Crew
(back to Punjab Senator)

Ellis and Electrician in engine room.
The ship flies a German flag, and therefore the senior officers (Captain, First Officer, Chief Engineer, and 2nd Engineer) are German.  The junior officers (2nd and 3rd mates, 3rd Engineer, and Electrican) are Russian. 

The deck and engine room crew are mostly from the Pacific island nation of Kiribiti (formerly known as the Gilbert Islands, Marshall Islands, and Christmas Island). 

All total, including the Latvian cook and two German apprentices, there were 23 sailors and 3 passengers on board.

2nd Engineer overhauls the backup generator.
Captain Walther and Ellis

The senior officers work 3 months (one round trip voyage) on, and 3 months off.  The junior officers often work 6 months on and 3 months off.  The crew members work for twelve months without going home to Kiribati!  Many choose to not even go ashore during port calls.

Cook grinds pork for
spagetti sauce.
Able Bodied Seaman from Kiribiti
painting fire hose box.
Crewman playing table tennis
after work.
(L-R) 2nd Mate, 2nd Engineer, Chief Engineer, and Cook celebrate the Chief Engineer's birthday.

 

Third mate on watch from 8 until noon (and again from 8pm until midnight).  At sea only one man (the first, second, or third mate) is ordinarily on the bridge, unless the Captain happens to be there doing his paperwork and reporting to the office in Germany by fax or telex.