carlisle – belfast

07/04/2020
Masters Unlimited
Online – Teams
David Carlisle – Belfast
Pass
Rules of the exam.
Shown around the room with the webcam.
Tell me about your last ship.
I spoke about my container ship, and trading round West Africa.
You are Master on your 50,000 GT container ship:
We then went on to discuss security, and differences in secuirty levels, DOS and secuirty concerns of
WAF in detail.
Join the Vessel, what do you expect from handover?
I started from the company briefing, checking hull, checking gangway and safe means of access, security
checks, meeting the offsigning master, certificates, familiarisation.
How do you sign yourself on to the vessel?
I mentioned adding myself to the crew list and making an entry in the OLB, along with adding my details
onto the front cover.
You notice the loadline is submerged, what are your actions?
Initially I spoke about checking with the mate, was it FWA and planned, then went on to discuss perhaps
the loading rate had exceeded the de-ballasting rate, stopping cargo, asking them to stop loading and
continue discharging.
The off signing Master has arranged for a loadline and SafCon survey in a few days, what will you do
to prepare for this survey?
I spoke about having a management meeting, splitting the jobs, using the COA as a checklist, and all the
things that are covered under each survey.
Masters inspection of the accommodation, what are you looking for?
Alleyway, crew cabins, cleanliness, housekeeping, safety signage, training manuals, various posters (e.g
DPA).
You need to write your Masters standing orders, what will you put in them?
Mentioned not re-writing the SMS, and all things that may be my preference, anything which can differ
from Master to Master and emphasized calling the Master any time.
You go into one crews cabin and smell smoke, its against the company policy to smoke inside the
accommodation, what are your actions?
Went down the disciplinary route, called a hearing and took evidence – decided to give him a written
warning.
New Chief Mate with no experience, you are loading a cargo of steel coils, what will you discuss with
your Chief Mate prior to loading?
High density cargo, high point load, max tanktop load limit, dunnage, dry and clean holds, hose test the
hatch covers prior to loading, check and document condition of cargo before and during loading, how to
secure.
What are the considerations for loading a high density cargo?
I mentioned high GM and stresses.
What are the stability concerns?
Again we got into GM and then moved on – clearly there was something I was missing.
Mates receipt is claused, but the shipper wants a clean BOL? What will you do?
I called P&I, and then discussed who could clause etc.
What is a BOL, and what is it for?
Mentioned it was a contract of carriage, reciept of goods, and a document of title. Discussed negotiable
and non-negotiable.
The 2/O has prepared the passage plan for your next voyage, but for some of the passage there are no
AVCS. Can you sail only on ARCS? What is the procedure for sailing on ARCS?
Risk assessment, inform flag and company, call a bridge meeting and ensure everyone is aware of the
risks.
During departure the 2/O is taking the pilot down for disembarkation, what do you expect of the 2/O?
I went into reporting of various points, boat alongside etc. Safety gear and PPE, lifebuoy, adequate
lighting etc.
What will you tell the 2/O before he leaves the bridge?
I told him which side, and what I wanted from him – eventually he pulled the words briefing and risk
assessment out of me and we moved on.
You are coming out of a narrow channel under pilotage, the pilot specifically asks for position
checking to be done regularly, how will you do this?
Spoke about parallel indexing, terrestrial fixing and cross referencing with GPS, echo sounder.
How would you have your radar stabilised in this scenario?
Ground.
You have a rudder get stuck hard to port and run aground, actions?
Standard emergency answer for grounding.
What are the lights, shapes and sound signals in RV for a vessel aground?
A tug comes along and offers assistance, should you accept LOF?
If I believe we need immediate assistance – yes, otherwise wait for towage contract to be drawn up.
What do you understand by Scopic?
What does Scopic stand for?
At sea, WIS alarm in Bosuns store during heavy weather, actions?
Initially I mustered the crew, sent an urgency message, tried to ascertain if there was water ingress or
not, refused to send anyone to check, heaved to.
You heave to, now can you send crew on deck?
I stood my ground and said still no – he forced my hand saying a risk assessment has been done and it’s
safe enough – so I spoke about all the safety concerns, PPE etc for this.
You are on passage in English Channel, and the 3/O calls to tell you its restricted visibility. What are
your actions when you go to the bridge?
Rattled through all the things we will do here, adjusted the speed etc.
Radar plot on the screen, one dot, then two, then three – what can you tell from these plots?
Completed the plot and asked me for my actions.
1 vessel on port quarter overtaking me, altered to stbd.
We returned to the cabin of the smoker, and he was pressing for what I would check for in there – he
wanted to hear check for covering up the smoke detector.
We then returned to the steel coil cargo, and the considerations I would have with high density cargo,
after some GM related conversation I eventually realised I had forgotten to mention cargo shift!
He told me I had passed, we had a bit of a discussion about the Ever Given, and that was that.
Very fair examiner, willing to reword his questions if you are unsure, and helps to push you in the right
direction if there’s something specific he wants to hear.