Anonymous

June 2022
Examiner: Anonymous – Chief Mate Unlimited / Masters 3000 – 2 hours
Aberdeen Marine Office – Online Exam
Experience: Bulk, General Cargo, Buoy Tenders
Result: Pass
Joined the call 15 mins early, Introduction with the examiner who gave a briefing of the MCA
policies, the exam would be conducted under MIN 653. Checked passport and a 360 of the room.
Introductory chat on previous vessels, trading patterns. A very nice examiner kept me at ease the
whole way through. Sure there may have been a few things missed but this was the bulk of it. Tried
to link as much as possible back to previous experiences.
1. What is GT, DWT, NT
2. You depart from a Dock Water port what will happen to the displacement
3. What will happen to the Volume
4. What is the % of oxygen in the air
5. Loading Containers on a heavy lift what are your initial actions
6. Crane is certified for 50t what checks will be conducted on this
7. Where else can you check for this – COSWP was what he was after
8. Lifting equipment – can you use lashing equipment for lifting ?
9. Checks done on loose equipment
10. What is a competent person
11. Loading DG considerations
12. Talk me through a loading plan
13. How are you going to load these cargoes – segregation
14. Why are you going to load like this
15. How would you leave this with another officer – what things should they be monitoring
during loading operations
16. Can you load this cargo without the paperwork
17. What paperwork does the ship need
18. How are you going to secure the cargo
19. Shared screen – You are bound Plymouth to South America – What weather can you expect
– Shown depressions / TRS potential and quite a few troughs on route.
20. As a head of department what other considerations will you think about with the weather
predicted.
21. Conversations with the ER – was after tanks not being pressed up to 100% to avoid overspill
when the ship rolls
22. Stability considerations on route
23. Minimum Stability criteria
24. How many lashings are required for each container ? – Mentioned minimum and that id add
additional now while in port rather than having to commit crew forward as the Wx worsens.
25. En route – Off Spain 2/E is making rounds, fire panel goes off with fire in purifier room –
Actions – Turned into a missing persons search before extinguishing the fire
26. Casualty recovered – Prepare for a medivac – Actions
27. Other considerations now 2/E is gone – Safe manning – Potential dispensation if under
requirement
28. En route to dry dock – Preparations / considerations
29. Another alarm now on the fuel pump – leaking and only has 10 mins of use … Actions
30. Spoke about emergency generator – and requirements, get vessel into safe position, prepare
anchors to let go, distress. – Was looking for to use bow thruster if possible to keep vessel
HTW
31. Going into dry dock actions / preparations
32. What is P force
33. How is it related to trim
34. How does the P force affect the stability of the vessel
35. How will you manage the dry dock – Deligation of crew to oversee tasks undertaken by
shore crews
36. Enclosed space entry preperations
37. Team committed – Personal gas detectors are sounding but no response – Actions
38. New 2/E joins – Spanish – What certificates are you looking for
39. Can he join without an ENG 1 ? – Mind blank – Forgot the MCA has a list of accepted
alternatives
40. 17 year old joins the vessel – What are their work rest hours
41. Any other considerations
42. After the fire what will you need to get re checked / tested / certified
43. How would you expect your relationship with the Bosun to be
44. What is a good safety culture
45. Questions on ISM Audits
46. How would you ensure a good safety culture onboard
47. This linked into bits about safety officer, incident reporting
Lights and Shapes – First answer is final answer from this point forward.
1. PDV vs PDV Less than 50m crossing from my port side – Actions
2. PDV vs PDV 50m + tow 200m + crossing from my port side – Actions
3. PDV Vs Dredger Overtaking – Safe to pass portside. Fog signals and day shapes from the
dredger and actions
4. PDV vs SV crossing open sea – Actions
5. PDV crossing a TSS vs FV following lane – Actions
6. Describe 8F parts 1-3
Buoyage
Light Character, Day Shape, Side to pass – asked me to take my time and once I start don’t stop till
the end.
Vessel Outbound heading South
West Cardinal
Port Lat (IALA A)
Preferred to Port (IALA B)
Isolated Danger
Restricted Vis
Complete the plot – Actions
Can the vessel on your port quarter alter to port ? Why ?