A pot of locally-produced manuka honey was hurriedly transported to the Seven Seas Mariner cruise ship after her captain made an unusual request.
The sweet twist to the traditional gift exchange with a cruise ship making its maiden call happened on Sunday while Gisborne Deputy Mayor Rehette Stoltz was on board.

“Captain Ubaldo Armellino was a lovely man and seemed very pleased to be visiting Gisborne for the first time, but we weren’t prepared for his interest in some local manuka honey,” says Ms Stoltz.

When new vessels visit a port for the first time it is customary to exchange gifts and ship plaques. Gisborne’s gift to the ship was a framed ceremonial bone fish hook signifying strength and safety over water. The hook was carved at The Stone Studio and a plaque was received in return.

“During the exchange the captain told me his wife had requested he get …

Captain Robert Serewa’s affinity for ships started when he was five years old. Maritime careers run in his family; his father is a captain as well. By the time he was 14 years old, he knew the life of a mariner was his future. He has been with Chevron for 11 years.

Now he is at the helm of Asia Excellence, one of six new liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers that will support Chevron’s growing global LNG business. Chevron is nearing completion of the largest shipbuilding and fleet modernization program in recent corporate history with the introduction of 13 new ships to our fleet between 2013 and 2017, including the new LNG carriers. These new and technologically advanced ships were built to transport LNG by sea. Captain Serewa’s job is to transport LNG safely and reliably, to help Chevron meet the world’s need for energy.

Did you know?
Liquefied natural …

There is no dearth of stress on board ships. Ask a seafarer and you will know what it takes to work on board. It is the ultimate test of both physical and mental strength.

No mariner is born smart! One has to learn the ropes of the game, avoid the pit falls, and play it safe.
In this difficult job market, a mariner must know what not to do in order to prevent any kind of professional trouble.

But every sea going professional knows that under excessive work pressure at sea, mistakes are bound to happen. So how does one save work related trouble?

It is by keeping note of basic yet important things while working on board ship. Here are ten mistakes a professional seafarer should never want to make on ship.

1. Never follow Illegal or Irrelevant Orders

Whether you are a rating, an operational level officer, or …

In recent weeks, there has been a lot of media coverage of the destructive power of the tropical cyclones that have hit the Caribbean islands and southeastern parts of the United States. Captain Henri Scheer explains how Hapag-Lloyd’s fleet deals with these kinds of situations.

Captain Scheer, in recent weeks, the tropical cyclones Irma and Maria have passed over the Caribbean and the southeastern United States, leaving a trail of destruction in their paths. The storms have left many dead, destroyed countless homes and severely damaged the infrastructure of entire regions. However, we haven’t heard anything about container ships being damaged or in distress at sea in the affected maritime region. Why is that?

First and foremost, that’s because our ships have been able to avoid these storms. These hurricanes form over a longer period of time, and their paths can be projected quite reliably. Depending on the situation, our …