NOMADICISTA

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/5734776 ... rikes-reef We finished loading cargo on this ship about five days ago. It has a crew of 25 people who are aboard in the the capacity of both a place of work, but also as their home.

Ouch! That's gotta hurt!

Looks like the owner is a huge conglomerate based in Israel. Wonder how the live-work arrangement really works?

Generally, with commercial shipping, the way the live-work arrangement works, is that they work six hours on, six hours off. 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For anything from three or four months at a time, to the more usual eight months on. I've been into a few ships accommodation blocks (the building that houses the bridge) and no matter how much of a rust bucket the ship maybe, the accommodation blocks are always kept immaculately clean.

I just can't imagine any ship grounding on a well known and charted reef like Astrolabe, especially under decent conditions like were reported.

Brief update. The Master was arrested and appeared in court on a holding charge today, with more charges to follow. He has been given name suppression, to protect his identity, in case of vigilante attacks.

The ship has lost around 30 containers into the sea, several hundred tons of oil and has major cracks in the hull. It is expected to break apart.

The crew have been evacuated.

It appears that the second officer will be making a court appearance too. http://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/1818 ... pear-court

Dumb-ass behavior happens. Kinda like lightning, just hope you're not too close. Probably costs more than lightning, though...

I cross my fingers every time I think of commercial aircraft. The record there has been truly amazing, but still there are cracks. Seems I recall a commercial passenger jet flew right past Mineapolis - 150 miles later somebody managed to raise them. IIRC, said they were playing games on laptops in the cockpit but maybe I'm crossing my stories here. Point is, people are subject to chance and other stuff and to keep things perfect forever - not a chance. Especially when the economic pressures are working the wrong way.

Rufus

I think NZ has had enough going on for now. It needs a break!