Your SMS Is in English. That Doesn’t Mean the Crew Read It in English.
SMS language neutrality has become one of those phrases that appears in TMSA discussions…
Insights
Practical insights on VDR audits, SMS management, SIRE 2.0, vetting prep and HSEQ compliance from Capt. Gaurav Khanna, Master Mariner and Founder of Vraga Marine Services. Articles are researched and drafted with AI assistance, then reviewed, edited and checked against primary documents by the author.
Read MoreYour SMS Is in English. That Doesn’t Mean the Crew Read It in English.
What a SIRE 2.0 Compliant SMS Actually Has to Prove
When ship managers ask me what a SIRE 2.0 compliant SMS looks like, the…
Why SMS Rationalisation Stalls — and What It Leaves Behind
Every company I speak with eventually arrives at the same conclusion: the SMS has…
How the Vetting System Actually Works — SIRE, RightShip, PSC, and Why the Inspection Is Only Part of the Picture
Every time a ship is nominated for a cargo, a question is being asked…
Your Crew Can Find the Procedure. That Doesn’t Mean They Can Trust It.
When operators complete a rationalisation exercise and turn to the question of ISM SMS…
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,…
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…