Die technischen Tagebücher des Schiffbauingenieurs Herbert Pfohl: eine Dokumentation aus dem Dockbetrieb der Rickmers Werft 1982-1986

Abstract

In June 2009, five dock diaries were placed in the possession the German Maritime Museum, including two by marine architect Herbert Pfohl describing his work in the Rickmers shipyard repair and dock operations in the period from 1982 to 1986. Born in 1929, from 1960 to 1966 Herbert Pfohl drew up steel vessel construction plans at the Rickmers shipyard in Bremerhaven. In 1967, at his own request, he transferred to the Rickmers shipyard repair and dock operation which had been newly founded in the fishing port. The two dock diaries shed light on the working procedures of the Rickmers shipyard repair and dock operations in the years 1982 to 1986. Herbert Pfohl refers to them as "technical bookkeeping" since, in addition to notes on organizational procedures and the scheduling of individual repair and conversion orders, the diaries also include many sketches of technical details. Herbert Pfohl started keeping these diaries of his own accord when he noticed that loose slips of paper did not suffice to record the comprehensive and complex information and refer to it quickly. Such a need might have come about, for example, during discussions on invoices for ship repairs in which the nautical inspector as well as a representative of the insurance company and the head of repair operations all took part. When differences of opinion arose between the customer and the company, the dock diary was consulted as evidence of the work carried out.