Anonymous vs Capt Zahid Raza

Date- 22 Aug 2023
Examiner: Capt Zahid Raza
My experience : Gas Carriers
Time : 1hr 50 mins
Result: Fail
Started with standard procedure, read out instructions and asked for consent. He told me that since I have done LPG so he will put me on LNG carrier membrane type British registered.
1) Joining ship start from Gangay
Standard answer for this. Meeting master, safety security round and then taking over from Ch off. Stopped me at the fixed gas detector and asked about calibration gas. ( for my ship it was Methane ) Then continued with taking over and when I talked about loadicator then stopped me.
2) What all entries u will make in loadicator?
He wants to listen that ch off will input the density of water and constant. Make sure you include both. Then asked what is the definition of constant I gave him a generic answer but he wanted a standard definition. I told him how to use constants to calculate deadweight.
3) Asked u said u will input water density, how u check density, and what equipment u will use. ( Hydrometer )
4) How you will check loadicator, what test, and Frequency?
5) What information loadicator will give you?
Gave him all info, told him intact stability criteria like the information we get from the GZ curve.
6) Asked what is MCTC and where you use it.
To calculate P force and Trim.
7) You are going from SW to FW what will happen?
Wants full answer sinkage, draft will change, uw volume, LCB, and LCF and trim.
8) What information you will get from the stability booklet. Hydrostatic table. What density do we use in the Hydrostatic table. ( SW for drafts and FW for FSM )
I thought he would finish with cargo and stability but he again went back to cargo
9 ) You have taken over, now going to load cargo starting from cargo nomination how will u go about it .
Standard answer for making stowage plans with specific types of ship.
10 ) Asked me if you have to gas-free the tank for inspection, How will you?
In this, he specifically wanted to listen about making gas free plan and RA and send it to company for approval and Discuss the plan in a management meeting with the top 4 and the gas engineer than with
all the crew informed in operation, Rest hours coz it’s a continuous process and training to the junior officer for use and calibration of the gas meter. After this general answer for gas change or gas freeing a tank.
– Which code covers you and what information do you get from it and what contents of it?
11) I stated SMS for the above answer so he asked me why do you have SMS on board.
12) What all certificates do you need to comply with ISM?
13) Duration of certificates who carry out inspection, He asked what is the duration of the intermediate audit. Do you have +- 3 months in that? ( I was not sure so said don’t know ) he told me its between 2nd and 3rd anniversy there is no +- 3 months in that. It’s one yr period.
14) Came to DOC and who does DOC and interval.
15) You are SSO, explain duties and certification for crew and yourself on board. Training and drill criteria.
16) Then moved on to collision. Going A/S collided with a dolphin. Master asks you to prepare the full report. Including whom to report.
Here he wants you to mention H&M . Then who will cover what P&I and H&M?
Also when making a report tell him you will check the shell expansion plan and take a photocopy and draw the collision area on that. Once u answer this he will move on.
17) Moved on a synoptic chart. All symbols include weather in front of a Warm front and wind direction at various places.
18) U are ch off on watch, 120 miles from UK coast, and received a DSC alert in MF/HF. He will specifically see that I have taken out the Print out of that alert and kept it on the table.
Here he wants u to say will check the distance off from that vessel coz it will be mentioned on the printout you received from MF/HF and then you plan your action.
19) Shoed me a hygrometer and asked about its use. What is the meaning of the high difference in Dry and Wet bulb temperature? What precautions u will take when taking reading?
20) U are taking reading and Both bulbs are showing the same temperature. I Said RH is high or maybe there is no water. He wants to hear that D/O forgot to refill the water.
Few more questions I don’t remember, then he moved on to ROR.
Don’t remember all situations but mentioning those where I fucked up.
1) Isolated Danger Buoy Light characteristics. He took my answer as first which I gave composite 2+1 .
2) TSS fishing vessel crossing from Port Side.
I replied as a series of compass brg , range decreasing bearing steady, stand by with caution. He stopped me here and asked how you said STBY with caution, meaning you will not take action. After talking about
rule 18, 8f, and everything which I could he said u can not say stand by with caution, coz it means you will not take action coz your stby.
This time I knew he will not pass me , exam was over 1.5 hrs and I already made 2 mistakes.
3) He showed me a RADAR plot.
Asked me what are the targets doing. STBD side , Port Side and Astern.
Explain him about the targets , For Target on STBD quarter I asked plz give me or I can take W from other targets. He said all O,A,W at same place tell me what is target doing. I Said it is stopped. And that was it.. As per him this target has same speed same course coz its not a RADAR plot it’s a RADAR screen. I Asked him then what about the above 2 targets there we have OAW triangle. He said no this is what you are seeing on ur RADAR screen. I did not argue on this with him.
This RADAR plot came after 15 to 20 ROR situations so he said I can not pass you coz you.
Also few points he told me regarding ROR situations which he said what you guys are learning is wrong.
1) There is nothing like Underway and stopped. You should say underway and not making way.
2) There is no underway and possibility making way, its only possibly making way
3) Also he showed me few extra slides on light which were not there in e sailor.
Overall examiner is fair, but he has his own specific words which he wants to listen when answering his question. I have mentioned few above. I failed coz I did few mistakes in ROR.