I’m writing an article for review of the Ever Given incident. One point I want to defend is the experience of Captain K. Kanthavel. Instinctively, I know you don’t command one of the largest ships in the world without having a huge amount of experience and training. But I’m trying to get a little more specific. Does anyone know a career summary for Captain K. Kanthavel?
Failing a career summary, can you give me the typical level of experience required to get a masters license, unlimited tonnage? I started to look through the regs, but they don’t tell the story of a typical advancement path.
Any Master can command his/her ship passing the Suez Canal as long as the canal dues are paid and canal pilots orders are followed. In the Ever Given case the pilot ordered full ahead to avoid a sand storm and the Master unfortunately followed the order. He should have just stopped.
There are many factors to be considered and experience is but one of them.
For example and in no particular order……
What was the power distance between the the Master and each Pilot?
What was the power distance between both Pilots?
What was the power distance between the Master and his bridge team?
Was the Master supported by company standing orders regarding the transit of the Suez Canal?
Was the Master aware of the SCA “Rules of Navigation” with regard to responsibilities?
What grade of assertiveness did the Master possess? Judging by the Senior Pilot’s response of “leaving the ship” to his challenge on speed……he lacked assertiveness and/or the power distance between the two was significant.
Next you’re going to ask what the Myer’s Briggs results were for everybody onboard and comparing why the second engineer shouldn’t have been working with Wiper A and should have been working with Wiper B.