Colreg.net

Location : Newcastle MCA office

Date / time : 22nd Jan ’10 / 1330 hrs -1500 hrs/2nd attempt

Mani Zacharia v/s Capt. Graham

Result : Pass

Experience : Bulk carriers/Tankers : Crude

I arrived at the building early and was called in to the exam room by about 1320 hrs. I was asked to show my ID and why I was here from Glasgow ?

I was given an MAIB report- It was about a container ship coming out of berth and running aground in the channel in restricted visibility. I cant remember exactly where it was , but I think it was in Felixtowe. I was asked to go through the report and note down the major points and as a Master what I would have done differently in the same situation.

- Would I have taken the vessel out in the given scenario ? I said yes, since the vessel had 2 tugs to assist and the passage in the canal was less than 5 miles. Also VTS had advised vessel that all other vessel movements were adjusted inorder for my vessel to transit without any other traffic movements.

- What advise would I have given the bridge team ? regarding passage planning what precautions ? what is the role of the pilot ? Whose decision is it whether to take the vessel out or not ? what instructions to duty officer and helmsman? Would you have anybody standby fwd , what advise to them ? what is the position of anchors ?If I decide to keep the tugs, what all dangers with tugs (interaction, girding) ? What passage plan and contingency plan already planned ? what is contingency plan ? What advise to a new 3rd officer? Standing orders- what advise to officers before taking over watch for the first time ?

- Now vessel aground, actions, reporting and emergency actions . Now oil pollution , what actions, reporting ? SOPEP- what is SOPEP, What certificates do you have on board regarding MARPOL Annex-1 . What are the different surveys for the same ?

- Asked me , what checks I would carry out before taking over a laid up vessel , regarding the magnetic compass . what are the corrector spheres for and what coefficient.

- How would you sign on a polish chief officer and a british chief engineer. What is CEC, validity, medical fitness certificate validity. Different articles and crew agreement.

- Now told me that I was on a modern container ship and what sort of fire fighting arrangement would I expect a container ship to have ? Where to find information on the same. What documents do you require before you can carry DG cargo. What certificates do you require to have ? What basis for certificates-regarding construction, FFE ? What emergency response plan on board ? Now fire detector on bridge giving alarm for no.1 hold , actions , will you put water into the hold ? reactions with cargoes ? info on the same ? different types of fire detectors ? Would you sent your men inside to fight a fire if DG container located in the bottom of the hold ? Where would you expect a DG Container to be stowed on board ? How to tackle the fire, what PPE on board- he was looking for chemical suits basically.

- ISM responsibilities of Master ? How to motivate the crew ? C/O reports that 3rd Officer is useless during drill ? what action would you take ? what could be the causes ?- Basically looking for ISM .3 rd Officer complains that C/O has assaulted him on deck while on port watch – what actions, where to look for it ? what are the ways to go about the warnings .

- ROR- CBD vessel crossing from port bow, own vessel in TSS lane. Actions, what if I was on the CBD vessel, If it was RAM vessel instead of CBD ?Rule 18 or rule 9,10 which has precedence, various factors.

- One green light on your port quarter ? which vessel ? what actions ? Rule 18 responsibilities ? which is give way and stand on ? Rule 13 or 18 which is predominant ?

- One west cardinal mark right ahead –identify, top marks, heading south, actions ?

- Restricted visibility rule, explain. Gave me a radar plotting sheet with true and relative vectors of two vessels, one on stbd beam going up and another on stbd quarter overtaking. Identify the situations, actions invidual vessel scenario and both vessels.

Once I gave him the answer for the above, he told me you have passed and stamped my NOE. He signed it and congragulated me. With God’s grace I had cleared my exams and was a relieved man. He asked me regarding joining back .

Many thanks to, Mr. V. Gupta, Mr. John Mac and all the other faculty and the batch mates who had helped overall in the preparations.

The college notes, lot of reading esplly Seamenship examiner and MGN’s , ROR (cockroft) and buoyage is required . Confidence is all that matters out there and once you can show it the exam is almost passed unless you make a mistake in ROR or buoyage. All the very best .