simon – glasgow

Chris Ashworth Oral Report
Examiner: Simon Alletson
3rd November 2020
Result: Pass
Time 1hr 35 mins
The exam was conducted in my day room at sea, so ensured I did a speed test prior to the
exam and ensured I had no notes lying around, and passport and DB to hand. He came online
at exactly 1000hrs and introduced himself. He asked for a 360 spin of the camera and
informed me if I needed to pump the bilges during the exam, I was to first answer the question
given to me and then I could get one (which I did about half way through). He said there will
be another person in the call but only there for training and wouldn’t make themselves known
during the exam.
Asked about my experience which I gave to him (offshore since qualifying – anchor handling,
PSV’s, jack-ups etc). Put my on a PSV for the first few questions:
Joining vessel for first time as Master. I asked for clarification as to whether I am new to the
company, he said no but new to the ship. Gave him the usual answer of handover notes
before, safe access, ISPS on the gangway, up to bridge for induction then face to face
handover with offsigning Master. He stopped me when I was doing my ‘visual inspection of
ships side’ and said ‘if you see some damage to the plating, what would be your action’? Took
photos, ensured the vessel was safe to board, ask the offsigning Master if this had been
reported, mentioned condition of class and MCA informed, he moved on. I talked about the
contents of the handover notes would be discussed plus controlled drugs and masters cash
accounted for. Note in the OLB as taking command. Forgot about, and he prompted me for,
vessels certificates and ensuring I checked crew certificates prior to taking over.
What would I expect to find as a minimum on an SEA.
On board for a few weeks and a new C/E joins. What would you expect to see in his standing
orders. I gave him a similar answer to Masters S/O’s in terms of it being complimentary (and
not contradictory) to SMS, how he expects his ER to be run during different periods – open
water, coastal, pilotage and during DP operations, and most importantly informing his
engineers of the importance to call when in any doubt, plus a list of times when it is the
engineers duty to call him. He was digging a bit so mentioned it would state when specifically
the times when ER can go UMS (and when they can’t), and he was happy and moved on.
Gave me a synoptic chart of a position off New Zealand with a small icon of a boat, and asked
me what weather I would expect in that position. Big low pressure approaching with a few
troughs so the usual answer of very unsettled weather with strong winds and associated seas.
Asked practically what I would do on board. Standard answer of calling heads of departments
together for meeting and working through the heavy weather checklist delegating
responsibility to each department. Gave him some examples for the mate (doubling lashings,
stability assessment etc), Chief Engineer (checking header tanks for steering gear (cheers
Eccy!) stopping non essential maintenance works etc) and Chief Steward (securing galley,
arranging sensible things to cook etc).
Steaming across Pacific and total blackout – actions (standard answer)
Mentioned emergency generator starting and powering the emergency board. He asked me
of some examples of what would be on this board (nav lights, sound signal, ECDIS, radars,
emergency lighting etc). During my answer I sounded the general alarm which I think looking
back might not have been a good move if we are in open water with no traffic and the
engineers are running around down below, but he seemed ok.
How would a vessel orientate herself when she has lost all propulsion. So… why would she
lay beam onto the sea? Mentioned wind on the accommodation and the swell encouraging
the vessel to rotate around the pivot point. Dangers of laying beam on. ‘How could you try
and reduce the angle you were exposed to the elements’ – mentioned about putting a few
shackles in the water to try and give some resistance up forward for the ship to pivot about
the hawse pipe which he seemed ok with and moved on.
Now apparent that you blacked out as you are taking on water into a breached bunker tank
and you have an oil spill – actions. Initiated emergency response plan and SOPEP. Try my best
to give the spillage a lee from the weather, getting CO to adjust trim / listing her to get the
breach out of the water, also asking CE to pump to a separate tank, try best in any case to
limit amount of pollution caused etc. Who would you inform? He continued when I
mentioned MAIB due to it being a marine casualty.
Asked about what further actions would be – he was looking for finding tugs. Mentioned
about the company arranging tug assistance which prompted the question what I knew was
coming: ‘what if no tugs were available at that time’. During his asking I forgot that initially I
hadn’t put out an urgency message to all ships in the area stating that I had engine failure, so
I reiterated this and said I would expect vessels in the area to be aware, and ideally be offered
assistance from vessels capable of towing.
Asked about how I would arrange a tow from a legal point of view. Mentioned being assured
the vessel offering assistance was physically capable of taking me under tow in terms of the
strength of her gear and propulsion, and that my preferred method of agreeing terms would
be in the way of a LOF. ‘Tell me more about this document’, which was standard answer of
ensuring both parties obligations were met.
He asked me about a near miss between a ferry and a naval vessel, and shared his screen
showing a scan of a chart with two vessels approaching one another (40kt relative speed)
with a big headland in the way. He said how could this be avoided in the future. I said about
vessels proceeding at a safe speed, taking into account proximity of the headland and the
chance of traffic approaching from around the corner. Also about the fact the all round
lookout was impaired, and the fact the vessels radars wouldn’t have detected vessels around
the corner due to the cliffs. I also stated that a failure at the APEM stage of the passage plan,
and the waypoint could have been adjusted to ensure the vessel approached the headland at
a much shallower angle so as to make better appraisal of the traffic situation etc. Seemed
happy and moved on.
Then onto some collision situations (all the following in clear vis)
He shared his screen of a narrow channel with a vessel overtaking my own ship, and a fishing
vessel crossing. Wanted to know obligations in terms of R18 and R8 with the fishing vessel,
and the obligation of the vessel overtaking under R13.
Shared screen of a vessel CBD off to port and a fishing vessel off to starboard (all in open
water), ROC with them both. He wanted to hear about me being the stand on vessel with CBD
but with obligations to not impede under R18. Also my obligations with fishing vessel under
R18. Made a broad alteration to starboard.
Another shared screen, TSS with a vessel motorsailing and crossing, my obligations now.
Stood on and sounded five short and rapid, and he moved on.
Gave me a radar plot and told me it was restricted vis.
One to port forward of the beam, no ROC and one overtaking with ROC. Asked me my action.
He gave me a few minutes to make a plot on my plotting paper. He said my vector length
would be two range markers on his screen. I jotted it down as best I could (obviously all very
rough and a total estimate without proper range and bearings). Gave him the rule regarding
which way I could go, remembered to mention doing a trial manoeuvre, and made a broad
alteration to port (stating that no ROC exists at the moment with the vessel to port so would
still comply with R19). He asked what the other vessels could do in this situation. Wanted to
hear about the vessel overtaking being able to go either way but would probably try and keep
her starboard side clear.
A selection of buoys and lights of vessels. Wanted for each everything I know:
Emergency wreck marking buoy
RAM + 50m
South cardinal, you’re heading 290 degrees, action
PDV + 50m at anchor
Tug and tow RAM, +200m towing inconspicuous object. The lights used on his display didn’t
make it too obvious the white lights were on her beam (could have been seen to have been
spaced 100m apart down the length). I got a bit shakey but gave him everything I know on
inconspicuous tows (+25m beam etc). Day shape, fog signal etc etc and luckily he moved on.
Vessel engaged in trawling +50m underway not making way, indicating she is hauling nets –
day shape, fog signal, what flag does golf look like etc.
Preferred channel to port region A. Coming out of port, which side to leave it?
………………………..
Congratulations Mr Ashworth, you’ve passed – now time to go and kick the old man out of
his cabin!
Cpt Alletson was a fair guy, didn’t put any excess pressure on when it wasn’t required. I felt it
went on a lot longer than usual but he didn’t throw any weird curveballs at me.
Thanks to all the guys on the course, particularly Sam and Rob for small group study. And FNC
tutors – Jonathan Ward (highly recommended for ROR prep) David Eccles, David Macnamee,
Mannan, Ninja, Duncan and others. And to Paul at Whitehorse Marine for putting me right
on a few subjects I was shakey on, especially structuring answers the correct way.
Best of luck to those going up next.
Chris.
sdff