[esailor Team]

Masters Unlimited
June 2022
Experience : Seismic Survey and Research
Pass
By no means where my answers as fluent as I wanted them to be but the examiner was very practical and didn’t really want me to list of items.
To me it didn’t seem to flow like a standard orals exam so be prepared to jump from topic to topic.
I was told a few questions in to not make any notes as I wouldn’t be doing it if the exam was in person.
I believe the exam was fair and the examiner fair with me but was stern and to the point.
The Exam
Checked around the room and went over the cheating and rules of the online exam.
Asked me to sign a piece of paper to check my signature.
These are the questions I was asked that I can remember the exam was a full 1hr45mins and there was lots of question between the topics/questions asked?
Put on 60,000 GT bulk carrier.
Questions / topics
Joining as master on quay?
Started by mentioning mooring arrangement
What mooring arrangement would you expect?
I said 4 + 2 + 1, I don’t work on bulk but seemed about right.
Checked draft marks, they are damaged and overloaded what will you do?
Picture inform master and stop loading.
What are you going to tell the mate in regards to fixing this?
I went round in circles with this question a bit so told the mate to create a procedure for fixing it and clesning them, also needs to re-do stability.
How is the mate going to fix this?
I ended up saying cherry picker on quay, then asked about sea side ones? II said staging and maybe pontoon, but I don’t really know what he was after? I was reluctant to say to much as I didn’t want to stich myself up by doing something unsafe.
Walking up gangway, what would you expect?
Security watch and I described a gangway in good condition

Get to the masters cabin, 24hr handover what will you check and handover with him/her?
Standard answer, safety and security fam. , certs, vessel certs, then was stopped.
What’s in the safe manning document, what does it say ?
Explained what was on the cert.
what’s the Harmonised system of surveys, what certs does it effect?
Standard answer, streamline surveys.
How do you prepare for a MLC inspection?
Stopped me after I had gathered all paper work and certificates. Vessel certs, Insurances, DMLC 1,2 , Crew certs and SEAS.
Go to the bridge, and second officer wants advice on how to passage plan from cape town to new York.
What advice will you give him ?
Started talking though points and was stopped and asked in questions such as why do you need drafts and stability, what do you need bunker estimated.
I did mention contact company for charter instructions, was then asked where else you would find it? Where would you check for charters instructions?
Charter party agreement.
What’s on a routing chart?
Routes, direction of wind at different times, currents …..
Discussion about safe distances from land and nav hazards.
Loading a heavy lift onto the vessel hatch talk me through the process ?
This was very in depth wanted from start to finish checking crane, load of deck, paperwork, loadcell certs, actually lifting it.
Then loading sulphur into other cargo holds?
I spoke about cargo schedule and IMSBC code and check DG DOC.
Shared screen and showed me chart work symbols, asked me to tell him what they were?
Tidal diamond, VTS reporting point, direction of buoyage.
Unberthing vessel, no wind, 1 vessel forward and 1 aft of it and had a current from bow.
Vessel was right hand screw no bow thrusters.
OOW calls you to bridge Restricted visibility what will you do?
Standard answer slow down, systamiatic radar plot, extra lookout…… MGN 369.

Mid southern Atlantic, have major rudder failure ?
Check for nav hazards, risk assess. Change nav status, safety broadcast,…..
Arrange for towage as there wasn’t any immediate threats.
Heavy weather coming in, now what ?
I said use propeller best as possible to keep heading transverse thrust, and then did say could use anchor to slow you down create drag. Should of asked him first if we had bow thrusters, which at the end I did and he said yes.
Emergency towing how will you do it?
Emergency towing booklet then was asked what’s in it and practical answer of what to do.
What is a angle of loll?
How do you fix a angle of loll?
I ended up drawing a gz curve for loll was easier to explain the steps.
What is laycan, laytime?
What happens if you go over it?
demurrage
What’s a bill of laden?
What is a passenger ship search and rescue plan?
Didn’t no to much on this I said it’s a plan containing what to do in a search and rescue situation.
Mid Atlantic again, plane ditches what do you do?
IAMSAR VOL3 and action as per emergency
Lots of persons in water is this going to change anything?
I mentioned about MRCC to pick most suitable vessel for OSC and to be careful how you transit i.e. slow down so you don’t run anyone over searchlights on.
Training of crew how will you train them ?
Should be trained before onboard and then ongoing training , touched on ISM drill matrix as well.
What is the masters responsibility with regards to pollution?
I spoke about oil record book.
Coming back up the coast of west Africa, concerns?
PIARACY
How will you prepare the vessel for anti-piracy?
BMP5 and practical answer

Restricted Vis
Shared screen, RADAR plot I was told heading of my ship 030, there where dots in the corner and I had to systematic radar plot until the examiner had put out OA, I was told each range ring was 1nm and then asked how to plot the target and what the different lines meant, asked for a rough estimation of CPA , the target was forward of my beam starboard side but CPA was around 2.5nm
I said Risk of collision didn’t exist monitor the situation.
Buoyage.
Random buoys, S cardinal, W cardinal, IALA B Channel to Port , emergency wreck buoy. wanted light and what I would do.

Lights: various lights, FV stopped, FV making way, Tow less than 200m, tow from astern. RAM Tow partly submerged.
I was asked what to do in each situation.
Basically was a few I could go to port for then a few I could go to starboard for. Checking rule 13, 15 and 17.

That was the end of the exam, I was told I passed.

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