Professional Documents
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4. How do you plan a passage from South Africa to South America? Coastal passage
and ocean passage. Rhumbline/composite/great circle.
5. When plotting your courses what all things will you bear in mind?
Take position from norie’s tables
Chart catalogue. Take all charts required. Large scale charts for harbours and approaches.
Small scale charts for ocean passage or to see overall area of passage.
Check if charts are up-to-date.
Calculate the distance between departure port and arrival port including berth to pilot,
pilot to pilot and pilot to berth using the distance tables. Importance of calculating
the distances:
quantity of oil (fuel, diesel, lub)
ETA at various stages, pilot stations and berths availability so as to facilitate easy booking
of pilots, tugs.
Draw the route on the small scale charts to estimate the distances.
Consult Ocean Passages of The World. Provide advice on winds, weather, climate and
seasonal factors, currents, swell, ice hazards and the shortest routes between ports
and important positions. Safe distance to pass any dangers.
Consult routeing charts. Each chart documents prevailing weather patterns-- wind,
currents, wave heights, visibility, surface pressure, sea surface temperature, and ice
caps--for 5o sections of the North Atlantic, South Atlantic, North Pacific, South
Pacific, or Indian Oceans for a given month of the year. In essence, a pilot chart
contains graphic representations of averages obtained from data gathered over man
years in meteorology and oceanography to aid the navigator in selecting the quickest
and safest routes.
Plot courses on the largest scale charts, taking care to keep well clear of dangers to
navigation and to allow margin of safety set by local or company’s regulations and
master’s instructions.
For ocean passage using great circle tracks, plot the courses on gnomonic chart, select the
waypoints along the track and transfer them onto the appropriate mercator charts.
To determine whether to use rhumbline or great circle, refer to ASD or OPTW keeping in
mind:
Shortest route is not always the quickest. For example, great circle sailing leads to higher
latitudes which pass through adverse weather effect and rough sea. Ship will have
problem maintaining course and ends up taking longer time.
Choice of route depends upon climatic conditions, prevailing weather conditions,
currents, proximity to navigational hazards such as ice/offshore activities, draught at
various stages of voyage, availability and consumption on bunkers.
Consult Admiralty Sailing Directions. Provide with recommended routes/tracks.
Consult Ship’s Routeing Guides. Provide important passage planning information and
details of traffic separation schemes for major shipping areas.
Consult ‘Guide to Port Entry’, Admiralty tide tables, NP100 Mariners Handbook.
RHUMBLINE SAILING- The path of a ship that maintains a fixed compass direction,
shown on a map as a line crossing all meridians at the same angle. A line crossing all
meridians of longitude at the same angle.
GREAT CIRCLE SAILING– The path along the arc of the a great circle. If one were to
travel along a great circle, it would be difficult to steer manually as the heading would
constantly be changing (except in the case of due north, south, or along the equator).
Thus, Great Circle routes are often broken into a series of shorter rhumb lines which
allow the use of constant headings between waypoints along the Great Circle.
COMPOSITE TRACK- A modified great-circle track consisting of an initial great-
circle track from the point of departure with its vertex on a limiting parallel of latitude; a
parallel-sailing track from this vertex along the limiting parallel to the vertex of a final
great-circle track passing through the destination.
7. What is SART?
Search and Rescue Radar Transponder.
It is portable and it indicates the its position to search units.
Operation of SART is on (9GHz) and can be interrogated by units operating on 3cm
radar.
Specs of SART is such that it is identifiable at 5nm from operation at 1 metre above
surface. An aircraft could detect at about 40miles because of its increased height.
SARTs are activated by the radar energy of an approaching search unit and starts its own
transmission. First it produces radial line of 12 dots over an approximate 8 mile
length, from a position just beyond the distress position. As the search unit closes the
target to about 1nm, the dots become small arcs changing to concentric circles when
the range closes to a few hundred metres.
Imagine that the image above is your Radar Screen and your vessel is in the middle of the
screen, we then split the radar screen into four quarters
If you're overtaking a vessel "Take the shortest possible route" to get back onto your
original course and go around his stern (Avoid as much as possible crossing ahead of the
vessel your overtaking, this is a very dangerous manoeuvre)
10. In restricted visibility, you spot a vessel 16miles away in any direction, what is
your action?
(d) A vessel which detects by radar alone the presence of another vessel shall determine
if a close-quarters situation is developing and/or risk of collision exists. If so, she shall
take avoiding action in ample time, provided that when such action consists of an
alteration of course, so far as possible the following shall be avoided:
(i) an alteration of course to port for a vessel forward of the beam, other than for a
vessel being overtaken;
(ii) an alteration of course towards a vessel abeam or abaft the beam.
11. What special measures do you take in restricted visibility as per ROR?
(explanation or example)
14. When loading containers o/d from where will you determine how many
containers to load on a particular hatch and if the lashing is proper or not?
I’ll take with me the Cargo Plan and proceed on deck to the bay of the the particular
hatch. I’ll then check that the containers which are colour-coded with respect to the
bay, row and tier of containers altogether on the particular hatch have been loaded.
17. How to plot courses through a TSS with reference to rule 10.
(b) A vessel using a traffic separation scheme shall:
(i) proceed in the appropriate traffic lane in the general direction of traffic flow for that
lane;
(ii) so far as practicable keep clear of a traffic separation line or separation zone;
(iii) normally join or leave a traffic lane at the termination of the lane, but when joining
or leaving from either side shall do so at as small an angle to the general direction of
traffic flow as practicable.
(c) A vessel shall, so far as practicable, avoid crossing traffic lanes but if obliged to do so
shall cross on a heading as nearly as practicable at right angles to the general direction of
traffic flow.
18. What are the advantages of taking all the way off in restricted visibility?
(e) Except where it has been determined that a risk of collision does not exist, every
vessel which hears apparently forward of her beam the fog signal of another vessel,
or which cannot avoid a close-quarters situation with another vessel forward of her
beam, shall reduce her speed to the minimum at which she can be kept on her course.
She shall if necessary take all her way off and in any event navigate with extreme
caution until danger of collision is over.
a) By observing the horizon: Clamp the index arm at 0deg 0min and
holding the sextant vertically, look at the horizon. The reflected
image (in the silvered half of the horizon glass) and the direct image
(in the unsilvered half of the horizon glass) should appear in a
perfect line. If not, turn the micrometer until they coincide exactly.
The reading of he micrometer, On or Off the arc as the case maybe,
gives the Index error.
b) By observing a star or planet: Clamp the index arm at 0deg 0min and holding
the sextant vertically, look at the star or planet. The reflected image and
direct image should coincide. If not, turn the micrometer until they do. The
reading of the micrometer, On or Off the arc as the case may be, gives the
Index error.
c) By observing the sun: Set the index arm at 32 minutes ON the arc. Hold the
sextant vertically and look at the sun, using appropriate shades. The reflected
image of the sun should appear below the direct image. Turn the micrometer
until their closer limbs just touch. Note the reading ON the arc. Next, set the
index arm at 32 minutes OFF the arc. Hold the sextant vertically and look at
the sun, using appropriate shades. The reflected image of the sun should
appear above the direct image. Turn the micrometer until their closer limbs
just touch. Note the reading OFF the arc.
d) The name of the index error (ON or OFF the arc) is the name of the reading
having higher numerical value. For example, reading obtained are 32.8
minutes ON and 33.4 minutes OFF the arc.
During use at sea, index errors up to 3 minutes may be left in the sextant and
allowed for in calculations. If, however, the index error exceeds 3 minutes, it should
be eliminated by carefully altering the setting of third adjustment screw situated at
the base corner of the horizon glass. Altering the setting of this screw may upset the
horizon glass on the other plane, causing side error. Side error and index error
should, therefore, be corrected alternately a couple of times until side error is
completely eliminated and index error minimized, if not eliminated.
20. How many fire pumps are there on your ship? Where are they located?
At least two fire pumps independently driven
One main fire pump and one emergency fire pump
Main fire pump is located inside the engine room. It is powered by ship’s generator and
contained within Class ‘A’ division bulkhead.
Emergency fire pump is located outside the engine room. It has its own independent
power supply.
Designed in such a way that any fire
- Will not put both pumps out of action
- Separate by class ‘A’ division bulkhead
- No passage of smoke between these spaces
- Each (main or emergency) pump should be able to produce 2 jets of water
capable of reaching any part of the ship between two fire hydrants.
5. What is a hydrometer?
6. Why do you use a hydrometer?
HYDROMETER
2) Usually made in polished steel or brass but they may be made of glass
also. A bulb weighted with lead shot or mercury acts to keep the
graduated stem in the vertical position.
3) It works on the law of flotation. The mass of stem, float chamber and lead
shot are constant. If the hydrometer floats in a liquid, then the weight of
fluid displaced will equal to the volume of the hydrometer times the
density of fluid. The density can be determined by practical use of
hydrometer.
4) Errors:
- Temperature error
5) Precautions:
- The sample of water should not be taken from the upper surface, as
this will be probably polluted in some way and will also be at a
different temperature to the water round the submerged hull.
8. What is IAMSAR?
(Attached)
9. Tell about the search patterns of IAMSAR. When they are used?
(Attached)
10. One example when you can use sector search.
(Attached)
12. Bosun is going forward. You ask him what he is doing. He says that he is going
into the fore-peak tank. What will you do?
I will immediately stop him from entering and to report to me.
I will inform him that a fore-peak tank is an enclosed space.
He will need to complete the procedures for entering an enclosed space.
Once completed, a permit-to-work must be approved by Master or responsible person
Also, he cannot enter alone but with a supervision of a competent person and required
number or person as appropriate.
13. What do you understand by working aloft and what are the precautions related
with it?
As per COSWP
15.2 Working aloft and outboard
15.2.1 Personnel working at a height may not be able to give their full attention to the job
and at the same time guard themselves against falling.
Proper precautions should therefore always be taken to ensure personal safety when work
has to be done aloft or when working outboard. It must be remembered that the
movement of a ship in a seaway and extreme weather conditions even when alongside,
will add to the hazards involved in work of this type. A stage or ladder should also be
utilised when work is to be done beyond normal reach.
15.2.2 Personnel under 18 years of age or with less than 12 months experience at sea,
should not work aloft unless accompanied by an experienced person or otherwise
adequately supervised.
15.2.3 Personnel working aloft (above 2 metres) should wear a safety harness with
lifeline or other arresting device at all times (see section 4.10). A safety net should be
rigged where necessary and appropriate. Additionally, where work is done overside,
buoyancy garments should be worn and a lifebuoy with sufficient line attached should be
kept ready for immediate use. Personnel should be under observation from a person on
deck.
15.2.4 Other than emergency situations personnel should not work overside whilst the
vessel is underway. If such work has to be undertaken MSCP01/Ch15/Rev1.01/Page 2
lifeboats or rescue boats should be ready for immediate use. Any such work should be
closely monitored / watched by a responsible person.
15.2.5 Before work is commenced near the ship’s whistle, the officer responsible should
ensure that power is shut off and warning notices posted on the bridge and in the
machinery spaces.
15.2.6 Before work is commenced on the funnel, the officer responsible should inform
the duty engineer to ensure that steps are taken to reduce as far as practicable the
emission of steam, harmful gases and fumes.
15.2.7 Before work is commenced in the vicinity of radio aerials, the officer responsible
should inform the radio room or person in charge of radio equipment so that no
transmissions are made whilst there is risk to personnel. A warning notice should be put
up in the radio room.
15.2.8 Where work is to be done near the radar scanner, the officer responsible should
inform the officer on watch so that the radar and scanner are isolated. A warning notice
should be put on the set until the necessary work has been completed.
15.2.9 On completion of the work of the type described above, the person responsible
should, where necessary, inform the appropriate person that the precautions taken are no
longer required and that warning notices can be removed.
15.2.10 Work aloft (above 2 metres) should not be carried out in the vicinity of cargo
working, unless it is essential. Care must always be taken to avoid risks to anyone
working or moving below. Suitable warning notices should be displayed. Tools and
stores should be sent up and lowered by line in suitable containers which should be
secured in place for stowage of tools or materials not presently being used.
MSCP01/Ch15/Rev1.01/Page 3
15.2.11 No one should place tools where they can be accidentally knocked down and may
fall on someone below, nor should tools be carried in pockets from which they may easily
fall. When working aloft it is often best to wear a belt designed to hold essential tools
securely in loops.
15.2.12 Tools should be handled with extra care when hands are cold and greasy and
where the tools themselves are greasy.
15. What are the lifeboat and liferaft requirements for a cargo ship?
Lifeboat
A cargo ship shall carry one or more totally enclosed lifeboats of such aggregate capacity
on each side of the ship as will accommodate the total number of persons onboard or
one or more free fall lifeboats capable of being free fall launched over the stern of
the ship.
Chemical tankers and gas carriers to be equipped with a self contained air support system
while tankers to be equipped with a fire protected lifeboat.
Constructional requirements:
Have ample stability in a seaway and sufficient freeboard when loaded with its full
complement.
All lifeboats shall have rigid hulls and holed in any one location below the waterline
Every lifeboat launched by a fall or falls except free-fall lifeboats shall be fitted with a
releasing mechanism.
Liferaft
One or more inflatable or rigid liferafts stowed in a position providing for easy side to
side transfer at a single open deck level and of such aggregate capacity as will
accommodate the total number of persons onboard. If not stowed in such a position
then the total capacity on each side shall be able to accommodate the total number of
persons onboard.
Where the horizontal distance from the extreme end of the stern or the stern of the ship to
the nearest end of the closest survival is more than 100m shall carry in addition to
the liferafts, a liferaft stowed as far forward or aft, or one as far forward and another
aft as is reasonable.
General requirements:
Capable of withstanding exposure for 30days
Can be towed at a speed of 30knots in calm water when loaded with its full
complement
Shall have a canopy which is automatically set in place when the liferaft is launched
and is waterborne (the canopy shall have insulation from heat or cold; provided
with at least one viewing port; means for collecting rain water)
No liferaft shall have a carrying capacity of less than 6 persons
Fittings on liferaft:
-lifelines around the inside and the outside
-painter of length equal to not less than 10m plus the distance from stowed position
to the waterline in lightest seagoing condition or 15m whichever is greater
-a manually controlled lamp (white) at the top of the liferaft
-a manually controlled lamp inside the liferaft
23. Now after the collision water is coming inside your ship. What is happening
to your ship?
Ship is in danger of sinking. Stability affected. Loss of reserve buoyancy.
27. IALA
28. If you see a new buoy that is not on the chart or ASD or anywhere, how will
you know about the danger of the buoy?
A new buoy out of no where would mean that it is a new danger such as a veesel has
just sunk or a new wreck underwater. If there is more than one buoy around it or the
buoy is duplicated, it would mean that the danger is grave.
43. MARPOL special areas. You are the OOW and the 3rd engineer wants to
discharge oil. What’s your action?
Annex 1 special areas:
NW European waters including North sea, Irish sea, Celtic sea, English channel and
part of NE Atlantic immediately to West of Ireland
Baltic sea
Black sea
Mediterranean sea
Red sea
Gulf of Aden
Gulfs area
Antarctic area (Lat. 60 degrees South)
Machinery spaces
Discharge of oil outside special areas (400GT & above):
Proceeding enroute
Oil mixture processed through an oil filtering equipment
Oil content of effluent without dilution not exceed 15ppm
Oil mixture does not originate from cargo pump room bilges on oil tanker
Oil mixture, in case of oil tanker, is not mixed with oil cargo residues
Discharge of oil in special areas:
Same as above except that the oil filtering equipment should be equipped with
alarm arrangements to indicate when <15ppm cannot be maintained and
automatically stopped when oil content of the effluent exceeds 15ppm.
In Antarctic area, discharge from any ship shall be prohibited.
44. List a fixed fire fighting equipment (CO2) and portable fire extinguishers
requirements. (Requirements for fixed CO2 system attached)
Fixed fire-extinguishing systems comply with FSS code:
A fixed gas fire-extinguishing system
A fixed high-expansion foam fire-extinguishing system
A fixed pressure water-spraying fire-extinguishing system
Fire-extinguishing systems using Halon 1211, 1301 and 2402 and perfluorocarbons shall
be prohibited
Steam as a fire-extinguishing medium in fixed fire-extinguishing systems shall not be
permitted. It shall be used only in addition to the fixed fire-extinguishing complying
with the FSS code.
Machinery spaces containing boilers shall be provided in addition:
At least one portable foam applicator
At least 2 portable foam extinguishers, one of which of at least 135 litres capacity with
hoses on reels to reach any part of boiler room
A receptacle containing at least 0.1cubic metre sand, sawdust/soda, shovel or
alternatively a PFE.
PFE comply with FSS code:
PFE in accommodation, services spaces and control stations shall be of appropriate types
and number to satisfaction of the Director/Administration.
Spare charges shall be provided for 100% of the first 10 extinguishers and 50% of the
remaining fire extinguishers capable of recharged on board. Not more than 60 total
spare charges.
For those cannot be recharged on board, additional similar PFE shall be provided in lieu
of spare charges.
One of the PFE shall be stowed near the entrance of space intended.
Carbon dioxide FE shall not be placed in accommodation space. In control station and
other spaces, FE of non electrically conductive nor harmful to the equipment or
appliances
Ships of 1000 tons and upwards shall carry at least 5 portable fire extinguishers.
45. Where can you find the FFA requirement of the ship? Not in form C or E.
I can find it in Fire Control Plan which contains:
46. Your chief cook tells you that there is smoke coming from galley, what is your
action? MOST IMPORTANT head count!
Galley fire.
Immediate actions to be taken:
Sound the fire alarm
Call Master and notify engine room
Reduce speed
Muster crew
Establish communications
Check for missing and injured crew members
If an engine room fire, prepare for engine failure
On locating the fire, notify all onboard of that location
Subsequent actions:
1. Assess fire and employ proper fire-fighting techniques:
class of fire
appropriate extinguishing agent
appropriate method of attack
How to prevent the spread of fire
The necessary personnel and fire-fighting methods
Close down ventilation fans
All doors including fire and watertight doors and skylights
If traffic allows bring vessel in a direction of wind so that spread of would be reduced
Communications:
1. Make ship’s position available to radio room/GMDSS station, satellite
terminal or other automatic distress transmitters and update as necessary
2. Broadcast DISTRESS ALERT and MESSAGE if the ship is in grave and
imminent danger and immediate assistance is required otherwise broadcast an
URGENCY message to ships in the vicinity.
48. What is a stowage plan? What is the difference between cargo plan and stowage
plan?
Working stowage plans are drawn up to assist in advance planning. Master plans
definitively document the positioning of containers on board. The bay-row-tier
system follows a system of numerical coordinates relating to length, width and
height.
The plan shows the location on the ship of every bit of cargo and every container as well
as the port where it will be unloaded. The plan is very complicated and is usually
worked out using computer programs. Container ships in port will often exchange
some but not all of their containers. Some containers will remain and new containers
will be loaded. To work out the cargo plan the cargo planners must make sure of the
following things.
53. What is hogging and sagging? How will you prevent it? How will you get to
know about it?
Hogging describes a beam which curves upwards in the middle, and sagging describes a
beam which curves downwards. Hogging is the stress a ship's hull or keel experiences
that causes the center of the keel to bend upward. Sagging is the stress a ship's hull or
keel is placed under when a wave is the same length as the ship and the ship is in the
trough of two waves. This causes the middle of the ship to bend down slightly, and
depending of the level of bend, may cause the hull to snap or crack.
Prevention is by altering ship’s course. In port, at time of loading, prevention is by
distributing cargo weights evenly throughout the whole ship.
Watchkeeping officer should be aware of the frequency of waves. It is highest in the
middle (amidships), and occurs when the hull is bridging 2 waves (sagging or positive
bending). Another situation is when a wave is supporting the hull amidships as if the ship
was riding a wave (hogging or negative bending).
54. How will you know that your ship is following the IMO intact stability criteria?
Final KG= Final moment / Final displacement
55. How do you get the final moment and final displacement?
Final displacement can be calculated by adding lightship and all the cargo weight and
other things OR against draft from the ship’s hydrostatic tables.
1. When taking over the bridge equipments what will you check? He wants to listen
about the familiarization of the equipments and about the operational manuals.
2. At port how will you determine that your ship is stable at all times? He gave an
example of two ships A & B. Ship A loads 50 containers under deck and 50 on
deck. Ship B loads 90 containers u/d and 10 containers o/d. Tell which one is
stable. You will have to tell him about the shift of COG and explain everything.
He is very particular about it.
7. If you are in fresh water loading cargo, can you load above the summer load line?
If yes, why and how much.
37. SOPEP
Shipboard Marine Pollution Emergency Plans
51. How will you load IMDG containers? IMDG code, all 9 classes and 4 segregation
types.
HYGROMETER (A)
2) Principle: Used for measuring relative humidity and dew point temperature
in air, with the use of a table. Because of capillary action, the muslin
always remains damp. If the atmosphere is dry, rapid evaporation takes
place from the muslin. Since evaporation causes cooling, the wet bulb
thermometer will show a much lower reading than dry bulb thermometer.
3) Precaution:
The larger the wet bulb depression, the drier the air. The smaller the
depression, the wetter the air. When there is no depression, the air is
said to be saturated.
- Insufficient evaporation taking place from the wet bulb due to dust,
salt or other impurities on the muslin or due to no water on the muslin.
3) The frame is held horizontal and using a dropper, one drop of distilled
water is made to fall on the muslin to make it damp.
4) The frame is then whirled in open air for at least two minutes before
reading off the wet and dry bulb temperature.
5) By entering the meteorological tables with the dry bulb reading on one
axis and the wet bulb on the other axis, the dew point temperature or
relative humidity is obtained.
6) Advantages:
- quick reading
- accurate
ANEROID BAROMETER
‘Aneroid’ means without liquid. A sealed chamber made of very thin metal having a
partial vacuum inside it, is connected by a system of and springs to a pointer fitted
over a circular, graduated. This thin metal has an elastic effect. If the atmospheric
pressure increases, this chamber get s compressed and the inward movement of its
wall is transmitted mechanically to the pointer which then registers a higher reading
on the scale.
i) Index error – is very likely and is caused by the imperfect elasticity of the
chamber. I/E should be checked every month and compared with Precision
Barometer or ship’s Mercury Barometer. Before removing this error, it
should be corrected for height above the sea level. If the error is to quite
large it can be eliminated by a small adjustment on the back of the
instrument using screw driver.
ii) Height error – is necessary to convert the reading to that at sea level.
Precautions:
ii) Tap instrument before reading, tap the face of the instrument lightly to
release any ticking of levers or pointers due to friction.
TANKSCOPE
3) Scale 0% to 100%
7) If the meter shows more than 2% hydrocarbon gas present then continue
purging with inert gas. Stop purging when % of hydrocarbon is less than
2%then commence gas freeing. After the tankscope measures less than
1%, use explosimeter. Once the explosimeter shows less than 1%, the
space is safe.
EXPLOSIMETER