When tour boat Mira III sets out on a whale safari on Lillebælt, safety is always in the back of the mind of skipper Line Schock Jepsen. On a small ship, it is all the slight improvements that make the difference, she believes.
The members of the Danish Shipowners’ Accident Insurance Association range widely, from some of the world oceans largest players to a wide range of the smallest in Danish waters. As different as the shipping companies are, their approach to safety varies just as much, but what they do have in common is the commitment to a safe everyday life at sea.
This also applies to Line Schock Jepsen, owner and skipper of the tour boat Mira III, which today has its home port in Middelfart, from where Line and a crew member take the passengers – up to 55 at a time – on a whale safari on Lillebælt separating Funen from Jutland.
»It is imminent to me that I and my employees are insured in case of accidents. It is extremely important to me that we all feel good when we are at work. On a day-to-day basis, safety is probably mostly something that is in the back of our minds and is always with us, and then of course we think about it more specifically when the boat needs to be inspected or we renovate it,« she says.
On the passenger side, Line Schock Jepsen would like to install a handicap ramp to make the boat more accessible for wheelchair users, for example. In addition, for her, it is mainly a question of looking specifically at the equipment on board and assessing how it all works in practice.
»It's a relatively small one level ship, we don't have any winches where you can get stuck or very many risk factors at all. The worst danger is probably bumping your head against the door frame, because it’s quite low, but it’s a real risk, so I’ve considered putting up a small fringe curtain “forcing” people to bend their heads a little extra. The yellow and black tape we have put up doesn’t work so well,« Line Schock Jepsen says.
In other words, the safety of the passengers is the main concern on the many trips that Mira III conduct, especially during the summer months. Guests are introduced to safety procedures, life jackets and generally safe behavior on board, ensuring everyone a good experience while spotting porpoises and the like in the belt.
A concrete example of small safety improvements is the access to the roof of the saloon, which until recently consisted of a loose aluminum ladder that had to be set up as needed. To ensure a more stable path up to said roof where the life rafts are located, Line Schock Jepsen has had three fixed steps with non-slip coating installed as a replacement for the ladder, which has proved a great benefit.
»It's much easier to get up and down, and it's also nicer visually. The biggest challenge is almost that I regularly have to explain to the guests that they are not allowed to climb up, because the roof is not built for that,« she explains with a smile.
Long history
Mira III – today nicknamed 'The Queen of Lillebælt’ – was originally built at Frederikssund Shipyard in 1915 and has been a passenger ship for all 110 years, both in Copenhagen and Aarhus and in Middelfart since 1966. Line Schock Jepsen bought the ship in the autumn of 2018 after a handover period, during which she was shown the ropes by the previous skipper.
»I'm not actually a maritime graduate, so I've taken all the necessary certificates, safety courses and so on to be able to take over the ship. So, it has probably been a bit of an unconventional path into shipping, but now I've been at it for seven seasons, and then you learn a lot along the way,« she says.
Despite the lack of a maritime background, Line Schock Jepsen does have a certain connection to the wet element. Originally a geologist by education, she has previously worked with groundwater protection in Odense Municipality, among others. The idea of going to sea arose after a visit to the Tour of Funen for preservation-worthy sailing ships, combined with a desire to change track.
»I started looking into wooden ships and suddenly saw that Mira was for sale. I didn't know that you could go whale-watching in Middelfart, so I bought a ticket for a trip and ended up having a long talk with the old skipper about what it took to sail her, before I jumped on his offer to buy the boat,« she says.
Upgrades continuously
In connection with the saloon roof being replaced last winter, Mira III had a small man-overboard crane installed with an associated winch that can extend beyond the side of the ship, which the Danish Maritime Authority was 'very pleased with', according to Line Schock Jepsen.
From birth, Mira III was equipped with a two-cylinder steam engine, which was replaced in 1924 by a Munktell kerosene engine, which again operated until 1938. At this point she was upgraded with a 65 horsepower two-cylinder Vølund incandescent engine, before Mira III in 2004 got the engine thar powers the boat today – a six-cylinder Albin diesel.
»I check the water and oil on it before each trip, but otherwise it takes care of itself while we sail, so I only venture down there if an alarm goes off. I've been a little surprised that there are two powder extinguishers in the engine compartment itself, because if there is a fire, I won't go down there,« Line Schock Jepsen says.
She has therefore installed another fire extinguisher under the seat in the wheelhouse – in addition to the one in the saloon – which she can grab hold of if necessary. In this way, she continuously makes sure to upgrade the safety equipment on Mira III.
»For example, I just bought a new fire pump this spring. The previous one was actually only five years old, but I found out that you could get one where you don't have to add water for it to start but just have to pull a handle and throw a hose into the water. It is somewhat faster to get started,« Line Schock Jepsen explains.
»When I find something that can make everyday life easier and safer for us and our guests, I continuously upgrade the places where it makes sense. Last year, for example, we replaced the life jackets because the ones that were on board when I took over the ship were from 1983,« she adds.
Due to the ship's age and status, Mira III has been declared worthy of preservation. This means that the Ship Preservation Fund helps financially and contributes knowledge to the main renovation of the ship that Line Schock Jepsen currently is undertaking – also with safety in mind.
»A lot of it is about re-establishing the design to look more original, while at the same time reinforcing and improving stuff. In the saloon, I’d like to move the tables around to create a little more floor space, also making it easier to get out in case of emergency, and projects like that are always at hand,« she says.
