Fremantle Pilot, Captain Matt Even, recently piloted the Panamax sized bulk carrier ‘Ocean Gold’ from the Kwinana Grain Jetty to the Outer Pilot Boarding Ground. The ship was loaded with over 60,000 tonnes of Western Australian wheat bound for the Bogasari Flour Mills in Jakarta. This Indonesian Company has owned a fleet of bulk carriers that have been regular visitors to Western Australian grain ports (Geraldton, Kwinana, Albany and Esperance) for many decades. Unusually for ships visiting Fremantle, most of the Bogasari ships are fully Indonesian crewed.
As regular visitors to the Port, Fremantle Pilots get to know many of the Captains of these ships. Captain Junari Happy had previously visited Fremantle as master of the ‘Ocean Hiryu’ and reminded Captain Matt with a photo they took on the ships bridge back in 2022 (see below)! One of the joys of being a marine pilot forging relationships with captains from around the world.
Captain Junari Happy lives in Jakarta with his wife and two daughters. His wife gave birth to his youngest daughter just after his ship arrived in Kwinana. By happy chance, the ship is due to discharge in his home port of Jakarta, so he will be able to see his wife and new born 5 days after departure from Fremantle.
Captain Junari has been at sea for 15 years and served as captain for 3. Some of the things he enjoys about being at sea include the parties and socialising with his crew and playing soccer in the empty cargo holds when the ship is in ballast! He dislikes the constant inspections, audits and surveys (the blight of the modern ships captain!), bad weather and of course, being away from his young family for long periods.
Welcome to Fremantle Captain Junari and the crew of the ‘Ocean Gold’!
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- Capt Matt and Capt Junari on the ‘Ocean Hyriu’ 2022
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- ‘Ocean Gold’ departing Kwinana 2025
