Abdulrahman vs Nowshad M Jobair

Date: 23 September 2021
Exam: Master Unlimited
Results: Pass – First Attempt
Candidate: Abdulrahman Alshayee
Background: Tankers (Crude, Product & LPG) – Kuwait Oil Tanker Co.
Current: Trainee Harbour Pilot – Kuwait Oil Company
Preparations: Glasgow Maritime Academy
Examiner: Nowshad M Jobair – Liverpool Office

Joined the exam 15 minutes ahead and the examiner joined exactly on the exam’s time. Examiner introduced himself and explained the cheating policy. A brief room check was carried out. Examiner asked about my background and current situation and asked for my familiarity with the current Master examination syllabus. Examiner asked about the college where I prepared for the exam and advised that I’ll be examined as a Master on a British Gas Carrier.

Briefing took 15 minutes then the exam started

Legal, Routine , Cargo & Stability :
1- You are taking over as a Master on a British Gas Carrier explain all the things to look for before boarding while on the jetty and during boarding.
2- You are taking over in Master office, explain all the things you’ll ask/look for while taking over.
3- Explain how to enroll a new built ship under ACS
4- How to request an interim SMC, ISSC & MLC under ACS for a “Flag-In” ship.
5- What is the validity of the interim certificates issued?
6- What are you going to do as a Master during the interim period before initial inspection for full term certificates?
7- How to prepare for the initial ISM Audit by MCA as a Master?
8- How’s SMC revalidated (External & internal Audits with periods)
9- What are the statuary certificates issued by Recognized Organizations under ACS (Mention All)
10- How do you know that your ship’s security plan is approved and who approves it ?
11- What is the statuary security certificate called?
12- Who decides the security level of a UK ship and who communicates it to your ship ?
13- What if your ship is on a higher security level than the terminal ?
14- Explain Declaration of security and when to exchange it with terminal ?
15- Your Load Lines certificate is expiring in 6 months , when are you going to request for a LL survey and what are the time limits ?
16- Which certificates that strictly can not go beyond their expiry dates ?
17- Explain how a failure of navigation equipment affect the validity of your ship’s Safe Manning Document?
18- What are the statuary drills and how often?
19- A newly recruited 3rd officer joined your ship, what are you going to check ?
20- Mention all the certificates required to be carried by 3rd officer on UK ship
21- What STCW certificates require renewal for the 3rd officer and how often?
22- You just finished loading LNG, how to confirm that your cargo is in order and what documents will you exchange before departure?
23- What’s the minimum stability criteria required for a gas carrier before departure from port ?
24- How often lifeboat is maneuvered in water?
25- How often a freefall lifeboat is maneuvered in water?
26- Explain full process of davit launched lifeboat 5 yearly load test while alongside berth (Full procedure from initial meeting to final stowage & securing)
27- Who is the “Competent Person” and “Authorized Service Provider” as mentioned in MGN 560 Amendment 1 during 5 yearly LB Load Test?

Emergency
1- You are a Master on British LNG carrier entering port of discharge with Pilot. You ran aground on a shallow bank. Explain in full details your full emergency response from initial actions up to refloating the vessel.
2- How will you report the accident to MAIB?

Radar Ploting
Examiner shared a radar screen similar to below for 3 targets with victors. Informed that this is ARPA screen in restricted visibility + my full answers

1- What types of vectors do you see ?
Relative vectors
2- How do you know they are relative vectors ?
No vector for own ship
3- Which targets have the risk of collision ?
Target B only
4- Using your ruler on the screen , what is target B doing ?
Crossing from starboard
5- It is abaft your beam, Why isn’t it overtaking ?
Bearing 155 so it is less than 22.5 abaft the beam
6- What is your action in restricted visibility?
Slow down
7- Can you go to port as per the rules?
Yes, after making a trial maneuver and confirming that the action won’t result in another close quarter situation with target on port quarter

Buoyage
Only 3 buoys. The following photos are as close as possible to what was displayed on screen + my full answers

1- Identify this buoy
Port lateral mark Region A
2- What are the light characteristics ?
Red flashes any rhythm except 2+1
3- What is your action if you see this ahead of you while entering port ?
In direction of buoyage, I will alter to STBD and keep the buoy on my port.

1- Identify this buoy
East Cardinal Mark
2- What top marks will it show ?
2 black cones in vertical line apex away from each other
3- What are the light characteristics ?
3 Q or VQ flashes in a group
4- How often?
Every 15 seconds if Q and every 10 seconds if VQ
5- What is the difference between Q and VQ?
Q is usually 50 to 60 per minute but can slightly vary. VQ is usually 100-120 per minute but can slightly vary.
6- What does this buoy indicate ?
Danger west of it side and clear waters east of it
7- If you are heading south and you see it right ahead, what is your action?
Alter to port and pass east of it

1- Identify this buoy
Preferred channel to Port lateral mark region B
2- Lights
Group flashing 2+1 in red
3- You see it right ahead while leaving port, what is your action?
Alter course to starboard and keep the buoy on my port side.

COLREGs

1- Identify this vessel
Vessel engaged in Pilotage size unknown underway seen from port side
2- What is the fog signal when underway?
1 or 2 short blasts at intervals not exceeding 2 minutes + she might sound a pilot signal after the main signal consisting of 4 short blasts.
3- You see this on your starboard bow steady bearing and reducing range in clear visibility. What is your action?
1 Short blast and alter my course to starboard. Pass astern of her.

4- Identify
Vessel restricted in her ability to manouver making way size probably +50m
5- What is the fog signal ?
1 long 2 short at intervals not exceeding 2 minutes
6- What is the fog signal when at anchor ?
Same
7- Seen 2 points on port bow with risk of collision, what is your action ?
2 short blasts and bold alteration to port pass astern of her.

8- Identify
Vessel not under command unknown size making way through the water seen from stern or vessel aground unknown size and aspect
9- What is the fog signal for both cases ?
For NUC, 1 long followed by 2 short blasts at intervals not exceeding 2 minutes. For Aground, if less than 100m, 3 distinct strokes on the bell followed by rapid ringing of the bell for 5 seconds followed by 3 distinct strokes on the bell at intervals not exceeding 1 minute and may in addition sound an appropriate fog signal using whistle. If more than 100m, 3 distinct strokes on the bell followed by rapid ringing of the bell for 5 seconds at forward part then 3 distinct strokes on the bell followed by rapid ringing of gong at the after part at intervals exceeding 1 minute and may in addition sound an appropriate fog signal using whistle.
10- What is the appropriate fog signal on whistle for vessel aground and where is it mentioned ?
Not mentioned in COLREGs, I will sound International Code of Signals’ codes “L” Stop your vessel immediately or “U” indicating “You are running into danger”.
11- You see this vessel right ahead well away, what is your action ?
I will first try to figure if she’s aground or NUC using all available means. If she’s aground, I’ll check my chart and echo sounder and confirm my position using all available means and determine if the action required is alteration of course or stopping my vessel. If NUC making way, Alteration to port or STBD with appropriate maneuvering signal depending on direction she’s travelling.
12- What are the day shapes for both cases?
If NUC two black balls in a vertical where they can best be seen if aground, 3 such balls.

13- Identify
Fishing vessel engaged in trawling making way size probably +50m seen from starboard
14- What are the day shapes?
Two black cones apex together where they are best seen
15- What is the fog signal when underway or at anchor ?
1 long 2 short blasts at intervals not exceeding 2 minutes for both cases.
16- You see this two points on port bow, what is your action ?
2 short blasts on whistle and port alteration to port pass well clear astern of her.

17- Identify
Vessel ristrected in her ability to manouvre engaged in diving or underwater operation making way size probably +50m seen from ahead indicating obstruction on her starboard side and clear side on port.
18- What day shapes ?
Black ball-diamond-ball in a vertical line where they can best be seen. Additionally , two black balls on the obstruction’s side and two black diamonds on the clear side.
19- What is the fog signal when underway and when at anchor ?
Same signal for both cases, 1 long 2 short blasts at intervals not exceeding 2 minutes.
20- Identify
Vessel engaged in towing operation towing a submerged or partly submerged part size probably more than 50m and length of tow exceeds 200m underway seen from starboard.
21- What are the day shapes ?
A black diamond shape where best can be seen at the towing vessel , a black diamond at the after end of the tow and an aditional diamond located as far forward as possible on the tow.
22- You are a PDV in an open water TSS following the traffic lane and you see this vessel 4 points on your port side with risk of collision, what is your action ?
Stand on and keep monitoring, if risk persists sound my doubt signal of 5 short blasts on whistle suplimented by similar signal on my signaling light.
23- Tug does not take action, what is your next action ?
1 short and alteration to starboard after carrying out a trial manouvre pass ahead of her if possible.
24- If the same vessel crossed from port how will you give way to starboard as per rule 15 ?
I will not alter to starboard as the length of tow can be +200m
25- But you have a light or diamond at the after end isn’t that enough to determine the end of the tow?
Sometimes tows can not be lit properly and I will not take the chances since the Rule allows object being towed to shift/cancel some lights
26- Is this a RAM or PDV ? and why ?
She is PDV since she is not showing the RAM signals

Additional COLREGs questions at the end of the exam
1- Why did you alter to port for Trawler and RAM crossing from Port ?
Because rule 15 applies for PDV only
2- Why did you leave traffic lane when rule 10 asks to follow the lane or leave at a shallow angle ?
Because rule 10 does not relieve me from my obligations under other rules
3- Under which rules you took actions for trawler and RAM vessels ?
Rule 18 : Responsibilities between vessels
4- Under which rules you took action for the radar plot in restricted visibility ?
Rule 19 Part D

Final moments and feedback
Following the exam, examiner advised that I had passed and congrated me then debriefed the exam. He mentioned all the points where I could improve and adviced to keep myself up to date when serving as a pilot in case I had to go back to sea. Capt. Jobair appriciably started and ended the exam in very friendly manners and remained calm during the whole exam giving me enough time to answer. He did not indicate if my answers were correct or wrong until the end of the exam. The questions were very clear and straight forward.

My near-misses
Questiones highlighted in yellow in this report were the ones I near missed as below :
1- When asked about procedure to enroll a vessel under ACS, I mixed up between IoA and CoI but corrected myself later.
2- I couldent remember all statury certificates issued by ROs but managed to mention more than half of them. Examiner wanted to hear all of them
3- Forgot to mention SOPEP as a statury drill, Examiner indicated that there was one remaining and I managed to remember it.
4- The minimum stability requirements for leaving port : This was the most serious near miss! I could not remember the remaining requirements apart from minimum GM !! Please remember the criterea for all types (Damage, Area under the curve, minimum GM, Max GZ, range of positive stability). Please also read MSIS 43 2020 for MCA’s additional stability criteria!
5- I wasn’t sure how often freefall lifeboat is manouvered in water as I have never worked with this type of lifeboats. I informed the examiner that different requirements apply and that I wasn’t sure. I guessed it was every 6 months but that was half of the answer.
6- I forgot to report MAIB after grounding but managed to remember later after the examiner mentioned that there was one more thing. This was followed by a question on how to report to MAIB.
7- I initially didn’t mention the additional diamond forward for the submerged tow when +200m. Examiner asked how many diamonds I would see in total diamonds so I managed to remember the 3rd diamond and corrected my initial answer.

Good luck with your exams. Please do not hesitate to contact me regarding this exam or other matters on this email : abshaya@outlook.com 😊