Important Past Questions

Question 1

What is the functional requirements of the SMS?

Answer 1

SOCREM
S- safety and environmental policy
O- operational instructions and procedures to ensure safe operation and protection of marine environment
C- communication lines, levels of authority in the company
R- reporting accidents and non-conformities
E- emergency procedures
M- management reviews and audit procedures

Question 2

What are the objectives of ISM code?

Answer 2

3 P’s

To Prevent harm to People, damage to Property and Pollution of the marine environment

Question 3

What are the ISM code certificates?

Answer 3

Document of compliance - for the company. Valid for 5 years, initial, annual and renewal. Always surveyed by the MCA.

SMC - safety management certificate. To certify vessel complying with the companies sms.

Question 4

What surveys is the Safety management certificate subject to?

Answer 4

Initial, annual (internal), intermediate, renewal and any additional that may be required

Question 5

What certificates are required for MLC compliance?

Answer 5

MLC certificate.
Also company must have a certificate of financial security.

Question 6

What’s the difference between the DMLC1 and DMLC 2?

Answer 6

DMLC 1 is a list of all the requirements set out by the flag (MCA) as minimum standards which a vessel is to meet.

DMLC 2 is made by the company as a response to part 1 outlining all the measures taken in order to comply.

Question 7

You are joining a new company and new ship as CM. What are you expecting?

Answer 7

Expect to meet company managers such as DPA, crewman mg coordinator, superintendent. Shown any vessel specific procedures for safety and cargo equipment.
Talk about plans and future growth and company benefits.

Question 8

What are your actions as a CM when you’ve been called to the bridge and the vessel is heavily listed?

Answer 8

Stop cargo ops
Call master
Get a full appreciation of cargo status
Work out if list or loll
Double check for any ballasting operations
Check vessels p/s moments on lodicator

Question 9

What is fresh water allowance and what is dock water allowance

Answer 9

Fresh water allowance is the change of mean draft in millimetres when vessel passes into fresh water from salt.

Dock water is change in the vessels mean draught in millimetres when passing from salt water into a dock water density

Question 10

What surveys are given to class?

Answer 10

Load line, safety radio, safety construction & all MARPOL

Question 11

How do you correct an angle of list?

Answer 11

Reduce any port/starboard moments. Relocate any cargo closer to CL

Question 12

How does the company get awarded a DOC?

Answer 12

•flag inspection of comp
•issued a interim DOC(6 months)
•MCA audit issues full DOC
•Annual audit
•renewal audit

Question 13

How does the ship get issued a safety management certificate?

Answer 13

-interim SMC for 6 months
-initial audit by MCA
-issue a full SMC (5 years)
-intermediate audit
-renewal audit
(Company to go internal audits annually)

Question 14

What equipment must we have for atmosphere testing?

Answer 14

Equipment capable of measuring concentrations of oxygen, flammable gases or Vapor’s, hydrogen sulphide and carbon monoxide

Question 15

What’s the atmosphere limits for enclosed space entry?

Answer 15

Oxygen: at least 20%
Flammable gases: nil
Carbon monoxide: 20ppm 8 hrs
Hydrogen sulphide: 5ppm 8 hrs
Toxic gases: less than 50% WEL

Question 16

What are your actions for an enclosed space rescue?

Answer 16

-sound the alarm
-clear adjacent space to entry
- Muster all crew and rescue party
- evaluate situation and implement rescue plan
- always one attendant to stay by the tank entry
-reach the casualty and check their airways and breathing immediately
- get casualty removed from space asap unless gravely injured and can’t be moved

Question 17

What’s the most recent statutory instrument?

Answer 17

SI 2024/637. Carriage of cargo regs.
Implements the latest version of chapter 6 of SOLAS. This relates to cargo and fuels of oil by ships on international duty

Question 18

What do we have on board for the ISM code?

Answer 18

Safety management certificate & a safety management system.

(A doc in the office)

Question 19

What surveys does the safety management certificate have?

Answer 19

Initial,
Intermediate,
Renewal
Additional

Question 20

Why would the shipper give you for info about the cargo?

Answer 20

Cargo information form,
Includes name, cargo group, imo class,
UN number, quantity of cargo offered, stowage factor, trimming procedures,
Angle of repose, certificate of moisture content, TML,

Question 21

What are the dangers and precautions for coal cargo?

Answer 21

Prevent liquidation by checking moisture content.

Can present a flammable atmosphere so on board gas detectors available.

Coal Cargo can be self heating so proper trimming to prevent air flow and often monitoring of emissions

Corrosion is accelerated so any water in bilges monitored and build up pumped away. Imsbc says all vessels should have ability to test PH levels

Question 22

How do you recover from an angle of Loll?

Answer 22

Vessels centre of gravity must be brought down. The vessel may add more weight lower down on the vessel. Special care to be taken with FSE.
Correct to the low side to begin with.

Question 23

How do you know how much cargo you can load and how much you have loaded?

Answer 23

By doing a bunker/draught survey to get an accurate vessels tonnage.

Question 24

What is P force?

Answer 24

An upthrust when the vessel makes contact with the blocks. Vessel experiences a rise in centre of gravity as centre of buoyancy reduces as water leaves the dock.

Question 25

How do you escape the dangerous quadrant of a tss north hemisphere?

Answer 25

Keep the wind on your starboard bow and make best speed. Alter course to starboard as the wind veers.

Question 26

How long is a safe manning document valid for?

Answer 26

Does not have a period of validity. Is not surveyed.

Question 27

Vessel port side too, right hand fixed pitch propellor, wind pushing you on, how would you get off the berth?

Answer 27

Firstly evaluate and plan. Consider tugs.
Check if there’s any tide.
State that stern will lift to stbd when going astern.
Check the outboard side is clear.
Check inboard side that there is no tide movement.
Single up to forward spring.
Have the rudder hard to port.
Go dead slow ahead to begin lifting stern
Take spring off.
Go half astern to continue lifting stern.
Once clear of the berth alter to head down the river.

Question 28

Where would you find guidance on the ism code and vessels that have been laid up?

Answer 28

Msis 2.

Hot lay up over 12 months the SMC is invalid. 3-12 needs to be revalidated.

Cold lay up over 3 months SMC invalid.

Question 29

How do you calculate FWA? And what is it?

Answer 29

FWA = summer displacement % 4xTPC

Its the Mm the vessels mean draught changed when passing from salt water into fresh or vice-versa

Question 30

What is DWA and how do you calculate it?

Answer 30

Dwa= fwa x (1025 - RD) % 25

Its the amount the vessel can load deeper in dock water to allow for the vessel to decrease draught when in salt water

Question 31

What’s your actions when you’ve been called to the bridge and the vessel is listed during cargo ops?

Answer 31

Stop cargo ops.
Get an understanding of the situation.
Call the master.
Do tank soundings,
See if the ballast system is working.
Check on the lodicator that the ship isn’t at loll.
Go about correction procedures with special reference to height of centre of gravity.

Question 32

Actions when two ABs have been fighting?

Answer 32

Medical treatment if needed.
Seperate them.
Gather evidence.
Master reviews evidence.
Make an entry into the log.
Give them notice of a disciplinary hearing.
Give them chance to admit and have right to be heard.
Chose actions.