mckeller

Date : 15-July-2019
Examiner : Malcolm M.
Master’s Unlimited
Candidate : Priyank Thapa
Duration : About 55 mins.
Went online using the link on microsoft teams about 15 mins prior to scheduled time
as instructed. Malcom didn’t come online till 1000 hrs. Spent 15 mins sweating my
pants off….
Went through the online exams rules and procedures.
Then he asked me about what type of ships I have been sailing on.—Geared and
Gearless bulk carriers from 60,000 DWT to 85,000 DWT. Most carrying coal
tramping worldwide. Loading in USA, Australia, Russia, Indonesia Discharging in
Turkey, Russia, Europe, Brazil, China.
He told me to answer all questions as a Master on one of your previous bulk
carriers.
0. You are loading coal in Philippines and the Loading master brings you a
certificate of moisture content which is 3 weeks old and you can see barges
anchored nearby with coal and there has been rain over the past few days. What
will do as Master? — I went through the usual about not accepting to load as the
shipper’s declaration must not be more than 7 days old and coal is Group A cargo
etc. Issue a letter of protest and inform charterers and owners and local P&I agents.
0. He wanted to know where will I enter the details for this letter of protest
and all?? I mentioned in the Deck Log Book and Cargo/Port Log Book. He wanted
to hear that I’ll annex these documents to the Official Log Book. Prompted me in
that direction by asking what is the difference between a deck log book and an
official log book and the contents.
0. He then said that new second officer is joining on board and is also the
designated Safety Officer on board. What do you expect his responsibilities to be or
how will you guide him?? Mentioned that I’ll enter his designation as Safety Officer
in the OLB. Also I expect that he would have undergone some kind of in-house
training for his duties as safety officer. Went on to mention everything that come
under responsibilities of safety officer.
0. Showed me a weather synoptic chart, voyage from USA to Norway. Put
the position of the vessel.Depression on the way with an occluded front. What kind
of weather do you expect?
0. During this weather as you are busy with paper work in your office
suddenly the light go out, ventilation stops and engines stop. You go to the bridge
and the second officer tells you that there has been a blackout. Your actions? Went
through the initial steps SPARRC. While I was still checking my nav equipments and
gyro he asked me why will these equipments still be working?? They are connected
to the emergency generator.
0. What is an emergency generator?? What equipments will be connected
to it?? Went through the whole list of nav equipments, Nav lights, General alarms,
GMDSS console, PA system, E/R equipments etc.
0. Under what certification does Emergency generator get surveyed?
0. Chief Engineer comes to you withe ORB with his entries. What will you
check??
0. Why are you required to have an ORB on board?? As per Annex 1 of the
MARPOL.
0. So MARPOL is an international convention. How come it is a law for a UK
flagged ship??
0. In Norway your Safety Construction Survey is due, the surveyor enters
the cargo hold. What things do you expect him to inspect??
0. So in Norway a new trainee/cadet is joining 17 years old. What will be
your plan for his safety induction and training as a Master and what certificates do
you expect him to carry on board? Went through the basic stew training
certificates( he wanted the names of the certificates) and his Training record bo
0. ok etc. RA and jobs to be given as per his physical capabilities, no jobs in
the night with exceptions etc…
0. He didn’t want to hear about the young persons hours of rest but instead
asked me what will be in the training record book of the cadet and what will you do
with it??
0. The same cadet asks you to explain Rule 2.
0. Put up a slide with lights of a CBD on my port bow and some red and
green lights on my stbd bow. Second officer calls you at 0200 hrs on the bridge and
says that seeing all these lights has confused him. What will you do?? Took a
moment to assess the situation and gather my situational awareness. Mentioned
that the lights on my stbd side look like buoyed channel so I will check and confirm
the same on the chart. Identified the CBD on my port bow. If the OOW hasn’t
started systematic plotting yet then instruct him to do that. Depending upon the
distance off these lights reduce my speed to allow more time to asses the situation.
That’s it. He said that completes your exams. For a moment I thought that he was
gonna fail me because he had mentioned at the beginning that the exam can go
upto 2 hours and we’ll see how it goes.
After a flutter of losing my heart beat for those precious seconds he said you have
passed.
I found Malcolm to be quite practical with prompts if he is looking specifically
forsomethingo in your answer.