# LUGGAGE



## captainconfusion (Aug 13, 2020)

Good afternoon dear readers! As a past engineering apprentice, then as a fleet engineer in the motor and steamships of the BP Tanker Company in the 1960's to 70's, I travelled with rather bulky luggage as then in those days sign on/pay off in the deepsea fleet was basically within the UK or a NW European Port.
AS an apprentice i was instructed as I became a watchkeeping engineer, and encouraged to carry a personal tool box with BA, BSW, and BSF spanner, 1/2 and inch and smaller, a pair of pliers, and a bacho shifter {up to 3/4 inch BSW] a rule 12 inch, compass, and AF spanners sizes up to 3/4 inch] were the basics as the engineers workshop store was stacked with a minimum of one set of these sized tools,[plenty of 3/4 inch BSW.BSF and the larger sizes] but between the watches and daywork teams, the availability of smaller tools was possibly non available to more than one engineer. Later when European Nuts and Bolts??? became more general in the design of new machinery, the engineers store became more abundantly supplied in the smaller sizes of spanners, and socket sets. So the requirement to carry a personal tool box was not so urgent.
Apart from this requirement to carry a personal tool box was ones personal clothing and uniform, and I travelled joining/leaving a ship with a cabin trunk.
So gents what does the modern fleet engineer joining or leaving a ship travel with-including ones personal clothing effects when being flown out/home to sign on off a ship? Especially when one is appointed to a fleet and expected to serve on various/different vessels, and not one particular ship, such as a cruise ship. liner. Herei was thinking of the general cargo ships/tankers/trampship all foreign going.


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## AlbieR (May 18, 2007)

Laptop, Kindle, Mobile phone, and first question asked on board "Do we have 'tinternet?"


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## makko (Jul 20, 2006)

AlbieR got it in one! Rather than asking if there is internet, the first thing is what is the password! However, after the cyber attacks, most internet access is restricted or separated into different systems for ship business/leisure.

Rgds.
Dave


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## John Gowers (Jul 18, 2018)

I went to sea in 1974 and left to go to the dark side, offshore oil rigs in 1988 where I stayed untill I retired the only tools I every carried in all the time was a couple of Bahco shifters I cannot remember lack of tools being a problem on any ship or rig I worked. Not sure about ships nowadays but on rigs the first question was always what is the Wifi password for the public Wifi. I was assigned permanently to a few rigs over my time offshore and what you usually travelled to a rig with was a big bag with a few changes of clothes, all working gear boilers suits etc were supplied and usually an offshift leisure boiler suit these were all washed daily by laundry staff so you did not have to take a load of gear, you then left most of this onboard and then travelled back and forwards with a small over night bag. The only time I carried more gear was when I was working in Indonesia and it could take a couple of days to get there, mind you stop overs were good a night in Singapore and one in Balikpapan.


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## captainconfusion (Aug 13, 2020)

while I rabbit on about luggage, I was intrigued by asian crews in BP Tankers. They would join with flip flops, a carrier bag, either from the Simpsons Hotel in Hebburn, or a crew transfer while in drydock. While trading around NW Europe and the Baltic, especially Sweden, they would return with sewing machines, mopeds, and many other bits and pieces, and when one saw a crew transferred to one ship scheduled for a crew change in Bombay or the gulf, then ones eyes were opened as to what they had, and traded with for their flip flops and carrier bag-Amazing!!!!!
I just wonder what was seen on the weekly crew quarters inspections, between the crew signing on and then off??


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## Tony the hippy chippy (Sep 24, 2021)

captainconfusion said:


> while I rabbit on about luggage, I was intrigued by asian crews in BP Tankers. They would join with flip flops, a carrier bag, either from the Simpsons Hotel in Hebburn, or a crew transfer while in drydock. While trading around NW Europe and the Baltic, especially Sweden, they would return with sewing machines, mopeds, and many other bits and pieces, and when one saw a crew transferred to one ship scheduled for a crew change in Bombay or the gulf, then ones eyes were opened as to what they had, and traded with for their flip flops and carrier bag-Amazing!!!!!
> I just wonder what was seen on the weekly crew quarters inspections, between the crew signing on and then off??


Just read on newsa p&o cruise ship dropped a luggage carrier in the drink suitcases floating all over the place


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## Bill Cowe (10 mo ago)

captainconfusion said:


> Good afternoon dear readers! As a past engineering apprentice, then as a fleet engineer in the motor and steamships of the BP Tanker Company in the 1960's to 70's, I travelled with rather bulky luggage as then in those days sign on/pay off in the deepsea fleet was basically within the UK or a NW European Port.
> AS an apprentice i was instructed as I became a watchkeeping engineer, and encouraged to carry a personal tool box with BA, BSW, and BSF spanner, 1/2 and inch and smaller, a pair of pliers, and a bacho shifter {up to 3/4 inch BSW] a rule 12 inch, compass, and AF spanners sizes up to 3/4 inch] were the basics as the engineers workshop store was stacked with a minimum of one set of these sized tools,[plenty of 3/4 inch BSW.BSF and the larger sizes] but between the watches and daywork teams, the availability of smaller tools was possibly non available to more than one engineer. Later when European Nuts and Bolts??? became more general in the design of new machinery, the engineers store became more abundantly supplied in the smaller sizes of spanners, and socket sets. So the requirement to carry a personal tool box was not so urgent.
> Apart from this requirement to carry a personal tool box was ones personal clothing and uniform, and I travelled joining/leaving a ship with a cabin trunk.
> So gents what does the modern fleet engineer joining or leaving a ship travel with-including ones personal clothing effects when being flown out/home to sign on off a ship? Especially when one is appointed to a fleet and expected to serve on various/different vessels, and not one particular ship, such as a cruise ship. liner. Herei was thinking of the general cargo ships/tankers/trampship all foreign going.


53 items pack of cards and a toothbrush


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## Bill Cowe (10 mo ago)

Bill Cowe said:


> 53 items pack of cards and a toothbrush


BP required you to carry everything as not much supplied on board.
I happily left them after 8 years and went to Maersk line who had everything on board, paid 2 1/2 times what BP paid with 11% tax (as I was a foreigner) and overtime. Money went into Bikkuben Seafarers bank in Copenhagen investment account which paid 9 % interest no tax, so effectively Tax was 2 % !! You could also sign on your girlfriend as a stewardess ....................... thought I'd died and gone to heaven. Happy days !!


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