i A Witherbys Seamanship Publication IN COMMAND …200 things I wish I’d known before I was Captain. by: Captain Michael Lloyd FNI ii First published 2007 ISBN-13: 978 1 85609 353 8 British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Lloyd, Conrad Michael In Command : 200 things I wish I’d known before I was captain 1. Ship captains - Miscellanea 2. Ship handling - Miscellanea 3. 623.8’824 ISBN-13: 978 1 85609 353 8 © Witherbys Publishing Ltd and Seamanship International Ltd 2007 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers. Notice of Terms of Use While the advice given in this book (In Command) has been developed using the best information currently available, it is intended purely as guidance to be used at the user’s own risk. Neither Witherbys Publishing or Seamanship International accepts any responsibility for the accuracy of any information or advice given in the document or any omission from the document or for any consequence whatsoever resulting directly or indirectly from compliance with or adoption of guidance contained in the document even if caused by failure to exercise reasonable care. This publication has been prepared to deal with the subject of Command. This should not however, be taken to mean that this publication deals comprehensively with all of the issues that will need to be addressed or even, where a particular issue is addressed, that this publication sets out the only definitive view for all situations. The opinions expressed are those of the author only and are not necessarily to be taken as the policies or views of any organisation with which he has any connection. Jointly published and printed in 2007 by: Witherbys Publishing Ltd. 32-36 Aylesbury Street, London, EC1R 0ET, UK Telephone : +44(0)2072515341 Email: books@witherbys.com www.witherbys.com [80182] Seamanship International Ltd. Willow House, Strathclyde Business Park, Lanarkshire, ML4 3PB, UK Telephone: +44 (0) 1698 464 333 E-mail: info@seamanship.com www.seamanship.com iii Foreword A number of years ago I took a temporary job ashore that was entirely unrelated to seafaring. It was as a junior civil servant, which was quite a change after 25 years at sea with 10 of them in command. Shortly after taking the position I attended a course on management skills and the relationships between senior management. I found it to be excellent and wished that such guidance had been available before I assumed command. For the first time in the profession, Captain Lloyd's book presents such guidance for both aspiring young officers and newly appointed Captains. A newly appointed Master will feel richer for having studied it and my own experience leads me to the conclusion that all who are connected with shipping, especially those who interact with the Master, should read this book. The rocks and shoals a ship's Captain has to avoid are not always out at sea. They are often found amongst those you have to deal with in all areas of your responsibilities. It is more preferable by far to keep a happy and comfortable relationship with your employers, but this is not always easy and is as dependent on your competence and professionalism as much as theirs. Let us hope that a commonsense approach can be found, worldwide, on sensible levels of ship operation in line with acceptable profits. It's a bit like wishing for World Peace! Michael Lloyd's book goes a long way to helping us with this goal. Captain Edward Martin Scott, RD** FNI RNR iv Captain Edward Martin Scott, RD** FNI RNR In May 1959, Martin's seagoing career commenced with a year of pre-sea training at the School of Navigation, Warsash, Southampton. He was apprenticed to the Royal Mail Line in 1960, trading in passenger and cargo ships to South America, the West Indies and North America. On gaining his Master's certificate in 1970 he joined what was then British Rail Shipping and International Services Division at Weymouth in Dorset. Promotion to Master came in 1975, and he commanded most units of the Sealink fleet of passenger RoRo vessels, serving the southwest coast of England to the Channel Isles and France until the division's closure in 1986. A variety of commands followed, including Sea Container's 650 passenger cruise ferry Orient Express, sailing to Italy, Greece, Turkey, West Africa, the Canary Isles and Madeira, and the Trinity House research vessel Trinity Explorer during its 1990 season in the Arctic Ocean. When Holland America Line appointed British officers to its Windstar fleet of sailing cruise ships in 1992, he was selected for command, sailing in French Polynesia, Central America, West Indies, and the Mediterranean, until his retirement in 2004. A full career in the Royal Naval Reserve ended in 1997 after 37 years' service. Appointed a Midshipman in 1960, he was promoted to Commander in 1981 and Captain in 1991. He has served in many Naval units including minelayers, frigates, assault vessels and aircraft carriers and took part in several exercises to Northern Norway and the Mediterranean with the United Kingdom Amphibious Task Force. Martin is a Founder Member and Fellow of the Nautical Institute and was President 2000-2002. He is also a Younger Brother of Trinity House. He succeeded Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, as Master of the Honourable Company of Master Mariners in 2007. v The Honourable Company of Master Mariners is a City of London Livery Company with membership open to British and Commonwealth Master Mariners from the Merchant and Royal Navies. The objectives are: