As you may recall, Capt. Ivo (in photo above sailing Alameda Estuary), of the ultra-large container ship MSC TORONTO, allowed me to visit aboard his ship, 400 miles west of Santa Cruz, Sept. 1, 2008, on WILDFLOWER's 6th solo return passage from Hawaii to Santa Cruz. Conditions were such I could see the approach of the 1,061 foot TORONTO at 8 miles. However, Ivo and crew could not see WILDFLOWER,, running under bare poles, either visually or on radar at 2 miles.
Ivo and I have remained best of friends and communicate regularly. Ivo has taken his skills to skippering one of the largest container ships in the world, M/V BARZAN, 1,312 feet, which sails from Europe to China via Suez. If you have any questions for Ivo or myself, feel free to post them here.
Below is a photo of Ivo and wife Sonia at home in the Czech Republic.
Here is a 6 minute video of BARZAN maneuvering in narrow confines of the Elbe River approaching Hamburg.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kauL2Bbr8Dc![]()
Last edited by sleddog; 02-04-2020 at 09:10 AM.
The new ship has an elaborate structure around its deck.
Is it to prevent containers from being lost overboard?
Barzan questions-
Well, that is some very elaborate choreography!
1. Barzan's smokestack only emitted dark smoke once. Did it use any of its own power or side thrusters etc?
2. Who directed the various tugboats. Where there video screens that showed the operation of each?
3. How much of the total operation was visual as compared to screen displays that showed heading, rotation, distances to shore, current, etc?
No problem to see why someone earns big bucks for the effort!
Ants
Thanks for your questions and I shall query Ivo when he next has time to chat. Currently BARZAN is entering the Gulf of Oman, heading into the Persian Gulf, to the Port of Jebel Ali, port for Dubai. These are crowded, contentious waters, and I'm sure Ivo spends significant time on the bridge in these situations.
https://www.vesselfinder.com/vessels...MMSI-229930000
From Persian Gulf, BARZAN continues to China and Korea and then supposedly to 5 yearly dry dock in China. BARZAN will not need scrubbers to clean her exhaust gases from the sulphur in the diesel fuel as other ships need to install. BARZAN uses cleaner, more expensive fuel and will soon be converting to LNG if it proves economically viable. The dry dock scheduling in China is fluid due to coronavirus delays.
Last edited by sleddog; 02-03-2020 at 11:14 AM.
Capt. Ivo aboard BARZAN in the Persian Gulf is following this SSS Forum and thanks you for your questions and comments. Unfortunately, he has a data limit and couldn't view the BARZAN video I posted. Ivo also says "the speed is just ugly, usually around 40-50 Kbs. It means I can't answer Ants' questions regarding maneuvering at this time as I can't see the video."
Regarding Daydreamers question, Ivo says, "the deck structures are indeed for securing containers,, which are lashed by lashing bars w/ turnbuckles in the middle up to 5th tier, on sides up to 7th tier. Otherwise every container is secured to container below and above by 4 twist locks on top and bottom. The containers are stacked 10 tiers high except where visibility fore and aft is required."
"IMO/SOLAS limit on visibility (blind sector/distance from the bridge) is 2xLOA or max 500 meters, therefore we usually load forward maximum 7-8 tiers, 10 tiers for 4 bays are possible in front of superstructure."
Ivo's comment above is an interesting one. Ivo, if you are listening, I would like to ask: Does your ship keep a forward lookout/watchstander at the bow? Or is the forward lookout the watchstander on the bridge and using some sort of camera and/or radar?
Also, what is the length and diameter of BARZAN's propellor shaft? Does it twist or bend?
Lastly, in your hundreds of thousands of sea miles on MSC TORONTO, LINAH, and now BARZAN, have you ever lost a container?
If Forum readers are looking for a good read, I suggest Shipkiller by Justin Scott. A trimaran on an Atlantic crossing, is rundown, the girlfriend dies, and the survivor hunts the giant ship around the globe..da dum.
Last edited by sleddog; 02-04-2020 at 08:15 PM.
I'm proud to say younger brother Scott, of Annapolis, MD., has been nominated for the National Sailing Hall of Fame...competition is stiff with 129 submissions, including Walter Cronkite, Nathanial Bowditch, Jimmy Buffet, Richard Henry Dana, Bill Lapworth, Bill Lee, and John F. Kennedy. Scott is being considered for both the Sailing and Technical categories.
https://nshof.org/nominees/Allan-Scott/
I do not know who nominated Scott. But omitted were some significant facts, technical inventions that were so significant to increasing boat speed that they were initially banned as being too advanced, such as using the Snipe jib as a spinnaker, using a lightweight aluminum daggerboard instead of a ultra heavy bronze one, and tacking (canting) the mast to windward. Scott also advanced sailing rules, as well as techniques never seen before, such as the roll tack and gybe.
Least we forget, and unmentioned is one of Scott's most significant awards, overall winner of the 1967 Transpac Race and member of the youngest crew ever to do so.
Congrats, Brother. You've earned it. I'm just sorry we are not allowed to vote.
Here are the current inductees: https://nshof.org/all-inductees/
and here is the Class of 2020 nominees: https://nshof.org/all-nominees/
Last edited by sleddog; 02-04-2020 at 09:14 PM.
What can happen singlehanded when falling asleep on approach to Hilo, Hawaii. The 63 foot ketch MIDWAY ISLAND, 34 days from Los Angeles, had its skipper helo rescued in a Billy Pugh net without injury this morning. Can't say that about his boat. 1800 gallons of fuel reportedly aboard. ???
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Last edited by sleddog; 02-04-2020 at 10:51 PM.
Words fail me...
"What can happen singlehanded when falling asleep on approach..."