Behind the Viral Moment at Sea: Captain Ryan Sequeira & Yang Ming

In the summer of 2024, Captain Devin Hunt and Adam Ernster, a wildlife cameraman with Santa Barbara Whale Watch, were working with Sean Hastings of Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary on a short documentary on the Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies (BWBS) Program in the sanctuary. Ernster noticed a nearby Yang Ming container ship transiting at whale-safer speed in the Santa Barbara Channel. They approached on their M/V VELELLA whale watch boat and hailed the captain of Yang Ming M/V WELLSPRING on the marine band radio to express appreciation for their participation in the BWBS program. What followed was an unscripted exchange that touched many viewers and was wildly shared on social media.

After more than a year, the internet did its thing, and the captain on the other end of this exchange found the post! We reached out to Captain Ryan Sequeira to learn more about him and his work.

 

Can you tell us a little about yourself and how you came to be a Captain?

I come from a small coastal state called Goa on the West coast of India, which has a rich maritime history. Goa is known for its beautiful beaches, cathedrals, temples and natural beauty. I’m a third generation Seafarer. My grandfather and father both went out to sea. My father always wanted to see me in the Captain’s uniform. I have sailed on different types of vessels, working my way up the ranks to now serving as a Captain on ships for the past 15 years.

So many people were inspired and moved by the unplanned radio chat between you and Sean Hastings on the water, and especially your response. What was your first thought when you realized a small whale watch boat was approaching and hailing the YM Wellspring?

My first thought was, well it’s unusual for a small boat to call out to a large ocean-going vessel. For a second, me and my Duty Officer were wondering if they needed any assistance. The conversation happened between our team and Hastings in a very quick and unplanned manner, and it received a lot of love from people around the world. I’m glad people loved it and that the work of the Blue Whales and Blue Skies team is appreciated.

How long have you been with Yang Ming, and what is your favorite part about the job?

I sail with Fleet Management Ltd. which is a partner managing vessels for Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp., as well as hundreds of vessels around the world. Environmental safety is very important to us. I have been sailing with Yang Ming vessels for six years, commanding their ultra large container vessels and it’s been an incredibly rewarding journey. What I enjoy most about the job is the responsibility and teamwork involved in guiding a vessel safely across the world’s oceans. I’m proud to say that I work for a company who truly values sustainability and protection of marine life and environment.

The post also generated a lot of comments and interest about how ships are hailed, and what is the proper protocol when radioing between vessels. Can you explain a little about how it works on your end when another ship hails you and who on the bridge fields/responds to calls?

There’s a fairly standard protocol for ship-to-ship radio calls, especially on VHF Channel 16, which is the international hailing and distress frequency. When another vessel hails us, they’ll typically call us by name or by description. The officer of the watch on the bridge will acknowledge the call during routine operations, since they have the watch, but if the situation is unusual or requires a higher-level decision, I’m brought in immediately. In this case, we shifted our conversation to VHF channel 06 to free up the VHF channel 16, which is the protocol to be followed by ship to ship routine VHF Calls.

Any favorite moments out on the water, or interesting marine life sightings you’d like to share?

One of my favorite moments at sea is watching the sunrise during a quiet morning on the ship’s bridge and sipping my morning coffee. I’ve also been fortunate and blessed to see some incredible marine life over the years, from whales off the coast of the United States to the dolphins off the south coast of South Africa. Moments like these remind me just how unique and special life at sea truly is.

Anything else you’d like to share about life at sea that most people might not appreciate?

My friends often say that I get to enjoy the adventure and the travel, but what they may not fully appreciate is that leaving your family behind is the hardest part of being a seafarer and spending long months away from family and missing important occasions, holidays, and celebrations. We operate in a very dynamic environment, whether it is weather, port schedules or technical difficulties and the responsibility of keeping the vessel safe becomes second nature. It’s a demanding lifestyle, but for those of us who love the ocean, it’s incredibly fulfilling.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BWBS also asked the Yang Ming team to share a bit about their broader efforts to protect the ocean environment and some of its larger inhabitants.

Efforts include:

• Using UV type Ballast Water Treatment System to reduce the risk of spreading invasive species.
• Rolling out a plan to use FSC-certified bamboo wood floors in new containers to mitigate deforestation.
• Joining a global ban on the transport of shark fins (since 2015).
• Participating in beach cleanups through both their headquarter teams in Taiwan and offices abroad.
• Supporting coral restoration in collaboration with the National Museum of Marine Science Technology for coral restoration. Yang Ming has sponsored NTD 4.5 million to cultivate 1,064 coral seedlings from 16 species. This initiative aims to mitigate the negative impacts of global climate change on coral ecosystems, while encouraging employees to take part in coral grafting and conservation efforts firsthand.

Watch Captain Ryan Sequeira and Sean Hastings’ radio chat in the Santa Barbara Channel here (credit Adam Ernster).