Heading Home: From the Yellow Sea to the Indian Ocean

The sea voyage of Finnsirius towards Europe is progressing. The ship is now en route westward from Singapore.

In our previous blog post, we shared how Finnsirius was ready to embark on its sea journey towards Singapore from the port city of Yantai. In this post, we’ll provide a summary of the voyage to Singapore and unveil Finnsirius’s tomato noodle supplies.

Navigating Southward

From Yantai, Finnsirius set course eastward along the northern coast of the Shandong Peninsula. As we passed by the city silhouette of Weihai, we had a chance to wave goodbye to the shipyard city of Superstars one more time. We rounded the tip of the Shandong Peninsula and turned our course southward, across the expanse of the Yellow Sea. The bustling metropolis of Shanghai remained distant on the horizon as we pressed on with our journey. From the Taiwan Strait, Finnsirius entered the South China Sea, a vast and busy maritime region located in the southern part of the Pacific Ocean. This area sees a convergence of lively trade routes connecting various Asian nations. Vietnam stayed to our right, Malaysia to our left. Finally, on the horizon, the towering skyscrapers of the city-state of Singapore came into view.

The journey was smooth, although the conditions were windier than the average conditions experienced in the Baltic Sea. This was because Finnsirius navigated through a typhoon known as Doksuri. Nonetheless, being a large and seaworthy vessel, Finnsirius handled the rough seas well, and by reducing speed, we managed to navigate through the storm.

On Finnsirius’s bridge early journey smiles were captured (from left): **Pasi Väänänen**, the Technical Superintendent of Superstars; Chief Officer **Niclas Christiansson**; and 1st Navigation Officer **Jukka Muruma**. In the background on the left, Finnsirius’s Electro Technical Officer **Esa Sallinen** can be seen.

Inside the Galley: Stocking Up and Culinary Preparations

In Singapore, one of the crucial tasks was replenishing the ship’s provisions. Dan Grönvall, the kitchen manager who transitioned from the Helsinki-Travemünde route to the Superstar project, presents the dry stores. Interesting package labels can be seen on the shelves, and at times, translating them requires the assistance of a mobile translation app.

For experienced maritime cooks like Grönvall, provisions replenishments are routine, but on a journey like this, the replenishment cycle adds an exciting twist. As the operations begin on the Naantali-Kapellskär route, Finnsirius can stock provisions up to twice a day, but during the ongoing journey’s stages, which can last up to almost two weeks at times, careful attention must be paid to provisions, as if they run out, it could be several days until the next port.

In Finnsirius’s main galley, the daily meals for sailors are prepared. Additionally, preparations are made for upcoming operations by familiarizing oneself with the equipment in the main galley and pantries. New kitchen appliances are being tested. The dining concept for Superstars has been developed and pilot-tested well in advance, but dishes for passengers on Finnsirius can only be prepared once the necessary ingredients are obtained closer to Finland.

There should be enough tomato noodles for the remainder of the journey – maybe even all the way to Finland.

In the dry provisions storage, **Dan Grönvall** showcases a full bag of jasmine rice. Dan is part of Finnsirius’s delivery voyage but will later assume the role of Head Chef aboard the sister ship, Finncanopus.

Finnsirius’s Head Chef **Katja Eloranta** amused the photographer when asked to “make a lively move.” Katja is wearing the new Superstar kitchen jacket. In the background to the right, there’s an Italian-made Sigma Best Mix multipurpose mixer, perfect for effortlessly kneading dough, including pizza.

Next, heading westward

In addition to provisioning and refueling, planned crew changes were carried out in Singapore. Finnsirius’s Chief Officers, or first officers, swapped positions as Kim Hoffman, who had flown to Singapore, replaced Niclas Christiansson. Previously, Kim has worked on cargo vessels such as Finnhawk and Finntide, as well as passenger-cargo vessels like Finneagle, Finnlady, and Finnswan.

After preparations for departure, Finnsirius weighed anchor and set course for the Indian Ocean.