[esailor Team]

Name: Sharik Fakih for Master Unlimited
Vessel Type: Bulk Carriers
Surveyor: Capt. Chris Bates
Date: 5th Oct 2022
Result: Pass
Joined the Teams Call 10 mins early and waited for Capt. Bates.
He joined the call at sharp 0900 am and introduced himself. He asked me to move my laptop around to confirm I was alone in room & asked me to Confirmed that I’m appearing for Master’s Oral Exams. He asked me what type of vessels I have served on and I told him I have been sailing on bulk carriers. He then told me that for this orals exam he would put me on a UK registered bulk carrier as master if he needs to change type of vessel, he will inform me & I need to answer all questions from a master’s perspective.
A master needs to demonstrate leadership skills, what type of management style you will practice as master? I will be adaptive to different kind of people and circumstances. What styles are those. Told him about Management by walking about, Laissez-Faire, Autocratic, Democratic, Sports coach what are the pros and cons of each, then I told him about MGN 351 & MCA research on leadership titled “Leading for safety” and what all it says about leadership and qualities like tough empathy etc. (I think he was impressed by this answer)
What is latest M notice on enclosed space, what does it tell you about enclosed space? Told him all I know about enclosed space but he was not happy. what does latest M notice says about enclosed space? I don’t know about it
What is the latest M notice or SI relating to merchant ships and fishing vessels? I told him I don’t know but I can always find out from internet
As master on UK flag ship you are suppose to know. What is latest M notice on enclosed space
Standing Orders for bridge watch? Told him the usual colregs stuff like proper look out, safe speed, calling master, Blackout procedures (MAIB), fitness for duty, engaging hand steering, compass error etc.
What else you want them to do? Complete log books, (then I remembered I hadn’t mentioned about monitoring weather and calling master in case of RV – so I told about that)
What else you want them to do? Take fire and safety rounds and report to bridge.
What else will be in your standing orders? I was totally blank here and told him I can’t recollect at the moment
What about using ECDIS safely? Then I understood what he was looking for so I told him all about plotting manual position, various alarms, safety contour, Radar overlay, using look ahead functions he told me to stop here (maybe he wanted to hear about look ahead function)
How will you load bulk cargo and what documents will you need?
I Started off with SI 336 shippers declaration, its content. IMSBC, I will check if vessel suitable for that particular cargo. DWT calculation, Stowage plan, stowage factor why its important, loading seq plan. BM SF. Notes to master in stability booklet, UKC and air draft at all stages of loading. BM & SF for sea going condition (I think this was my best answer as I had been working on Bulk carriers for past 20 years. 7 of them as chief mate).
What other document will you complete prior to loading?
I understood I had missed ship shore safety checklist and told him so.
What are contents of ship shore safety checklist?
Told him almost everything (he reminded me of terminal regulations booklet very nice of him)
Difference between synoptic, analysis and prognosis chart? A synoptic chart shows atmospheric conditions over a wide area at a given time. OK,
I will share my screen now and ask you questions
• Showed synoptic chart from yesterday
• What is weather like in UK: Cold front, gave him nearly perfect cold front conditions including clouds
• What do you understand by this symbol here: Anti cyclone high pressure area
• How are depressions formed: Gave him verbatim MET office you tube video answer.
• Showed me X band Radar Picture and asked me what is wrong? (Coastal navigation, high range scale, speed and heading marker off, use of AIS for collision avoidance, heading 000 T and COG 038 T, own ship and three other ships with same speed 16.5 knts etc. So there is error in input from GYRO.
• Ok so if Gyro input is wrong what will you do? Check if same errors in other radar or just X band radar. If other radar is ok set it up properly and use that. Meanwhile call ETO to check on it
• What else you would do? Inform Office, Call safety meeting with other watch keepers & C/E, make RA, make CAP (Use other radar, lookout in day time, extra lookout at night) contact class & Flag state as it will affect SEQ certificate ask for dispensation, inform next port agent, pilots and VTS. Raise NC.
• Why not MNC? Thought about it & told him it is MNC but by making CAP I had downgraded it to NC I’m not sure if it was right answer
• How will you review SMS? SMS review for with details and what needs to be changed and send it to company.
• Then what will you do? If company changes SMS they will send update pages and amendment number. Change same in SMS manual, update Amendment log, call safety meeting and explain every one about the changes, make them read understand and sign acknowledgement sheet. Inform auditor at next audit.
• Showed flag NC what is meant by it. Distress signal
• Any other distress signals. Continuous ringing of bell, fire on deck, red parachute, may day on vhf etc.
• Region A stbd hand buoy
• Region A preferred channel to port
• FV crossing from port in TSS at 6 NM
• FV in TSS 150m extending gear in the middle of the TSS lane
• NUC on port side open sea
• PDV on stbd side
• Why will you not cross ahead even if you have sea room
• CBD o’taking own vessel.
Ok Mr. Fakih I’m satisfied with your answers. You meet MCA expectations for masters onboard UK registered vessels. Congratulations you have passed. Just remember to update your knowledge about latest M Notices and SI.
Big thanks to everyone at GMA esp capt. Vinil and Vishnu , esailor team, AB baklulu, CE Dimitri, 2/E chodensky and all my batch mates for group discussions and sharing their knowledge
BEST OF LUCK GUYS for your exams and A wonderful career.

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