Wharf Rat's Diary

03 Dec 1999 - by Staff reporter

MONDAY
Last Wednesday I attended the ASABOSA meeting at the Maritime Club. The guest speaker was totally brilliant; the clapping and cheering, the standing ovation, the foot-stomping and articles of underwear thrown on to the podium was enough to leave one awe-struck. The general commotion of appreciation brought complaints about the noise from nearby houses, and even Nigel Sims woke up. Personally I thought my speech ( The needs of the Shipper) was pretty average, but it only goes to show how perceptions obviously differ. In truth I found the whole event very useful and the subsequent discussion regarding the points I raised was interesting; albeit the company was varied in that agencies, forwarders and brokers were represented, we all found common ground on areas such as training, response times, communication etc. Now, to put it all into practice...

TUESDAY
The Mother of all Parties took place in Dbn last Thursday, and it was as great a success as in previous years. This was the 23rd anniversary IVS thrash, and obviously a somewhat poignant affair in that it was also Saul Glodblatt's farewell. Because of the occasion, there were speeches by Tim McClure and Saul himself, including some interesting anecdotes which I for one had not heard before. The whole event was rather like the Ascot Gavotte in My Fair Lady in that everyone who should be there was there and to mention names would require an extra page or two, but it was good to see Reiner Sindt from Kielship and Eddie Neilson from Ensign Shipping after so long. As the evening draws to a close, I snuggle up next to Spanner Eyes and offer to take her back to the hotel and smother her with sponge cake, custard and jelly, but she tells me she's not to be trifled with....
WEDNESDAY
Still on the IVS party; Grincor's Ivan Clark also paid tribute to Saul Goldblatt's tenure and talked about the recent acquisition. He mentioned that his company would pursue its stated policy of non-intervention, even to the extent of reiterating my comment in this illustrious column (FTW 29th Oct) that if it's not broke, don't try and fix it. I hope so. To lapse into the analogy of Saul's favourite sport, poor old Grincor haven't had many winners in their stable over the last few years and I think the owners are banking on IVS becoming odds-on favourite every time it's led into the paddock. Having said that, Ivan is an old hand whom I've known for years, back to the time when Nigel Paul ran his Unicorn W African service, and he will definitely have expertise to bring to the party as and when needed. All in all, the industry has decided the two make a lovely couple, and I agree.....

THURSDAY
Whilst in Dbn I make time to pop in to Iscor. After the bustle of the port, entering the building was rather like visiting a cancer ward, with an aura of gloom, doom and despondency pervading the atmosphere. Iscor Dbn is going through yet another rationalisation phase with the result that many old friends are departing. I visit the Executive Suite and the Oracle halts me with a gnarled hand and fixes me with a rheumy stare.
Captain Mike Lever (for it is he) croaks that he will be rationalised at the year-end and begs me to find an old sea dog some gainful employment.
After a couple of phone calls, I manage to get him a job as 2nd Mate on a bacon slicer at Checkers, and the old lag is ecstatic; at least it'll keep him off the streets...

FRIDAY

I go to the Bryanston Club for Peter Nash's farewell party. Quite a few people pitched, the main reason seeming to be that they want to make sure the old sod actually goes. Peter has always been an entertaining speaker and this occasion was no exception; in fact, it was probably the best if not the saddest speech he's ever had to make, and was full of funny and interesting snippets from his experiences over the years.
Searching for a suitable comparison for Peter, I ask Glencore's John Stevenson for his view. Interestingly enough, he says Margaret Thatcher. I don't catch on immediately, as I thought Nash had stopped wearing women's clothes years ago, but he then explains. Whilst he can be impatient, and doesn't suffer fools gladly, it is doubtful if anyone else possessed the strength of personality to take ALS to where it is today. An apt epitaph, Peter...

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