MASTERS UNLIMITED BELFAST

MASTERS UNLIMITED
SURVEYOR: DANIEL HAWKINS (ONLINE BELFAST)
CANDIDATE: RISHABH SRIVASTAVA
DATE: 03RD November 2020
TYPE OF SHIP: BULK CARRIER
1000 – 1150 GMT
I LOGGED IN TO MICROSOFT BROWSER AT 0945, FIRST WAITED FOR 10 MINS THOUGHT SOMETHING WAS WRONG BUT EVENTUALLY SURVEYOR CAME ONLINE AND TOLD ME TO COME ON APP NOT THE BROWSER.WHEN I OPENED THE APP ,HE EXPLAINED ME WHAT ALL ARE CHEATING GUIDELINES.CHECKED MY ROOM THROUGH CAMERA AND BRIEFED THAT I WILL BE ASKING YOU QUESTIONS AS PER MGN 69 AND CONSIDER YOURSELF AS MASTER.
HE ASKED WHERE ARE YOU LOCATED RIGHT NOW AND WHICH TYPE OF SHIPS YOU HAVE BEEN SAILING ON- I REPLIED INDIA AND – I HAVE BEEN SAILING AS CHIEF OFFICER ON BULK CARRIERS, TRADING AREA ,CARGO IRON ORE,OWNERS ,COMPANY ,DEADWEIGHT AND OTHER SHIP PARTICULARS, WHATEVER I COULD REMEMBER – (PLEASE AWAYS PRACTICE YOUR INTRODUCTION IN MIRROR OR WITH FRIENDS.EVERY SURVEYOR WILL ASK THIS QUESTION) EAT YOUR TIME WITH THIS INTRO PART AND BE AS CONFIDENT AS YOU CAN.
• YOU ARRIVE AT BERTH JOINING A 60000T BULK CARRIER AND HAVE TO TAKE OVER AS MASTER, WHAT WILL YOU DO?

I STARTED- FIRST I MUST HAVE ALREADY GOT A BRIEFING FROM OFFICE,HE SAID EVERYTHING HAS BEEN DONE AS PER MLC,TELL ME WHAT NOW ??,
CHECK YOUR GANGWAY, SAFE MEANS OF ACCESS,YOU CAN SEE HULL AND SUPERSTRUCTURE ALSO FROM QUAY AND DRAFT MARKS,ALSO IF POSSIBLE LOADLINE MARKS,……OKKEY WAIT WHY WOULD YOU CHECK LOADLINE?

I WILL COME TO KNOW IF LOADING IS ABOUT TO COMPLETE , FROM MY EXPERIENCE AS CHIEF OFF I WOULD KNOW

• WHAT IF YOU SAW YOUR LOADLINE IS SUBMERGED?

I WOULD NOT JUST ASSUME THAT LOADLINE IS SUBMERGED DUE TO EXTRA CARGO,GO TO THE MASTER WHO IS TO BE RELIEVED, TALK TO HIM,IT CAN BE DUE TO TAKING IN ACCOUNT OF FWA AND DWA,OR BALLAST WATER IS NOT FULLY PUMPED OUT YET OR TRIMMING IS IN PROGRESS

• WILL TRIMMING CHANGE YOUR DRAFTS AT LOADLINE ?
AT PIVOT POINT NO MEAN DRAFT CAN REMAIN SAME BUT SHIP CAN BE HOGGED OR SAGGED (I REALLY GOT CONFUSED BECAUSE HE WAS STOPPING ME AT REGULAR INTERVALS AND CHECKING IF I WAS GIVING BOOKISH ANSWERS OR I REALLY KNEW ABOUT IT)
I SAID BUT THE DRAFTS CAN CHANGE AT LOADLINE MARKS
• STILL LOADLINE IS SUBMERGED AND BECAUSE OF EXCESS CARGO WHAT WILL YOU DO?
I WILL NOT JOIN THE VESSEL,I WILL INFORM COMPANY,FLAG AND PORT AUTHORITIES

• MOVING ON,TELL ME HOW YOU WILL PERFORM A LOADLINE SURVEY?
I STARTED WITH- WILL CHECK ALL CERTIFICATES,ALSO I WILL USE CONDITION OF ASSIGNMENT,MAIN PURPOSE IS TO CHECK WATERTIGHT AND WEATHERTIGHT INTEGRITY OF THE SHIP…..OKKEY STOP(HE DID NOT LET ME COMPLETE MY ANSWER)
• WHAT ABOUT ISM AUDIT HOW WILL YOU CHECK?
I SAID I WILL HAVE A MEETING WITH ALL MY OFFICERS AND CREW,I WILL ALSO USE THE ISM AUDIT CHECKLIST GIVEN IN MY SMS,….OKKEY LEAVE THE CHECKLIST WORLD IS FULL OF CHECKLIST WHAT WILL YOU ACTUALLY CHECK?

AT THIS POINT I ASKED SIR CAN I WRITE DOWN SOMETHINGS BEFORE I ANSWER ?WHAT YOU WANT TO WRITE DOWN ?NO NEED TO WRITE…I SAID OKKEY
I CONTINUED WITH CHECKING ALL CERTIFICATES.
• WHAT WILL YOU CHECK IN A CERT?
DATE OF NEXT AUDIT,ALL DETAILS ARE CORRECT,COMPANY IDENTIFICATION NUMBER,NAME ,ENDORSEMENT AND ADDRESSES ETC..
• OKKEY CONTINUE WITH AUDIT
I SAID MASTERS DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES AS PER ISM- SOCREM(FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS) ,PMVCR(MASTERS DUTIES) AND MASTERS OVERRIDING AUTHORITY.I SHOULD KNOW WHERE IN MY ISM IT IS MENTIONED ABOUT OVERRIDING AUTHORITY.
• (I THOUGHT OF CONSUMING ATLEAST 10 MINS IN ABOVE QUESTION BUT HE AGAIN STOPPED MIDWAY) OKKEY YOUR AUDIT IS FINISHED- YOU ARE NEW MASTER AND LEAVING NORWAY AFTER LOADING,WHAT WILL YOU TELL YOUR 2ND OFFICER REGARDING PASSAGE PLANNING?

I STARTED WITH APPRAISAL….BUT WHAT WILL YOU TELL HIM EXCLUSIVELY FOR NORWAY?
I SAID ICE, RES VIS, TRS(IF GOING SOUTH) AND HEAVY WEATHER,( I REALLY COULDN’T UNDERTAND WHAT ELSE HE WANTED, SO I CONTINUED AGAIN WITH APPRAISAL – COLLECTING OF INFORMATION FROM ROUTEING CHART,GUIDES
• WHAT DO YOU GET IN A ROUTEING CHART?
SAME ICE LIMITS,WEATHER,SEA ROUTES,TEMP,DEWPT,WIND,TRS,WIND ROSE,AMOUNT OF OBSERVATIONS DONE,OCEANIC CURRENTS,ALL INFO FOR DIFFERENT MONTHS
• NOW HE SHARED HIS SCREEN,SHOWED ME A LIGHTHOUSE ON A CHART,LIGHT HAD ARC AND FL10 RG EVERY 20 SEC,10 M….WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF ARC?
I COULD NOT ANSWER THIS ONE,IT DID NOT CLICK ME OF CLEARING BEARING,I TOLD HIM WE CAN ASCERTAIN OUR POSITION AND KEEP IN A CHANNEL.FINALLY I SAID I KNOW THE ANSWER BUT ITS NOT CLICKING ME RIGHT NOW.
• LOADING IRON ORE PRECAUTION?WHAT ALL INFORMATION YOU WILL GIVE TO YOUR CHIEF OFFICER ?
I TOLD HIM ABOUT THE SHIPPERS DECLARATION AS PER CH.12 ADDITIONAL MEASURES ,HIGH DENSITY CARGO. AND NORMAL PRECAUTION FOR HIGH DENSITY CARGO.
• WHO WILL PERFORM THE TEST ON CARGO?WHAT ALL TESTS YOU CAN DO?
ACCREDIT SERVICES FROM THE GOVERNMENT ,OVEN,GRIP AND CAN,SHOULD BE DONE WITHIN ATLEAST 7 DAYS OF LOADING
• IS STOWAGE FACTOR AND ANGLE OF REPOSE IMPORTANT FOR IRON ORE?
YES, ALTHOUGH IT SF IS LESS BUT NONE THE LESS WE NEED IT SO THAT WE CAN ASCERTAIN DENSITY(HIGH OR LESS),TRIMMING PROCEDURES AND TO ASCERTAIN SHIFT OF CARGO
• YOU ARE GOING TO ARCTIC,WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS?ICE NAVIGATION PRECAUTIONS?DANGER MSGS WHAT ARE THEY?

YOU WILL GET ICE,POLAR CODE,HULL AND MACHINERY INSURANCE,CLASS OF VSLS,TUGS REQUIREMENT,ETC,ICE NAV PRECAUTIONS,DANGER MSGS RULE 31

• WHAT IS IN POLAR CODE.(I HAD NO IDEA)

I TOOK TIME WAITED A BIT, BECAUSE I HAD NO IDEA ABOUT IT SO TOLD HIM,PRECAUTIONS AND PROCEDURES TO FOLLOW IN THE POLAR REGION,TYPE OF VESSELS AND CERTIFICATE REQUIREMENTS,MARINE POLLUTION REQUIREMENTS.
• WHO WILL YOU INFORM BEFORE GOING TO ARCTIC?
FLAG,CLASS,VTS SERVICES,ICE PATROL(MAY BE)- WHO ELSE?
INSURERS MAY BE
(AT THIS POINT I THOUGHT I WILL FAIL BUT REMINDED MYSELF THAT A LOT OF ORALS IS STILL REMAINING AND THEY DON’T JUDGE YOU ON ONE OR TWO QUESTIONS,SO I REMAINED OPTIMISTIC)
• HEAVY WEATHER PRECAUTIONS?
• PREACUTIONS TO BE TAKEN IN RESTRICTED VISIBLITY??
• HOW WILL YOU ALTER COURSE IN HEAVY WEATHER?(ANSWERED A LITTLE , I FORGOT WHAT I READ )

I ANSWERED,SEE ENCOUNTER PERIOD OF WAVE WHEN IT SUBSIDES OR THE SWELL HITS YOU AND GO INCREASE SPEED AND START ALTERING SO THAT VSL TURNS FASTER
(THIS ANSWER COULD BE WRONG)
• GERMAN 2NDOFF WILL JOIN YOUR VESSEL ,DOCUMENTS TO CHECK.?
SEA,PP,CDC,COC,VISA,STCW,ENG1,PSA…I FORGOT GOC
SO HE SAID WHAT ABOUT RADIO? SO I SAID GOC
• HOW WILL YOU CHECK CEC OR COC?
MSN1867,LIVE LIST AND COC CHECKER
• WHAT ABOUT DRYDOCKING?WHAT INSTRUCTIONS FOR CHIEFOFFICER?(I MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT SHORE GANGWAY)
• HOW MANY GANGWAYS SHOULD BE IN A DRY DOCK?
I ANSWERED ONE …..ARE YOU SURE?
I SAID WHAT EVER DRYDOCKS I HAVE DONE I SAW ONLY ONE IN CHINA AND PHILIPPINES
• OKKEY THEN YOU ARE IN DRYDOCK,FIRE AT GANGWAY AREA ACTION?

I TOLD HIM OKKEY I REALISE NOW WHY WE NEED TWO GANGWAYS
ANYHOW I PROCEEDED WITH EMERGENCY AND ACTIONS
MUSTER HEAD COUNT,MUSTER SHORE WORKERS ON DECK AT SOMEOTHER AREA,I NEVER ACTED AS IF I NEEDED 2ND GANGWAY,WAIT FOR FIRE BRIGADE ETC,
• RUDDAR LOST AT SEA.ACTION?
SAME PRELIMINARY ACTION,NUC SIGNAL,STOP ENG,URGENCY MSG,POSN CHECK,CHECK FOR ANCHORING IF POSSIBLE.
• WHAT ABOUT COMPANY WHAT WILL YOU ASK THEM TO DO?
TOWAGE
• TOWAGE AND NOT SALVAGE WHY?
SALVAGE IS TOO EPENSIVE
• WHAT IS GENERAL AVERAGE????
EXPLAINED FULL THING

• YOU ARE ON TANKER AND YOU HAVE TO DO MOORING WITH A BUOY,TWO PERSONNEL STANDING ON THE BUOY.WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

(I DID NOT STUDY THIS JUST SAW SOME DIAGRAM IN VINYLS NOTES)

USED A MOORING BOAT TO PASS WIRE,PASS WIRE FROM OUTER STERN MOORING WINCH AND SECURE OB BIT ON DECK AFTER TAKING A ROUND TURN THROUGH THE BUOY,MAKE YOUR TIDE IS ASTERN,ENGINES STBY,ETC
• SHARED SCREEN WITH SURFACE PRESSURE CHART,ASKED WEATHER ON TROUGH
ALMOST SAME AS LOW PRESSURE BUT INTESITY WILL BE LESS,PRECIPITATION AND INCRESED WIND SPEED BUT NOT FOR LONGER TIME ONLY TILL IT PASSES
• WHAT IS BILL OF LADING?

• YOU ARE A MASTER, SHIPPER IS LOADING CONTAMINATED CARGO WHAT WILL YOU DO?
STOP ISSUE LETTER OF PROTEST IN OWNERS CHARTERES AND P&I ETC.

• AGENT BRINGS YOU BILL OF LADING WHICH HAS CONTAMINATED CARGO INCLUDED ,WILL YOU SIGN?
NO

SHIPPER COMES NOW …SIGN IT MASTER

NO I WILL NOT SIGN,I WILL CALL OWNERS AND P&I

WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH THIS CONTAMINATED CARGO?
CLAIMS WILL HAVE TO BE SETTELED ,OWNERS HAVE TO COME IN TO PLAY.

OKKEY OWNERS,P&I NOT AVAILABLE ,DPA NOT AVAILABLE WILL YOU NO SIGN BILL OF LADING?
NO

THEN LITERALLY HE SAID “I AM ASKING YOU 5TH TIME GIVE ME FINAL ANSWER ,WILL YOU SIGN BOL OR NOT? YOU ARE THE MASTER NO ONE ELSE IS AVAILABLE,SHIPPER SAYING ITS NOT A PROBLEM IT HAPPENS ALWAYS LIKE THIS”

I FINALLY SAID NO I WILL NOT SIGN
• WHAT YOU DO IN FUMIGATION?
NORMAL PROCEDURESOF FUMIGATION,LESS CREW ON BOARD,GAS TIGHT AND FUMIGATION CERT TO BE ISSUED,2 PERSONNELS TO BE TRAINED IN MFAG AND OTHER PRECAUTIONS,ACCOMODATION TO BE GAS TIGHT AS WELL.
AND FOLLOW MGN 564
• RADAR PLOTTING ,HE SHARED HIS SCREEN ,ONE TARGET ON PORT SIDE.
ALTERED TO STBD

LIGHTS ONLY IDENTIFY TYPE OF VSL ,UNDERWAY STATUS AND FOG SIG

NUC STOPPED
NUC FROM PORT SIDE
TUG AND TO STBD SIDE
FV SEEN FROM STERN OR WITH GEAR EXTN MORE THAN 150 MTRS
TRAWLER UNDERWAY
FV SEEN FROM PORT SIDE UNDERWAY
RAM VSL SEEN FROM STBD

• YOU SAID SOMETHING ABOUT MGN 564 FUMIGATION,WHAT IS IN IT?

I SAID,I DON’T KNOW WHAT IS IN IT ,I HAVE NOT READ IT THROUGHLY,BUT I DO KNOW ITS ABOUT FUMIGATION ON MERCHANT SHIPS,ALSO SHOULD HAVE PROCEDURE AND PRECAUTIONS TO BE TAKEN DURING FUMIGATION,FOR SURE WHICH I TOLD EARLIER.

FINALLY AFTER GRILLING ME FOR 1HR 50 MINS HE SAID
ALRIGHT YOU ARE PASS
WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS ETC,HONESTLY MY BRAIN STOPPED WORKING AFTER HEARING PASS AND WANTED TO HANG UP ASAP,BUT WE HAD SOME CHAT ABOUT CORONA AND FUTURE PLANS AND ALSO WHERE DID I STUDY ETC

SOME IMP THINGS TO FOLLOW—

HE WAS STOPPING ME IN BETWEEN THE ANSWER AND IF HE SAW I KNOW THE ANSWER HE WOULD JUMP TO OTHER QUESTION,BASICALLY HE DID NOT LET ME ANSWER PROPERLY.
ALSO PLEASE REMEMBER ALL THE AS MUCH MGN’S,SI AND SOLAS CHAP NAMES ETC ,INCLUDE IT IN YOUR ANSWERS IT REALLY SHOWS YOU HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH AS WELL(NO NEED TO KNOW FULL THING WRITTEN INSIDE JUST THE JIST WILL DO).
SURVEYORS ARE NOT THERE TO MERELY ASK YOU QUESTIONS AND GET ANSWERS ,THEY ARE THERE TO CHECK YOUR COMPETENCY AND CONFIDENCE.
PLEASE DO AS MANY QUESTION PAPERS AS YOU CAN .IT HELPS A LOT.PRACTICE IN FRONT OF MIRROR OR WITH FRIENDS.

IN MIDST OF ORALS IF YOU REALISE YOU HAVE SCREWED IT UP,BE PATIENT STILL THE ORALS IS REMAINING AND YOU STILL CAN PASS.
THEY DON’T JUDGE YOU ONLY ON WHAT ANSWERS YOU GIVE,EVEN IF ONE TWO OR THREE ANSWERS ARE WRONG OR YOU DON’T KNOW ABOUT SOMETHING TELL SURVEYOR CLEARY,BUT IN MIDDLE DON’T THINK YOU HAVE SCREWED UP,BE CONFIDENT ,SMILE AND WHAT EVER YOU KNOW SPEAK OUT CLEARLY.NOBODY CAN KNOW EVERYTHING.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MY FAMILY, FRIENDS,AND VINYL GUPTA HIS CLASSES HAVE HELPED ME PASS ALL MY EXAMS TILL MASTER.