The Maritime Education Podcast

• A Chat with Sailing Legend Sir Robin Knox Johnson

  Sir Robin Knox-Johnston’s lifelong relationship with the sea began early. Educated at Berkhamsted School, he joined the Merchant Navy at the age of 17, serving as a deck officer with the British India Steam Navigation Company. His early years at sea gave him both the technical skills and seamanship that would later define his legendary status. In 1968, Knox-Johnston entered the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race — the first ever non-stop, single-handed, round-the-world yacht race. Sailing his 32-foot ketch Suhaili, built by hand in India, he faced enormous isolation, equipment failures, and brutal weather. After 312 days alone at sea, he returned to Falmouth on 22 April 1969, becoming the first person in history to sail single-handed and non-stop around the world. Of the nine competitors who set out, only Knox-Johnston finished. He donated his £5,000 prize money to the family of fellow competitor Donald Crowhurst, who had perished during the race.This episode marks my 40th anniversary of being at sea, and I can't think of a better way to celebrate it then to talk with the man whose feat inspired me to not only take up sailing but eventually to go to sea myself. Enjoy the interview.Come and Visit our Website https://www.captainbarrysadler.com/At Captain Barry Sadler Maritime Training & Consultancy we deliver industry-leading online courses, oral exam preparation, and professional resources for deck officers, cadets, and maritime professionals. Fully aligned with UK MCA standards, our training helps you build knowledge, confidence, and a successful career at sea. Follow us Linkedin Instagram X Facebook

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• IMO Net Zero - A Passionate Ambassador John Taukave

  The extraordinary session of the IMO's Marine Environmental Protection Committee (MEPC) session was convened on the 14th October to formally adopt the NZF as amendments to MARPOL Annex VI, which would introduce for large oceangoing ships a global fuel-intensity standard and a GHG emissions-pricing mechanism. However, member States were unable to reach consensus and therefore did not formally adopt the framework at this meeting. Instead they voted (57 in favour, 49 against/abstain) to adjourn the decision for one year and reconvene in October 2026. This was a disappointing outcome for the IMO. Three days later I interviewed John Taukave who was present on this committee. This podcast showcases that interview. I'll let the podcast do the talking - it was recorded in a lobby in a hotel next to the IMO headquarters in London (the IMO was a busy place that week!) and as such there is the occasional interruption as people passed through which I apologise for. Enjoy hearing from this passionate ambassador of climate change reduction.Who is John John is a Pacific Islander and a diplomat with deep insight into the work of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), and in particular into the historic IMO decision to price emissions from global shipping. John offers a unique insider perspective rarely heard in mainstream maritime and climate discussions.Most conversations about the IMO focus on technical regulation, shipping law, or emissions targets. John brings something different: the lived experience of how these global decisions play out in small island nations - places where maritime policy directly affects culture, livelihoods and survival.Some angles he could bring to an episode include:Climate justice: what IMO climate policies mean for communities already living with rising seas and environmental change.Representation: why voices from small island states matter in global shipping and trade discussions — and what’s lost when they are excluded.Cultural heritage: how traditional seafaring knowledge and island identity intersect with global maritime regulation.John’s strength is his ability to bridge technical policy with compelling human stories. He can articulate the cultural dimension of IMO debates in a way that connects with both expert and general audiences.Come and Visit our Website https://www.captainbarrysadler.com/At Captain Barry Sadler Maritime Training & Consultancy we deliver industry-leading online courses, oral exam preparation, and professional resources for deck officers, cadets, and maritime professionals. Fully aligned with UK MCA standards, our training helps you build knowledge, confidence, and a successful career at sea. Follow us Linkedin Instagram X Facebook

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• Northern Sea Route - The Polar Silk Road

  Northern Arctic shipping route — often called the Northern Sea Route (NSR) or Northeast Passage — which connects the Far East (Asia) to Europe via the Arctic Ocean north of Russia is one of the most strategically significant emerging maritime corridors of the 21st century. The Northern Arctic Route represents one of the most significant shifts in global shipping geography since the opening of the Suez Canal. It offers substantial time and fuel savings on the Asia-Europe corridor and direct access to Arctic resource exports, but remains limited by ice, cost, infrastructure, and politics. Over the next few decades, its role will likely grow — not as a wholesale replacement, but as a strategic alternative and a new axis of maritime trade in a warming world.Barry describes the route, challenges facing it and a recent strategically important containership passage marking the start of a potential new express service.Come and Visit our Website https://www.captainbarrysadler.com/At Captain Barry Sadler Maritime Training & Consultancy we deliver industry-leading online courses, oral exam preparation, and professional resources for deck officers, cadets, and maritime professionals. Fully aligned with UK MCA standards, our training helps you build knowledge, confidence, and a successful career at sea. Follow us Linkedin Instagram X Facebook

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• IMO Net Zero 2025 - does it have teeth and can it bite?

  The IMO Net-Zero Framework is a landmark step toward regulating and pricing maritime GHG emissions globally. It marries technical fuel intensity standards with financial penalties and incentives, with the aim of shifting the industry toward cleaner energy. But its eventual effectiveness hinges on how ambitious the final numerical targets are, how robust the verification and certification systems become, and how much financial support is made available to help the transition—especially for developing nations and less affluent operators.Barry outlines the vision, framework, positives and negatives of this ambitious IMO incentive to reduce GHG's. Who will enforce it and where does the remedial fund end up. In this straight forward speaking podcast Barry delivers the details on what could be the most important enviromental step the IMO has taken so far.Come and Visit our Website https://www.captainbarrysadler.com/At Captain Barry Sadler Maritime Training & Consultancy we deliver industry-leading online courses, oral exam preparation, and professional resources for deck officers, cadets, and maritime professionals. Fully aligned with UK MCA standards, our training helps you build knowledge, confidence, and a successful career at sea. Follow us Linkedin Instagram X Facebook

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• Another Storm Season Begins

  Heavy weather significantly disrupts maritime operations, increasing risks, costs, and delays for both ships and ports. Vessels face higher fuel consumption, mechanical strain, and potential hull or cargo damage, while ports often suspend pilotage and cargo handling due to unsafe conditions, leading to congestion and demurrage. These disruptions raise insurance claims, reduce schedule reliability, and inflate operational expenses. For shipowners and port operators alike, severe weather amplifies financial exposure, environmental impact, and safety hazards, underscoring the importance of accurate forecasting, weather routing, and resilient port infrastructure.Barry discusses some of the hidden effects of heavy weather on ships and how operations can be affected by this adverse weather.Come and Visit our Website https://www.captainbarrysadler.com/At Captain Barry Sadler Maritime Training & Consultancy we deliver industry-leading online courses, oral exam preparation, and professional resources for deck officers, cadets, and maritime professionals. Fully aligned with UK MCA standards, our training helps you build knowledge, confidence, and a successful career at sea. Follow us Linkedin Instagram X Facebook

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