The Arctic and Its Future
April 2009
Banner photo: © Tim Hibo/Getty Images
Seafarers: Out in the World
Takashi
Takashi Shirozu, 48, from Japan, is the captain of an oil tanker that runs between Japan and the Persian Gulf with around 25 crew.
Clifford
Clifford Velasco, 35, from the Philippines, is a steward on board a cargo vessel with 20 crew members. He sails to various countries, usually in South America and West Africa.
What do you like most about being on board, and what is most difficult about it?
Clifford: This is my life, being at sea. It's hard being away from home and family for most of the year, but I know they're waiting for me over the horizon. I'm grateful for modern-day technology that enables us to be in constant communication. Homesickness is the greatest challenge for any mariner, but being able to communicate helps a lot.
Usually the crew gets along fine, but sometimes there is friction due to cultural or religious differences. It's a multinational crew, with people from six countries.
Takashi: When you're on board, you're apart from the land, and apart from your family for a long time, which may sound like a very unsettled life, but it's actually quite comfortable. It's quite easy to find time for my Buddhist practice. And when I'm on leave, for about three months I can be totally free of work. I enjoy that flexibility.
Then there are times when the beauty of nature is simply stunning. How many people on land know this amazing natural beauty? On the ship I often feel that people are not simply a part of nature, and we certainly can't conquer the natural environment; human beings and the environment are one.
The challenges of life on board all come down to human relationships. Being a captain of course means being in the top position. I am always very careful to behave humbly.
How does Buddhism influence your approach to your work?
Takashi: Buddhism has changed my outlook completely. Day to day, it helps me a lot in my relations with the crew. I want everyone on board to enjoy each voyage. Dialogue is very important. One can really see the power of one's words in such a tiny, constricted environment.
My ideal is to be like a good parent to my crew but in reality it's not that easy and I often fall short and get uptight about trivial things. Every day is a challenge.
The most important thing, though, is safety--ensuring an accident-free voyage--and to achieve this it's crucial that we can work as a team. Once the ship leaves port, we're a community unto ourselves, and any problems and issues have to be resolved amongst ourselves. Whatever happens, I want each of my crew to feel proud and glad to be part of the ship. So, I always do my best to have as much dialogue and discussion as possible, to ensure that my communication doesn't become one-sided.
Clifford: Practicing Buddhism inspires me to work hard, and to try and be an example to others. Buddhism talks about how the place where we are right now is the "land of eternal tranquil light." In that sense, I try to always do my best to have harmonious relationships with the other crew and to create value.
Why did you choose this line of work?
Takashi: I happened to read the high school brochures of a commercial shipping company when I was in junior high school.
Clifford: My uncle and my father were both seafarers and I used to listen to my father's stories about large cities, the beauty of the oceans, the colorful sunrises and sunsets of the South Pacific. When I was a child I dreamed about being an airplane pilot and later I studied electrical engineering but in the end I realized that my heart belongs to the sea. My Buddhist practice helped me make the decision.
I enrolled in the maritime training school in Manila and passed all the exams to become a fully-fledged seaman. The first vessel I worked on was the Nippon Maru, a passenger ship, and I enjoyed it a lot. I have been working at sea for six years now.
What is a typical work day for you at sea?
Clifford: On a usual day I cook, prepare the mess hall and serve the food, and clean the accommodation for the crew and officers. I work eight hours a day and have the rest of the time off. On a cargo ship there's more free time than on the passenger liners, and less people. I enjoy my work. I think it's important to love one's work because there is dignity in labor. That's the inspiration and feeling toward my vocation that my father instilled in me. It enables me to always find pleasure in what I do.
Takashi: My duty is to command the ship, so of course I navigate and am at the helm of the ship, but I also deal with other day-to-day matters that occur on board, and with any external relations.
What are the biggest dangers in your work and how do you deal with them?
Clifford: Any emergency at sea is very dangerous. There is no one nearby to help. So our training and drills are very important. Recently, when we were crossing the Atlantic, the engineers were fixing the water cooling system, which uses seawater to cool the engine, when the seawater suddenly started pouring into the engine room. Everything shut down. I was terrified. I really thought we would have to abandon ship and was just waiting for the order. After an hour and a half, though, the engineers managed to fix it.
You really need to pay careful attention to prevent accidents at sea. Human error accounts for a lot of problems on board, so I am very concerned about avoiding accidents.
Takashi: In my work, we live alongside danger. The ship carries 300,000 tons of crude oil, which is about the same amount of oil that Japan consumes in half a day. If there was a spill, you can't imagine the kind of suffering it would cause.
Also, recently there has been the problem of pirates near the Somalian coast. So just sailing the ship is dangerous. Buddhism teaches, though, that difficult circumstances are what enable you to develop yourself.
Actually, on a recent voyage, the engine failed as we were coming into port. To give you an analogy, this is like having the brakes fail as you're pulling into the off-ramp of a highway. I wasn't able to slow the ship. All I could do was chant silently as the port loomed ahead of me. In the midst of my panic, I was able to calm down enough to figure out what to do. Step by step I was able to change course and maneuver the ship to a safe distance, and after about an hour the engine recovered. I've had lots of similar experiences!
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