Can Attitude Keep You Afloat?

Back in the 70’s, when I worked for 3M servicing copiers, etc., my service territory included the Port of Houston.

  Once or twice a month, I would have a call on a ship – often on a 3M copier I had never seen before, a model made in Europe or Japan that operated on different voltages than similar US machines and often at 50 cycles rather than the 60 cycles per second we use for power here.  In spite of that, I was usually able to successfully fix the machine, although I did occasionally have to order a part to be delivered to the 3M office in the ship’s next port of call.

Going aboard was always an adventure, and I soon got a feel for what to expect on a ship based on the country of origin.  Japanese ships were always spotless.  So were Norwegian vessels, and they were the most gracious hosts – it was impossible to get off a Norwegian vessel without having  a cup or two of the best coffee I’ve ever drank, usually with a shot of akvivit (aquavit).  Ships of Bahamian or Panamanian registry were always a crap shoot; some were okay, but none came up to the standards of the Norwegians or Japanese.

By far the worst ship I was ever on was an old tanker that regularly ran between Abu Dhabi and Houston.  It much smaller than most, and a real rust bucket – I wouldn’t have felt confident sailing the ship channel to Galveston, much less crossing the Atlantic.  

It flew a Panamanian flag, but the crew was international, a sort of UN in microcosm.

• The captain was German – spoke German and a little English.
• The first mate/radio officer was Israeli – spoke Hebrew, German and excellent English with a clipped British accent.
• The rest of the crew was from Africa, mostly from Mozambique – spoke Swahili and a bit of Portuguese.

As I worked on their copier, I asked the captain how he could understand the crew.  He replied, “I am captain.  I do not have to understand them.  They have to understand me.”