[esailor Team]

Result: FAIL, 1hr 30mins
Examiner: Hawkins, Belfast
He joined on the exact start time, went through standard procedures explaining the exam procedure, if any connection failed either stay in the meeting or rejoin asap. Showed him around the room, and confirmed my identity with signature. No headphones are allowed! Brief introduction about my experience.
Here are as many of the questions I can remember, any notes are specific items he was looking for or what I missed out.
Unless told otherwise you are on a 70,000GT bulk carrier
 Joining the vessel, agent has dropped you off at the quay, what are you going to do?
 Your load line is submerged, why is this, what will you do? I went down the lines of overloaded and rectify, anything else? Dw density. In any case don’t sail until you are are at the correct marks. He was after something else.
 You’re now in the Masters cabin, you have 24hrs to handover, what will happen?
 Tell me about ships certificates?
 Tell me about MLC documentation?
 Tell me about LL certificate?
 Condition of Assignment, what is this?
 What equipment and procedures do you have on board with regards to pollution prevention?
 Planning a passage Rotterdam to Panama Canal, what would you discuss with the 2/O? Load line zones
 You mentioned ice as a consideration during passage planning, charterers have now changed discharge port to a polar region, what are your considerations? Stumbled down a hole of the polar code rather than just basic ice precautions.
 You enter restricted visibility, actions?
 Heavy weather encountered on passage, actions?
 How would you heave to?
 On arrival, berth is not free you need to moor on a mooring buoy opposite berth, flood tide? Done by power point and he helpfully moved the vessel as I explained my actions. I wrongly assumed he was only after my manoeuvring actions, rather than toolbox talks, risk assessments, etc.
 While alongside, police board the vessel and inform a crew member has been smuggling, actions? Investigation.
 Next orders are to load iron ore? What are your considerations?
 What information will you exchange with the terminal manager prior to arrival?
 Your heading to dry dock, no superintendent present, what info will you exchange with dock master?
 Prior to dry dock, what will you prepare in conjunction with C/O?
 About to leave dry dock, C/O informs crew are over their rest hours, dock pushing you to leave? Don’t leave.
 On the way out the channel your vessel runs aground, actions? Don’t forget watertight doors!!!
 Your heading to load timber on deck, what are the dangers?
 Your West Coast S. America, port is notorious for swell, vessel is ranging up and down the quay? Additional moorings, ask for more sheltered berth, proceed to sea if conditions are too bad. He wanted more from this.
 You’ve dropped anchor, what will you put in your night orders?
 En passage you find damage and need to beach the vessel, what are your preparations?
Restricted Vis- One plot, port beam, complete the plot and actions. Showed him the plot via the camera and explained situation
ROR, Lights
– Vessel engaged in fishing making way astern or gear extending >150m
– Sailing Vessel Stbd aspect
– NUC making way port aspect
– Vessel aground more than 50m
– Vessel engaged in trawling not making way
– Vessel engaged in towing, less than 200m, tug probably more than 50, towing alongside seen ahead.
– NUC astern making way/Aground less than 50m – Actions – Determine which by radar assessment.
– PDV more than 50m, stbd aspect
– CBD, more than 50m, stbd aspect
– Vessel engaged in towing, >200m, 2 objects towed, port aspect
All the above consisted of identification, with some collision situations thrown in.
Buoyage – Various buoys, identification and actions from various headings.
Back to more questions:
 Explain ISM to me?
 Magnetic Compass is not in the PMS, what would you include in the job card?
 Your vessel requires fumigating, what is the process?
 What entries go in the OLB?
 Fire alarm goes off in E/R, actions?
 What is a Bill of Lading?
 Some of the Cargo is damaged, can you sign Bill of Lading?
 Explain general average?
 What is towage/salvage?
This is as much as I can remember, overall no complaints with the fail, nothing wrong with ROR just my answers didn’t have what he was looking for on some topics.
Looking back with hindsight, at the time some of the questions were quite vague and I struggled to gauge exactly what he was after, but on paper the questions aren’t too bad. I should have nailed the basic questions and asked for clarification on some questions, which may have cut me some slack elsewhere. Definitely caught be off guard when he put me on a 70,000gt bulk carrier!
Regarding the online nature of the exam, was no problem at all, if anything it gives you a little more time to give an answer. Only thing I would say is it is extremely hard to judge body language and figure out how your answers are being received.
I hope this helps, good luck to all those going up soon. All the best!Thanks to all the team at Fleetwood.

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