Before You Rationalise Your SMS, You Need to Know What It’s Actually Doing
When an SMS has grown to a point where it no longer feels manageable,…
Insights
Practical insights on VDR audits, SMS management, SIRE 2.0, vetting prep, and HSEQ compliance — written by Capt. Gaurav Khanna, Master Mariner and Founder of Vraga Marine Services.
Read MoreBefore You Rationalise Your SMS, You Need to Know What It’s Actually Doing
The SMS Keeps Growing. No One Has a Mandate to Cut It Back.
When I sit down with an operator to review their ISM SMS requirements, the…
The Anchor Is Down. The VDR Doesn’t Know That.
Most VDR requests I receive cover the port arrival. A smaller number include departure.…
The VDR Track Shows More Than Where the Pilot Boarded
When I review a VDR audit for a port approach, one of the first…
The Radar Is Running. The VDR Shows Whether It’s Doing Its Job.
When I open a VDR review, the radar screenshots are among the first things…
When VDR Data Works For You, Not Against You
VDR incident investigation is not a theoretical risk. Every VDR records continuously, and every…
Tug Bollard Pull, Ship Fittings, and the Conversation That Doesn’t Happen
The Master Pilot Exchange has a box for tug bollard pull. In most cases…
The Master Pilot Exchange: What the VDR Hears, and What Most Ships Leave Unsaid
During a recent VDR audit, I reviewed the port approach and berthing of a…
The Port Approach Is Already on Film. Most Managers Don’t Know It.
Most VDR audits begin and end with a compliance requirement. A SIRE inspection is…
SOLAS II-1/3-13: What Ship Managers Need to Know About the New Lifting Appliance Requirements
The new SOLAS lifting appliances regulation 2026 — SOLAS Regulation II-1/3-13 — came into…
The Radar Log Says Done. The VDR Says Otherwise.
The radar performance monitor ship check is one of the most consistently recorded entries…
Passage Planning Mistakes Ships Make — And What the VDR Reveals
I have reviewed VDR data from vessels approaching complex port entrances where the planned…