Home » United Arab Emirates » Atlantic Express – Red Sea, 01/09 – 06/09

After 2 days and nights of sailing down the Red Sea from the Canal, we reach our destination, about 25 nautical miles outside Port Sudan.
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Due to a supposed holiday, which has taken everyone by surprise, and the renowned levels of inefficiency from the part of the officials and authorities of Port Sudan, a long queue has developed: about 35 other ships are drifting outside the harbour, waiting to be given a berth to unload the cargo. The agent has warned us that we could be drifting for 6 to 7 days before the Port Authorities finally sort themselves out and allow us to enter the harbour. The captain, in a bid to reassure me, tells me the story of one of their ship who was stuck outside this very same port waiting to be allowed to enter for 600 days, that is nearly two years of waiting outside a port, drifting at sea. The captain thought it was great: there was a crew change every 5 months, they got on board and for five months read books, used the swimming pool, had BBQ’s and generally enjoyed life before going home for a well deserved holiday. It took the company that long to realise that it was better business to bribe the officials rather than wait for the Port Authorities to do something.
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Atlantic Express – Red Sea, 01/09 – 06/09

Degrubenc
2005-12-09 16:43:44

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After 2 days and nights of sailing down the Red Sea from the Canal, we reach our destination, about 25 nautical miles outside Port Sudan.

Due to a supposed holiday, which has taken everyone by surprise, and the renowned levels of inefficiency from the part of the officials and authorities of Port Sudan, a long queue has developed: about 35 other ships are drifting outside the harbour, waiting to be given a berth to unload the cargo. The agent has warned us that we could be drifting for 6 to 7 days before the Port Authorities finally sort themselves out and allow us to enter the harbour. The captain, in a bid to reassure me, tells me the story of one of their ship who was stuck outside this very same port waiting to be allowed to enter for 600 days, that is nearly two years of waiting outside a port, drifting at sea. The captain thought it was great: there was a crew change every 5 months, they got on board and for five months read books, used the swimming pool, had BBQ’s and generally enjoyed life before going home for a well deserved holiday. It took the company that long to realise that it was better business to bribe the officials rather than wait for the Port Authorities to do something.

Port Sudan is renowned by the officers to be one of the most unorganised ports in the world. It is practically impossible to enter in radio contact with the Port Authorities: they are either on a break or doing their prayers. When they are on duty, they prefer to play tapes of Arabic music on the VHF rather than answer the many angry calls from the ships demanding access to the port.

On Friday, the crew and officers of the ship were paid. All but myself anyway. The mood on board was joyous; after dinner, as most evenings, everyone, crew and officers off duty, gather around the pool to drink beer and have a refreshing swim away from the scorching sun. I am already fond of the crew and the officers. The crew speaks little ...