Em Esber Blog 2: MV Eastern Endeavor cargo loading in Sandakan, Sabah and the Indonesian ports of Malili and Samarinda

Our ship sailed from Manila at 2012 hours on the 24th of August 2011 bound for Sandakan, Sabah to load Plywood and also to some ports in Indonesia to load Plywood and Nickel cargo for Japan.

( You can enlarge the image by double clicking it with your PC mouse. )

Before arriving at Sandakan harbor you will passed Taganak island of Turtle Islands Group of the Tawi Tawi province of the Philippines. Taganak island is just 15 miles north east of Sandakan Harbor and there is a Philippine Navy Coast Watch Station in that island. Vessels navigating in the vicinity of Sandakan, Sabah, Sulu and Tawi Tawi province is required to report their nationalities, cargo, port of departure and destination to the Philippine Navy Coast Watch Station in Taganak Island.

The depth of the Channel leading to Sandakan Harbor is about 7.5 meters in low water. Vessel with more than 6.5 meters drafts should enter the channel at high tide.

We arrived at Sandakan harbor at 2306 Hours on the 26th of August and dropped anchor at the Quarantine anchorage about 0.5 miles or 5 cables south west of Tanjung Aru. Later at 0405Hours we heaved-up the anchor and shifted to the working anchorage located nearby Sandakan pier.

At about 0630 hours 27th August the loading of Plywood cargo commences. The Stevedores were mostly Filipinos from Sulu and Tawi Tawi province of the Philippines, and they were permanent residents already of Sabah.

Cargo Loading in Sandakan

Cargo Hold # 1

Cargo Hold # 2

Our ship completed loading Plywood in Sandakan at 1100 Hours of 27th and sailed at 1445 Hours of the same day to the next port of Malili, Indonesia, a distance of about 1,108 miles which is about 4 days and 18 hours sailing time.

We arrived in Malili anchorage (Teluk Usu) at 0854 Hours of 31st August and waited in the anchorage for cargo barges from Malili which is about 7 miles upriver. We arrived in the middle of Ramadan which is a one week national holiday in Indonesia. The cargo barges which was towed by tugboat from Malili town arrived on our ship at 0330H on the 6th of September and loading of Nickel Matte cargo immediately commenced at 0445 Hours of the same day.

Lower Hold # 1 After part.

Loading of cargo Nickel Matte in bags.

Lower Hold # 1 After part.

Stowage and cargo lashing of Nickel Matte in bags.

Tween deck # 1 After part

We sailed from the port of Malili, South Sulawesi at 1912 Hours on the 8th of September 2011 bound for Samarinda port's Muara Berau anchorage for loading Plywood cargo.

Samarinda ( Muara Berau anchorage)

Our vessel arrived at this anchorage at 0730 Hours on the 11th of September 2011 for loading Plywood cargo for discharge at Japan.

There were many vessels anchored at Samarinda's Muara Berau, big Oil Tanker vessels were loading Crude Oil from Oilfields and big Bulk vessels were loading Coal cargo. Other bulk vessels and medium size vessels were loading Timber cargo.

About 1.5 mile to 2 miles from our loading anchorage is already shallow water, from 6 meters to 1 meter depth.

On the evening of 13th September, our vessel departed Samarinda's Muara Berau anchorage bound to the next port of Niihama, Japan.

On the route we passed the exotic island of Sibuto island and Bongao island of Tawi Tawi province.

Tawi Tawi is the island of Baleleng. The song Baleleng orignated from Tawi Tawi.

Youtube Video of Bongao

On the route from Tawi Tawi to San Bernardino Strait we passed through Tanon Strait.

Because of this Typhoon moving slowly to Okinawa and later reverse her course to south, we decided to take shelter at Virac. After a day of monitoring the tracks of the Typhoon Roke, we heaved anchored

and continue our voyage to Japan after ascertaining that the typhoon is moving northward again. Below were some photos of Cabugao Bay, Virac.