[esailor Team]

Examiner: James Gilbert
August 2023 Exam time: 45 Mins
Vessel Type: General cargo/ Bulk Carrier Result: Pass

1) You are joining your last ship as chief mate, advised you have already taken over from last chief officer, cargo operation about to complete, prepare your vessel for sailing.
2) As Chief Mate on your last vessel on fwd station for unberthing, take me through the procedure and your concerns for safe operation.
He was intereseted in key points like doing a risk assessment, proper housekeeping and lighting, use of COSWAP knowledge.
3) Taking your ship to dry dock, what are your concerns regarding to stability of the ship. Again he was looking for key words like removing FSE, minimum trim , P force and instructions from the docks.
4) In DD you, Bosun and AB entering fore peak tank for inspection. AB goes first, then the bosun on the ladder informs you that AB is lying down. Your actions?
5) AB dead. Actions as chief mate and then actions as a master.
As master he was looking for whom all to report and as a chief mate he was looking for doing an investigation onboard as safety officer and sending the initial report to MAIB.
6) What is your understanding of ISM. Right from Objective to its key points, how it affects you & how it is actually implemented onboard?
Key points: SOCREM, Masters responsibility.
7) Master of 3000 GT vessel at port, outside weather very very rough, your actions?
He wanted to listen about master’s overriding authority.
8) Back as chief mate , taking over watch from 2nd mate, showed me a radar screen which was not properly set up. Actions?
As the vessel was on coastal passage and too close to the coast at 12 nm range with no AIS and ARPA on. He wanted to listen that will not take over the watch and call master.
What all actions will master take? Wanted to hear about merchant navy code of conduct.
11) Vessel departing passing through Narrow Channel, Big container vessel on right ahead of you what are your concerns and action? What other concern relating to narrow channel and Shallow water, how it impacts ships manoeuvring. Wanted to hear about squat and interaction.
12) Vessel is sailing through Dover strait in TSS, C/E calls you & informs big fire in Engine room due to fuel oil leak in M/E. Actions? Told him the standard initial actions right from deviating the vessel to safety, informing VTS and ships in vicinity, making a DSC distress call on ch70. Wanted to hear about the checks made before fire fighters enter for fire fighting, then use of fixed firefighting system in Engine room. Special emphasis on checking SCBA pressure and doing a 2nd muster before the use of co2 release in engine room.
13) Fire extinguished and now vessel without engines at anchor in dover. Whom to call for assistance? Towage or salvage? Difference between towage and salvage.
He wanted to hear that for salvage the ship has to be in distress and peril.
14) 2nd Mate don’t know how to carry out risk assessment, how will you brief him?

No ROR or COLREGS asked

Big thank you to all my friends here who helped me achieve this feat. It was a combined effort of many.
James Gilbert is a very fair examiner. He is looking for key words and precise answers. First few answers if given on point the rest of the oral you can see that he will pass you. Prepare few topics extremely well, namely Taking Over as Master/Chief Officer ISM, MLC, Emergencies, & Dry Dock.

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