level of activity has increased to fever pitch with bedding and provisions being loaded for the 160 Yard, Class and Owners people who will be joining tomorrow.

RTM Cook, looking back at RTM Cartier

The navigation system has been run up this afternoon to make sure that we will have functioning equipment before leaving the dock. Unfortunately the ECDIS software has not arrived and we will be on paper charts. All of the housekeeping items, such as galley equipment, provisions, bedding has been loaded and extra liferafts.

A final pre-meeting will be held with the Builders in the morning to verify work to be completed tonight, then into the harbour for ballasting to out trials condition. We will be benchmarking this unmodified vessel to two sisters with Mewis Duct and Prop Boss Cap Fin.

AM

Sea Trials Diary - Wed 16th to Sat 19th May

16th May
The ship was ready and we left the fitting out dock at 0930 for anchorage off Subic Bay. The first job has been to test the Ballast Water Treatment System in live condition. The system is designed to kill waterborne greebies and the test required the filling of the Forepeak tank and No.6 Cargo Hold. Water samples from the sea were taken (with live organisms) and compared under a microsope with the lifeless water samples from the tanks - a Pass!

Ballast Water Treatment control screen

After checking the vessel's displacement and draft, we have put to sea to run the main engine progressively up to full revolutions. The magnetic compass will be swung and adjusted tonight before stopping for engine checks in the small hours. AM has been on the bridge with the Master and Chief Officer playing with the port radar (still no electronic charts) while the Korean Dockmaster navigates the ship from the starboard conning console.

Tomorrow morning will be the speed trial and navigation equipment tests. Fortunate to have been allocated a cabin with only one other, maximum sleeping arrangement is 20 in the small gymnasium.

Owners Team dockside

Testing for hydrogen while ballasting No.6 Hold

At anchor taking on ballast

Night bridge

Emergency muster for all hands before sailing out

Thursday 17th May
We spent the night at anchor following an unwelcome development. A visual inspection of the Main engine after 3 hours of slow running found water and emulsified lube oil in the crankcase. The Main engine has a charge of 44,000 litres of lube oil and water has entered the system from somewhere. The Yard's engineers are checking the lube oil system for the source of the water. Lube oil is being run through the purifiers to remove the emulsified water. Many unhappy Koreans.

While we wait, the stagger test - where alternate tanks are ballasted to check bulkhead welds and hull strength - is being done. This was scheduled for the end of trials and we were to leave the ship to fly home. Nothing for the AM to look forward to except mealtimes for the next 24 hours. Oil samples have been taken off by tug for analysis and measurement of the water percentage.

Friday 18th May
Completed the bulkhead inspections and adjusting ballast for the final checks of the cargo holds. The Pilot will board in the morning and we will slowly steam back to the Yard. Work will start on cleaning out the Main Engine lube oil system for another sea trial later this week and to try to determine the source of the water. The small number of 'rats and mice' jobs have been signed off but little else to show for the last three days.

Saturday 19th May
After consulting the Main engine makers, it has been allowed to run the engine at 'Dead Slow' (35 rpm) back to the Yard. The anchor was raised at 0700, 0830 the Rescue Boat was deployed (a trials test) and we were back alongside at 10:00. The Builders will flush new oil through the Main engine and try to find the source of the water. Tomorrow, there will be a joint inspection of the new engine for any damage and second sea trials are scheduled for Wednesday 23rd May.

Launching the Rescue Boat

Coming back alongside astern of PN66/Cartier

Easing alongside

The Antipodean Mariner

Sea Trials Diary - Sunday 13th May

The Antipodean Mariner is in Manila en route to Subic Bay for sea trials of PN65, to be named 'RTM Cook'. As this is going to a week-long comissioning trial and there are going to be LOTS of photos, I'll try to post daily subject to internet access. To set the scene, Owners Representatives are flying in from Australia and Glasgow for the trials, which will take place in the waters to the west of Subic Bay. About 150 Yard, Class, Manufacterers Technicians and Owners Reps will be aboard, necessitating 4 to a cabin (or more). The goods news as Owners Reps, we get the best (Senior Officer) cabins up on D Deck under the bridge.

On arrival last night, the Yard issued a new delivery date and advising that insetad of 31st May the vessel will be handed over on 8th June. Some reshuffling of the vessel's first cargo is required now as we'll be about 8 days late on the current laycan.

The Inclining Experiment (to ascertain the vessel's centre of gravity) will take place on Monday, for which all the scaffolding and Builder's equipment has to be removed. On Tuesday, the vessel will be prepared to put to sea on Wednesday for three days of testing underway before returning to Subic on Saturday for two days of tests at anchor.

AM