[esailor Team]

Tuesday, 23 September 2025
Craig Turner – Master Unlimited
Examiner Tarik Yassin
Result – Pass
Exam Duration – 2hrs 15min
Previous Experience – Passenger Vessels
Logged in 10 minutes early , examiner was waiting
Short introduction – exam started 5 mins earlier than scheduled time
Asked previous experience as usual and laid out the basis of the exam .
I was to treat all questions as Master of a Bulk Carrier , unless otherwise mentioned .
Exam starts:
• Meeting with company prior to joining vessel , who do you want to meet and what
do you want to discuss ? [each topic mentioned the examiner went into further
detail]
• Upcoming audits / inspections / surveys
• Crew nationalities / CEC / CDC / ENG-1 valid issuing countries
• Young persons / ilo hours / hazardous work
• Observations / Non Conformities / MNC = what is each one, how does it
affect the vessel , how long do you have to close each off.
• Trading pattern of the vessel
• Cargo types carried / next cargo – steel coils
• What is dunnage ? What does it do ? Why do we use it ? [very random]
• Securing arrangements for steel coils
• Cargo securing manual contents
• Risk associated with steel coils
• Conduct a voyage between Southampton and Halifax
• Passage plan considerations
1
• Weather considerations
• Loadline limits
• Stability considerations
• Ice limits / ice reporting / unexpected ice / ice accretion
• Debris found mid Atlantic / what do you do / who do you report it to / what is
your responsibility as a master
• Red flare sighted by OOW near U.S Coast / you are called what do you do / who
do you report it too / what regulations state you must attend [where safe to do
so] / what search patterns could you use on approach / what search pattern do
you use if datum known / which publication can help [IAMSAR Vol 3]/ Contents
of IAMSAR Vol 3.
• Port state Control
• What is it
• Who does it apply to
• Describe MOU and its purpose
• How is a vessels risk profile created / where do you find it
• What does port state inspect
• What is initial vs expanded inspection
• Port state inspector notes missing statutory certificate / what will happen to the
vessel / how do you deal with this as master / what is objective evidence / what
is a corrective action plan and how would you make one / who must be
informed .
• MLC
• What is it
• Who does it apply to
• How does a new company get issued mlc certification
• DMLC part 1 – what is it and what is its contents
• DMLC part 2 – what is it and what is its contents
• Who signs DMLC ?
• Key points of MLC
2
• MLC titles
• Validity of MLC / audit frequency
• ISM
• What is DOC , who issues it , validity and inspection regime
• What is SMC, who issues it , validity and inspection regime
• What is an Interim DOC / Validity
• What is an interim SMC / Validity
• What evidence to provide to surveyors for issuance of full term
• Masters responsibility under ISM
• Company Responsibility under ISM
• What is a DPA
• What do I understand as highest level of authority [ref DPA]
• ISM key objectives
• Who does ISM apply to
• Synoptic Chart
• Weather report at a specific point on chart
• Wind direction
• Geostrophic wind speed
• Visibility
• Precipitation
• Pressure
• Weather associated with a warm front
• Weather associated with cold front
• Name all weather symbols on chart
• What is a TRS
• Sings of a TRS
• Draw a TRS [northern hemisphere]
• Discuss dangerous vs navigable semi circle
3
• How do they form
• Certification
• List all statutory certification
• Validity and survey regime for each
• Harmonised system of survey and certification – What is it and name certificates
associated with it
• CSR what is it / how to make amendments / what do you do if you are missing a
form in the sequence , how to get for replaced
• All MARPOL annexes and associated certificates for each annex
• Annex I discharge criteria [name regulation number]
• ORB part I / what is it and who does it apply to
• ORB part II / what is it and who does it apply to
• SOPEP / what is it / who must carry it / contents of SOPEP
• Annex V discharge criteria
• Garbage record book / what is it and who does it apply to.
• Annex VI Special areas / what is an ECA / what are the limits for sulphur
content
• VOC / Incineration in ECA’s , what can you and what can’t you do
• Note of protest vs Letter of Protest
• ACSS and EASS schemes
• Who is eligible
• What certification is covered by who
• What changed in EASS during recent update
• Bunker delivery notes / contents / what to do if there is a discrepancy
• Additional Passenger ship topics
• Crisis management / what is it / who must hold it
• Crowd management / what is it / who must hold it
• Requirements to carry a ships doctor
• Ships security officer role and how it differs to a cargo vessel
4
• COLREGS
• For each describe day shape / sound signal / lights at night / action [each
situation I was to assume I am on a PDV]
• CBD crossing Port to Stbd , own Vessel in lane of TSS
• PDV Crossing TSS , Stbd to Port, own vessel in lane of TSS
• Vessel Engaged in Fishing Port bow crossing ahead [open sea]
• PDV exactly 2 points abaft Stbd Beam [be careful – crossing not overtaking]
• Lights / Smarty Board
• Each light state action / day shape / fog signal
• Vessel RAM , towing – towing vessel over 50m / tow longer than 200m
• CBD – probably over 50m / port aspect underway probably making way
• Vessel aground >50m dead ahead
• Range of visibility of all lights on a 250m vessel
• Arc of visibility of masthead light / sidelight / stern light
• RADAR Plot – Draw out target on Starboard Bow and Starboard Quarter on
plotting sheet
5
• Identify CPA / TCPA
• Action for each target individually
• Action for scenario as a whole
• Action of the other targets
• Describe Rule 19 in own words
• What is safe speed [Rule 6]
Exam ends:
The examiner concluded the orals and began providing feedback for areas of
improvement and areas where more detail could have been provided . Then advised
me I had been successful .
Heavy on PSC / MLC / ISM / Certification , he goes into great detail on these
subjects testing every aspect of them .
However a very fair examiner who was also a nice person, you could clearly tell he
wanted to me pass , guiding me towards answers where necessary .
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