Senior Stories Andrew Yeo

My job at PSA

by Andrew Yeo

 In 1960 the Singapore Polytechnic started a Nautical School to encourage young Singaporeans to enter the Sea Transport Industry as Mariners (Sailors) onboard vessels as their career.

Vessels transporting passengers and various types of Goods were manned by Deck Officers and Engineers with a competent Crew of about 20 to 30 personnel onboard. The Captain was the Master and commander of the Ship.These vessels were of various sizes and driven by motor or steam engines.  

To prepare students to be gainfully employed on board as a Ship Deck Officer (Marine Officer) in International waters, a program called “Pre Sea Training” was formed to begin their career path of becoming a Ship Captain.  

As a Ship Officer his responsibility was mainly to ensure and exercise safe navigation and the operation of the vessel carrying the precious cargoes to its destination. The basic qualification of the Officer required was the “2nd Mate Certificate Of Competency for foreign going vessels.”

I enrolled myself as one of the First batch of students in the Pre Sea Training course at the Singapore Polytechnic Nautical School.

Graduated in 1961 and with the basic schooling of nautical studies, I was attached as an Apprentice to Guan Guan Shipping, one of the local Shipping Companies that participated in the Government Scheme to promote and train locals to operate their vessels in the high seas.

A contract was signed to serve the Company as an Apprentice / Cadet Officer for 4 years.This was a British International standard requirement and procedure for Trainees to have the necessary seatime before sitting for the 2nd Mate Examination. The Seatime requirement was to obtain enough experience in Seamanship by working together with the Crew and lessons on Ship management from the Captain and Senior Officers onboard a vessel.

I began my journey as a Marine Officer at the age of 18 on board a small Single Screw KPM type of vessel sailing within the Home Trade area. KPM vessels were built by the Dutch for the Indonesian trade during their occupation of Indonesia. These vessels were designed and constructed to facilitate the many River Ports in Indonesia which have various types of moorings and berthing facilities.

My first Ship was the M/V SUMBER MAS, a KPM class vessel of 1200 Grt. anchored at the Inner Roads, an anchorage for SmalI vessels. I boarded the Home Trade vessel carrying general cargo bound for Banjarmasin,(future Capital of Indonesia) a River Port at the Island of Kalimantan and started my sea career at Sea.

Trading areas were defined by Local, Home Trade and Foreign Going Trade which have countries further away. Home Trade covers all of Indonesia waters and the Asean Countries. During the 60s , Local Shipping Companies mostly traded within the Asean Countries where most of the ports were deep in the River or at River mouth, they therefore bought most of these small vessels (less than 3000 grt) for their business.

In those days, vessels were constructed with a common shape called "Three Island Type”. ( Three Structures on the Main Deck). The Bow section(Forecastle), where you have the Anchors on both sides, compartments of Crew accommodation and where Anchor Chains are stored. The Mid section was the Bridge for Navigation and where the Officers accommodation was situated. The Aft (Stern) was usually the machinery section where the Engine Room and the Engineers accommodation are found, it was also where the Propeller and Rudder were situated. Cargoes were stored in Cargo holes below the Deck and also on the Deck as well. Fresh water tanks and ballast tanks to stabilise the vessel were situated at the bottom of the ship. Monitoring of tanks and ensuring that there were no leakages, sounding of Bilges and Tanks (measurement) were done daily and recorded to be analysed by the Officers on Duty.

The carriage and movement of cargoes on board were done physically by Manpower using swinging Derricks with Ropes and Tackles. Later, vessels had hydraulic power Cranes and electric equipment to assist the movement of cargo on board.

Ships are constructed with Iron bars and metal sheets where rust was the greatest enemy. Maintenance of vessels was done by the Engine Room Crew and Deck Crew themselves. As an Apprentice, to experience practical seamanship. you join the Crew in the daily routine of upkeeping the vessel.

Anything apparent above the waterline must be kept in good condition by constantly knocking and chipping the rust away, applying anti-rust paint and finally painting the colour quote of the vessel to look good. Greasing and Oiling of shackles and deck machinery were a daily routine. Handling mooring ropes, ensuring that they were maintained and stored properly were part and parcel of good seamanship.

Being on smaller vessels, aIl berthing and moorings were executed by the Ship Officers and Crew under the Command of the Captain. I was fortunate to be able to acquire their Skills which later was a great help as a foundation in Piloting.

In 1963 Guan Guan Shipping extended their business to Foreign Trade and having sailed on 3 Home Trade vessels, I was promoted to 3rd Officer on M/V KARIO, a foreign going vessel, trading between Indonesia , HongKong and China.

Sailing in Foreign Trade routes were more strenuous and dangerous as they were subjected to heavier seas and rough weather. I remembered a dangerous voyage where we met the Eye of Typhoon Sally at the South China Sea on the way to Hong Kong from Makassar (Sulawesi, Indo.).The vessel was tossed up and down by the huge waves with Rain and strong Winds pouring on the vessel for four days.

We have to tie ourselves with ropes to assist us when walking on the deck between the Bow to the Stern of the vessel in case we are swept overboard by the waves. It was a terrifying experience and thank God we managed to survive through it.

After another year of sailing, I was nominated together with a skeleton Crew to take delivery of one vessel M/V GOLDEN SPRING in Stockholm, Sweden. This Ship was purchased to carry Wheat and General Cargo for the Australian Run. We took delivery of the M/V GOLDEN SPRING in Stockholm in September 1964 and sailed the vessel back to Singapore through the English Channel stopping at Lisbon (Portugal) to load some general cargo and Pig Iron. Topped up with fuel and provisions we continued our voyage through the Suez Canal and returned safely to Singapore for the necessary manning requirement in order to land in Australia.

I came ashore in early 1965 to partake in the 2nd Mates Examination in Singapore. Upon obtaining the certificate of competency for foreign going vessels, I went back to Sea again in May 1965 on the M/V GOLDEN OCEAN to further my career at Sea.

Life at Sea was tough. Battling the rough seas and loneliness were physical and mental happenings the Mariners have to overcome. Facing the Monsoons at the South China Sea , the Sea swells and the Storm with inclement weather can also be strenuous and tormenting and were events Sailors have to bear.

Even with the odds of having more rough weather than calm seas, and with all the hardships, some really love the Sea; however others when given the opportunity would choose to have a shore job.

   

PART 2

During the 60s, Shipping was a vibrant and growing industry and ship movements were ever increasing in Singapore

The Port of Singapore Authority, a Quasi Government under the Ministry of Communication which took over from Singapore Harbour Board in 1964 was responsible for the growth in the Shipping Industry of Singapore. 

The Port of Singapore Authority [PSA] introduced a Pilotage Training Scheme in 1965 sponsoring students who had obtained their HSC or GCE with three O levels in Science, Mathematics and English to attend a one year Pre Sea Course at the Singapore Polytechnic. On completion they will be attached to Shipping Lines as Cadet Officers and after 3 years they can be eligible to sit for the 2nd Mates Certificate of Competency examination.

Successful candidates can then be employed as Trainee Harbour Pilots. After 3 years through Class C and Class B they can be promoted to Class A with no restrictions on the type and size of vessels allocated. An annual recruitment was exercised to eventually replace all the Foreign Harbour Pilots and Marine Officers with local Singaporeans. Those that did not have the aptitude to become Pilots could be employed to perform other marine duties in the Port master Department.

Harbour Pilots are Mariners who guide ships through dangerous or congested waters. They are trained shiphandlers who possess detailed knowledge of local waterways.

Direct Entries were also offered to those Mariners at Sea who wanted to become Harbour Pilots and Marine Officers in the Port Master Department.

I applied for the Pilot Training Scheme and was accepted and employed as a Trainee Pilot in January 1966 with a salary of $600/-.and was attached to the Port Master Department.

Initially Ten Marine Officers were admitted by Direct Entry. Port Master was Captain Goh Choo Keng who was also the Director of Marine in the Ministry of Communication. The Port Master under the Port of Singapore Authority was responsible for all marine matters within the Port waters whereas the Marine Department under the Ministry was responsible for International marine matters. The Port Master controls all the Marine activities in the Port and is responsible for provision of pilotage services.

Training starts by understanding and familiarising ourselves with the functions of Port Operations. As a Trainee Pilot, I was first attached to the Shipping Control Section headed by a Shipping Controller. This office controls all the shipping movement at the Anchorages, Berths, Terminal and within the Port. There were Marine Officers and Inspectors in this Section employed to enforce Port Rules for all vessels operating in the Port. Patrolling the Port round the clock they ensure that the Port Regulations were not abused. They also inspected vessels with dangerous cargoes and laboratory testing of flammable goods to ensure safe entry into Singapore .

Traffic Control of vessels leaving and coming alongside the wharfs were operated by Marine Officers round the clock.The responsibility of Harbour Craft Licensing and Harbour Craft Rules were also operated and administered by this Section.

My next station was the Hydrographic Section where we learned about the Local Tides and Current and Navigable waters. Chart-work, learning the positions and locations of Islands, Anchorages., Berths, Reefs, Shoals, lighthouses, Beacons,Buoys and Navigable Channels etc.. was a mandatory and important part of pilotage training. I was fortunate that my training period coincided with the annual Navigational Aids maintenance program. A program where Beacons and Buoys that marked the dangers for sea navigation were inspected, repaired or replaced annually. Stayed 2 weeks onboard the Buoy Laying Vessel doing the operation of buoy replacement was most educational and eating clams daily that was gathered from the chains that were attached to the buoys was very memorable..Knowing exactly where the dangers were and having the knowledge using transits and bearings of Beacons and prominent buildings to guide safe navigation were tools pilots must learn during training.

Familiarising with the Traffic Department which controls the movement and storage of cargoes and the allocation of Berths at Keppel Wharves allows us to understand why vessels carrying certain cargoes were allocated according to their nominated berths.

After six months of attachments and familiarisation of Port operations the actual Piloting began at the Pilot Station situated at Tanjong Pagar .Berth No. 47.

The Pilot Superintendent was Captain Ashley Todd. a Scottish who was well respected for his piloting and administration capabilities.There were about 30 Foreign Pilots mostly British Masters, 5 from India and 3 Local Malay Captains. During those days a Pilot was respected as a retired Captain and had the capability to advise the Master of the vessel.

In order to be a licensed Class C Pilot, a list of required manoeuvres to ensure that there was enough knowledge for commanding a vessel into port was given. The list covers all the areas to be piloted with different types and sizes of vessels assigned to various berths and terminals and Anchorages.

Training starts by following the qualified Pilots on their assignment to learn the various Ship handling methods used for mooring different types of vessel. On completion of the job the Pilot had to acknowledge your attendance by signing on that particular job on the list required by the Trainee.

Permission to follow the Pilots must be sought and they can refuse to let you follow them. Initial discrimination and resentment was understandable because we were taking away their lucrative jobs. There was also the embarrassing issue to consider as we could be witnesses to incidents where vessels suffered damages due to their bad advice in handling of the vessel. However as fellow Mariners and with mutual respect this was blown away quickly without any more incidents of resentment.  

Piloting a vessel safely to their Moorings and Berths requires great patience and steady nerves. There must be a natural aptitude for the job. Moving a big object on the water was not an easy task. Every vessel has its own characteristic. Knowledge of the surrounding waters,Wind and Current were factors to be considered in navigating a vessel safely to her destination. Having the ability to master the skill in combining these main factors would make a good Pilot in guiding vessels into and out of the Port.

Only a few were really good and skillful ship handlers, other expatriates were competent enough but there were a few that were not apt for this nerve wracking job.

On completion of all the requirements, a practical test by doing a few Class C jobs was conducted with a Senior Pilot. Upon his recommendations Trainees were promoted to a certified Class C Pilot with restrictions to berth vessels of not more than 400ft in length and mooring vessels up to 15,000 gross tonnes to the Anchorages.  

Starting with a salary $720/-a month, work was on a 2 shift method with a rotation of 3 days On 1 Day Off Schedule. Every morning a list of ships requiring Pilotage service would be printed out with the names of Pilot allotted to them. Pilots usually start work at 6 am in the morning on a 12 hour shift rotation. There was an Office Pilot (Senior Pilot) administrating the daily allocation of Pilots to Vessels according to their type and size and destinations. In those days compulsory Pilotage was only applicable for vessels to the wharves and terminals .A vessel entering Singapore had the option not to have a Pilot onboard to guide her to the Anchorages. If a Pilot was required, vessels will hoist a Red And White “ H flag”indicating “I want a Pilot” on her yardarm.(Flagpost).and a Pilot would be dispatched immediately. They can also request Pilot services by radio or through their agencies.

Vessels arriving to be moored at the Anchorages to discharge their cargoes in Singapore were mostly within 15000.grt. Therefore Class C Pilots were most suitable for this assignment.

Class C Pilot's main job was to “Guard the Gates”, an expression used for bullying the new Pilots by stationing them far away at the Entrances to wait for arriving vessels into Singapore. Pilot Stations at the Sea entrances were quite a distance away within an hour or two boat ride from the Pilot Office at Tanjong Pagar. Sitting in the Pilot boat just waiting for vessels to fly the H flag was rough especially during the Monsoon Period where it was wet with rough sea popping the boat up and down.

There were also assignments to berth vessels of not more than 400 ft in length for alongside the wharves.The famous Empire Dock at Keppel Wharves which can accept a maximum of 400 ft vessel, was thus the favourite assignment for Class C Pilots. Built with Ramps on certain berths to cater for the Empire Class of LSTs it also harbours the local vessels like Straits SteamShip ,Guan Guan , Kie Hock Shipping and other Barges. Most Vessels allocated to the Empire Dock have high freeboard which is subjected to the wind.This Dock was most feared by all pilots as it had a very narrow entrance and was right angle to the currents in the main Channel. With restricted space for manoeuvrability, Berthing Vessels with high freeboard and high superstructures like the Indian Passenger Ship “RAJULAH” a 400 footer with slow response engines was a nightmare. Ships entering the Empire Dock used to have had more incidents of damage compared to other wharves. However with the arrival of Class C pilots incidents were drastically reduced due to their familiarity of the place.

Promoted to Class B Pilot allows us to berth vessels up to 500ft and 20,000 grt to the Anchorages.These were the Tankers from Shell , BP and Mobil which frequently were anchored in the Petroleum Anchorage. Cargo vessels like the Blue Funnel and Ben Line Vessels often berthed at the Keppel Wharves were now handled by the Class B Pilots as well.

After another 18 months we at last achieved our unrestricted Class A Licence in 1970. As an unrestricted Harbour Pilot, the opportunity to be able to manoeuvre various types and sizes of vessels in the Port was most exciting and challenging.

In my career as a Harbour Pilot I have assisted many famous Passenger Liners like Queen Elizabeth II, France , Orion etc.. into the Port. It was an honour to be selected for such assignments because only Senior Pilots were allocated to these assignments. I also had my share in the formidable task of manoeuvring fully loaded VLCCs to their Moorings. These large vessels of 1000 feet in length loaded with 200,000 tonnes of Oil must be done carefully with respect when moving on the water. The risk of Oil pollution was a major factor to be considered when manoeuvring these vessels. A slight mistake could result into a massive disaster to the Port and would incur millions of dollars in damages.

The aim and duty of a Pilot was to assist the Master of the vessel in navigating his vessel safely to its destination without mishaps. However, due to unforeseen circumstances not every job could be done according to the book.The ability to control the vessel during difficult times were also attributes Pilots should have to assist the Master of the vessel. A well done job often was rewarded with a cartoon of cigarette or a bottle of whisky.

Movements of vessels in the Port were increasing and Pilots were working extremely hard with extended hours.There were no issues or problems as the remuneration was based on bonuses for extra number of ships piloted. Compared to other careers in the 70’s, Pilots were having very good incomes and it was rumoured that the Executive Chairman of PSA was not happy with Pilots having more Income than him..

To break the monopoly of Foreign pilots holding on to this profession with such income, a scheme cutting off all bonuses with only fixed salaries was initiated. This of course angered the Foreigners and began the exodus leaving the profession they had once dominated.

Six of the 1966 intake of Marine Officers (Including myself) who had learned the ropes well were recognised and was promoted from Senior Pilot to Senior Port Marine Officer (SPMO) in 1972 to slowly take over all the functions held by the Foreign Pilots..In the meantime the Pilotage Scheme sponsored candidates also had returned home from sea for their career in PSA .Under the leadership of Captain Goh, the Port Master,the six SPMO began to take position relieving and replacing all the duties and functions held by the Foreigners.

As a SPMO, our functions were changed and enhanced from