Merchant Captain Kiril Marinov: The Captain Must Always Fight

 
Interviewed by BTA, Merchant Captain Kiril Marinov said the captain must always fight. He has to know how to approach each situation to keep his crew and ship safe - safety always comes first. When sailing, people must be the first to protect before everything else. He is on board the Sv. Sv. Kiril i Metodii (NAVAL RSV 421) during its historic maiden voyage to the Bulgarian Antarctic base on Livingston Island.

During the voyage, Capt. Marinov's function is to assist the Commander and the officers as needed in making key decisions about the ship's safety. At any moment, the vessel's commanders can seek his advice, drawing on his extensive experience as a man who has sailed most of the world's oceans. During the voyage to Antarctica, Capt. Marinov is in an auxiliary role and the final decisions are always made by the Commanding Officer, Commander Nikolay Danailov.

Capt. Marinov began his career as a sailor in the Bulgarian Navy. After 1991, he joined the merchant navy and gained considerable experience sailing around the world. During his first years in Navibulgar, Marinov served as third officer and worked his way up the hierarchy, becoming a sea captain in 2005. Then he worked for other merchant companies, some of which are among the largest in the world - Ahrenkiel, Interorient, Maersk Tankers and Shipmanagement.

"Being a sea captain is a very big responsibility as you are responsible not just for the ship's cargo but for the crew as well. The crew is what matters most to me. The safety of the crew comes first," he said. If there is a serious risk to crew and cargo, the crew must be ready to react at any moment, but the most important thing is what the captain does to preserve the lives of his crew and the cargo," Capt. Marinov said.

Speaking from experience, he is adamant that constant monitoring is needed on board. "There are some loads that are extremely dangerous, such as chemicals and other liquid cargoes. They must be carried in a strict manner, at a certain temperature. The safety and quality of some liquid cargoes depend on storing them at constant lower or higher temperatures. It is key that some of these dangerous goods are taken on board in designated tanks (tankers) in the front of the ship, i.e. away from the crew accommodation modules," Capt. Marinov explained.

Numerous voyages over the years have taken Capt. Marinov to the shores of six of the seven continents. Now, with the Sv. Sv. Kiril i Metodii, he has the opportunity to add Antarctica to his collection. He has already been to the northernmost waters and is looking forward with great excitement to the challenge of passing through the southernmost waters.

Capt. Marinov firmly supports the Bulgarian scientific project in Antarctica. "With this voyage, we are showing that Bulgaria is a small country with a great spirit," he said, adding that more and more Bulgarians will come to view the Antarctic venture as a reason for pride.