My sea voyage with my wife onboard MV Handy River

 Year 2001

MV Handy River is a Philippine registered Bulk cargo vessel of 22,000 GRT, owned and managed by Malaysian International Shipping Corp. MISC is owned by Petronas the state oil corporation of Malaysia. I was employed by MISC Fleet for about 5 years in some of their ocean-going bulk vessels. We are all Filipinos from the Master (which is me) down to the lowest rank.

However in 2002 owing perhaps to political reasons all MISC ships were reverted to Malaysian Registry. However we still remain onboard the ship though it was under Malaysian flag, since Malaysia were short of officers and crew on their own registered vessels.

From Brisbane Australia where my wife boarded the vessel, to Inchon South Korea, to Portland Oregon, to Vancouver BC, to Iligan City-Philippines, till Johore Bahru Malaysia where she disembarked from the vessel after the ship's drydocking.

Vessel fully loaded with cargo, now on deep draft.

She is looking at the Radar

At the helm (steering wheel) of the ship.

Wife taking a compass bearing of a target .

She joined the Officers and Crew in the Boat Drill / Abandon ship drill.

Fire & Emergency Drill's demonstration of safety appliances by the Chief Mate and Chief Engineer.

Light moment onboard during Saturday's Barbecue Party.

Shore leave while our vessel is in port at Inchon Korea.

A port in Oregon River

Our ship leaving Oregon River.

My ship's office.

Vessel transiting Oregon River after loading wheat in bulk cargo from Portland, next port is Vancouver BC.


Vancouver BC, Canada.

Vancouver BC - 2002

After leaving Vancouver we sailed to Iligan City in the Philippines to discharge the wheat in bulk cargo. After a week in Iligan we proceeded to Johore Bahru, Malaysia for vessel's drydocking.

Our vessel at a Malaysian Drydock and Shipyard.  

On arriving at the Shipyard, our vessel was fitted to a submerged craddle with wheels, then hydraulic jacks lifted our vessel (weight of light ship 10,000 tons) to make the craddle in line with the wharf's railroad track. Then our ship was towed by a motor tractor to the shipyard ground.

Vessel completed the major repair, anchors were still on the ground and preparing to haul up.

Vessel completed drydocking and now docked alongside the wharf, waiting for sea speed trial.

My wife disembarked from the vessel before the sea trial and I sent her off at Johore Bahru Airport for her return trip to Manila.