Joining a new build

[MarkW]

Just found out that my first ship will be a new build!
Asking around college nobody really knows what to expect as a cadet joining in the builders yard. According to the email i will join in Korea in the ship yard and get the vessel ready for sailing, and be onboard for her first sea voyage.

I wondered if any of you had any experience of joining on a new build? All i know is that apparently it does mean i may be doing a lot of extra manual labour to start off with.

[Chiefy]

oh hell yes......normally you will be in the yard for a month before delivery and get to see Sea Trials, which is when they run all those tests like turning circles, crash stop, crash astern and the likes...the Compass should be swung too (though this happens normally too ;0 ) ECDIS calibrated and tested...ooooo loads and loads of stuff, take you camera and a memory card and also if you get chance go look at other hulls in the course of their construction.

then there is "the great unpacking" look around your house / office / college EVERYTHING you see will be in a box nd need unpacking and moving to "near it's final home, mattresses, bedding, washing baskets, drawing pins, notice boards you name it it'll be in 2 boxes of "stuff" then theres the lashing gear (I am assuming it's a container boat ) that all needs to be un-packed and placed around the deck ready for first load

So yeah you is going to be one busy little bee...though I am surprised that a first trip is going, so dont be surprised to be tagged with an other officer for a while just for the sheer health and safety aspect while you work out which is you arse and which your elbow....clue only one should get callouses from leaning on window sills looking out of windows

[YoungMariner]

Fantastic experience for you, enjoy it! It could be a once in a career/lifetime opportunity for you.

[1st]

what company are you with and what is the ship's name?

[MarkW]

I am surprised that a first trip is going, so dont be surprised to be tagged with an other officer for a while just for the sheer health and safety aspect while you work out which is you arse and which your elbow

Im just as surprised, but i believe it was a case of the ship i was originally placed on will not have any english officers onboard for the time we would be onboard, so the had to find us this one.(I'm not complaining!!!)

take your camera and a memory card

Already brought a bigger memory card, College have said to photograph EVERYTHING so i can use in phase 3 construction and stability stuff.

what company are you with and what is the ship's name?

I'm with Maersk, i dont know the name of the ship yet, and all the googling in the world hasn't helped me figure out which ship, all i can find out is about the Triple E's, but it definitely isnt one of them!

[Chiefy]

when you joining and which yard... I suspect it will be an L class.....China to South America......I'm getting one in May which will be my 3rd new build in my career, but then I'm lucky :0...though it might be a C class...this are going to West Africa.....

http://www.containership-info.com/

look up maersk lima or similar for L class and ermmmm something beginning Maersk C for the C class cant get to that site very easily from the ship (too many photos that look a bit cruddy after being through the shore side graphic cut down filter!!)

[MarkW]

when you joining and which yard... I suspect it will be an L class.....China to South America......I'm getting one in May which will be my 3rd new build in my career, but then I'm lucky

Joining in February, speaking to the office they dont know which yard but it is the Maersk Leon (Chiefy gets it right again!!) Looking at that website i would guess it is Daewoo as thats where the others have been built?
Three new builds, That is lucky!

ermmmm something beginning Maersk C for the C class

They do like to keep it simple for us to remember.

[Chiefy]

Opoko....look at google maps, near Busan sort of south and west on an island off Busan New Port......

[MarkW]

WOW i knew these places were big but all i can say is , there are so many ships and bits of ships lying around there!

[Clanky]

Take the opportunity to get to see as much of the ship as you can, especially the bits which are not normally accessible, there will be a lot of commissioning trials going on try to see as many of those as you can, and ask loads of questions, but also remember that it is a busy time for everyone, so try to time the question when the person you are asking isn't running around like a blue arsed fly.