[Lorna Baird]

Chief Mate Unlimited
15/03/2021
Examiner: Alec Keep
Sea service on LNG carriers and currently a tugmaster.

The exam started with a discussion about my sea service and the different vessels I had sailed on. The examiner asked the last time I was in college. He mentioned that my NOE showed I had completed the FD route as a cadet which meant I had not completed written exams and therefore this exam would focus on Stability.

1. A photo of a timber carrier loadline marks. Explain why a timber carrier has additional marks and how timber must be loaded to be regarded as reserved buoyancy. Read the draught of the vessel if she was loaded to her summer marks. What is the classification society of this vessel? Describe the functions of classification society and list a few Recognised Organisations of the MCA.
2. What are the main responsibilities of a Chief Officer?
3. You are on a general cargo ship. Describe how you would load a deck cargo of wind turbines in Glasgow, bound for a port in the Eastern Mediterranean.
4. What would you consider in your loading plan?
5. Describe the effect on ships stability when you pick up the cargo using the ship’s own crane from a quay that is significantly lower than the ship’s deck.
6. What checks and tests are conducted on the ship’s crane and how would you know it is suitable for picking up this cargo?
7. What is intact stability?
8. What are the intact stability requirements of a timber ship?
9. What are the intact stability requirements of a grain carrier?
10. What are the dangers of grain cargo?
11. During the passage plan stage what information is found in the tidal stream atlas?
12. When you pass the coast of Portugal how would you know the general direction of buoyage?
13. In the next port the vessel is due a loadline survey. How would you prepare the vessel for a loadline survey? What is the validity of a loadline certificate and who issues it?
14. How often should the vessel be surveyed out of the water? What certificate requires the vessel to be dry docked? How would you conduct an in-water survey?
15. How do you know you have enough crew members on board and that they are adequately qualified? Who issues the SMD?
16. Who requires a Discharge Book? Who issues a Discharge Book and where is their main office? Where is the head office for the MCA?
17. What is the job description of a DPA as per the ISM code?
18. What is the planned maintenance system and what is the SMS?
19. What is AIS and how does it work? How can AIS help you?
20. What is UMS?
21. During your 0400-0800 watch there is a fire alarm for the purifier room. The engine room is UMS. What are your actions?
22. How do fuel purifiers work?
23. The paint on the outside of the purifier room is blistered and peeling. What would be your decision for fighting the fire?
24. What fixed firefighting systems do you have on your ship?
25. How does hi-fog system work?
26. In your next port the lifeboats are due a 5-yearly test. How is this carried out?
27. What are the safety measures on the hook release system to prevent accidently releasing the hooks on-load?
28. What is the propulsion system on your tug?
29. How does Voith-Schnieder units work?
30. You are on your tug and approaching the bow of a large tanker to engage in towage. What are the dangers operating close to the bow of a ship?

RADAR
31. Radar screen – identify the information on the screen (North up, Trails off, True Vectors, PI, effect of current on course, radar rings)
32. Radar plot – vessel overtaking on starboard side. Target distance 3.5 miles in good visibility. What lights would you see?

ROR
33. Using TSS and PDV crossing from stbd side – actions?
34. Open sea – is the vessel crossing or overtaking? (This question threw me off as my ship was viewed port side on, not from the conning position.)
35. Buoys:
a. west cardinal mark dead ahead and with no top mark. Actions?
b. emergency wreck buoy – light?
c. You see a white isophase light – what is it?
36. Lights
a. PDV head on. What is the vertical separation between the masthead lights?
b. Power driven vessel crossing from port. How do you know if risk of collision exists? What are you actions if she does not give way? What does the rules say about the responsibility of the stand on vessel?
c. A vessel less than 50m in length, engaged in towing, length of tow more than 200m, RAM. Crossing from port. Actions? Can you go to port?
d. Can you decide not to follow the rules?

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