Name: Jefferson Surveyor: Capt. ter Date: October-2014 Outcome: Passed Time: 1 Hour He asked me about the ships that I have done. I have a wide variety of ships but tankers were my main topic. So he started off with; What are the Hazards associated with Tankers? Fire, Tank explosion, Lack of O2 in the tanks, Slips, trips and falls due to pipelines running on Deck. What are the measures taken to prevent Fire hazards on board tankers? Inside the tanks – Inert Gas On Deck – Fixed Fire fighting system (My ship had low expansion foam) What are the constituents of Inert Gas? (Refer to ISGOTT for this answer. The percentage has been clearly mentioned) Nitrogen – 80-82% Carbon Dioxide – 12-14% O2 – 2-4% Other gases What are the requirements for O2 content in Inert Gas? As Per SOLAS, less than 8% in the tanks. (He wants to hear this) As per ISGOTT, less than 8% in the tanks and less than 5% in the lines. Draw and explain the Flammability Diagram. (He will provide you with the paper). For this diagram refer to ISGOTT. I drew the diagram which is there in the college handout. It’s up to you which diagram you understand better. BRIDGE INSTRUMENTS He sets up all the instruments before taking your orals. You just have to explain it to him. 1) Mason’s Hygrometer: What do you get from this? From the Dry bulb – Temperature of the atmosphere From the Wet bulb – Humidity of the atmosphere Humidity: It’s the amount of water vapour present in the atmosphere The difference between the Dry bulb and wet bulb reading gives you the depression of the Wet Bulb. This you use to calculate the Dew Point. For calculation of Dew Point, refer to the Mariner’s handbook (NP 100) On the X-axis you have the dry bulb reading and the Y-axis you have the depression of the wet bulb. Where both the readings meet you get the dew point temperature. What is dew Point? The temperature at which the air becomes saturated, which means it can’t hold any more water vapour. What’s the purpose of Dew point? You come to know if you have to ventilate your cargo holds or no. Please read about Ship’s sweat and cargo sweat here. 2) Aneroid Barometer: What does it give? It gives the atmospheric pressure at Mean Sea Level (MSL) Do you have to apply any Corrections to it?
Yes, Index Error and Height of Eye. Where will you get the Index error correction? On the card put up on the bulk head next to the Barometer What do you do to the Height of eye correction? You add it to the barometer reading. Why? Because pressure decreases with increase in height. Since we want the pressure at mean sea level, we add the height of eye correction He will ask you to take the reading. Make sure your line of sight is correct. He places the dummy needle and then sets the actual reading needle. You have to tell him that when I come on my watch I will set the dummy needle on the present reading. After 3 hours I will check the reading again. If the actual reading is to the left of the dummy needle it means the pressure is falling and we are heading for an area of bad weather. If it’s to the right then we are heading into an area of good weather. 3) Barograph: What does it give? It gives the barometric tendency in graphical form. (He wants to hear the word Barometric Tendency) What’s the difference between barometer and barograph? Barometer – Pressure reading in Numerical form Barograph – Pressure reading in Graphical form What is Barometric Tendency? The change in the atmospheric pressure in the last 3 hours. 4) Marine Sextant: What is it used for? It is used to calculate the altitude of Celestial objects as well as the HSA and VSA (He wants to hear HSA and VSA) What do you get from it? You get a position line. Errors associated with the Sextant. He asked me about Index Error. (Please understand the ON the arc and OFF the arc reading. I had made a mistake in taking the reading) CHART ASSESSMENT: He asked me a few chart symbols: Wreck dangerous for surface navigation Tidal diamond Racon. What is the circle around the Racon? It means the Racon is radar conspicuous. What is the working principle of Racon? (He has been asking this question often lately) The answer is once the Racon has been intercepted by a radar beam it activates and prints the assigned Morse Code on the radar Screen. In my case it was Morse Code C (_._.) Can you use this chart for navigation? No, because it’s not corrected. How will you correct it? Check the bottom left hand corner of the chart for corrections. Pick up the last correction and go to the Cumulative List of NTM and see the correction. Check what correction it is and ensure if it has been made on
the chart. Cumulative List gives the Corrections for the last 2 years and is published twice in a year - January and July Then I will refer to the weekly NTM to check if any recent updates to the chart have been received. If yes then I will make the corrections and then go to the Chart Correction Log and Folio Index (NP 133A). Enter the year and the correction number against the chart Number. Will you place your reliability on the Chart even if it’s corrected? No, I will check using other means as well. Now this Chart is corrected, can you use it for navigation? No. Because it has been mentioned that you cannot use it for Navigation. He asked me about Traffic Separation Line, Zone and General direction of traffic flow. Then he placed my vessel in the ITZ(Inshore Traffic Zone) and another vessel is following the general direction of traffic flow on my port side. (Both are power driven) Action: As per Rule Number 15 : Crossing. In this case I took the wrong action. But he let me go. You are the stand on vessel and the other vessel is the give way vessel. She will take action. I told him that I will take all my way off. Which is wrong. The other vessel will give me way. Next he asked me I am a newly joined 3rd officer how will I go about? For this refer to BPG Checklist No.1 Familiarisation of Bridge equipment I will read the hand over notes of the relieving officer I will ask him about the passage plan and the next destination, ETA, LSA/FFA etc. I am a Newly joined 3rd officer in Singapore and the vessel is sailing to UK. What are the things that you have to look for? In the Malacca Straits – High traffic density In the Bay of Bengal – Bad weather Indian ocean – Bad weather, Piracy Fishing vessels in the close proximity, etc. LSA/FFA I was only asked about the Launching of the Lifeboat. His question was the Master wants to perform the Abandon ship drill. What will you do? First of all I will raise the alarm. Wear my lifejacket and the appropriate PPE. Wait to be relieved either by the Master or an appropriate certified Officer(Do not forget to say this) Take the portable VHF Radio whiles going to the Muster Station Once at the Muster station, check the communication with the Bridge Once all the crew are mustered, take a head count of the same and make sure they have donned the life jackets properly. Check the lights and whistles. Brief them about their duties Once all the crew are familiar about their duties you carry out a proper risk assessment as per COSWP Chapter 1(he wants to hear this)
Then I will send 2 crew members to put the Fall Preventer Device(FPD – he wants to hear this) Make sure the crew are wearing the proper safety harness and it is secured to a strong point. Then I will send 2 crew members inside the Lifeboat. I told him that in my company the procedure is to ventilate the lifeboat for at least 5 mins before entering. One crew member will check the engine and try it out and the other will close the drain plug. Make sure the power connection is removed. Remove the gripes. Make sure that no crew member is near the gripes as this could hurt or injure someone. After all this is done inform the master that lifeboat is ready for lowering. Secure the painter to a strong point. Remove the railings Check over side to see if it is well clear. Lower the embarkation ladder Instruct the winch man to lower the lifeboat at an even speed. The crew embark the lifeboat through the embarkation ladder. Once in the water, release the hydrostatic interlock lever. The hooks will open. Reset the lever and make sure you are clear from the hooks. Take a round and manoeuvre the boat under that falls. Attach the recovery strops hanging from the suspension link to the suspension gear. He wants to hear about the recovery strop.. Rest follows from the yellow book.. (RECOVERY OF THE LIFE BOAT) ROR Situations: He gave me a situation in the Traffic Separation Scheme. I am a vessel with Speed 10kts. Another vessel on my stern 15kts. I am the OOW, please take action. I told him about Rule 13 – Overtaking, First line. He told me that other vessel is not taking action. I told him I will give 5 or more short and rapid blasts on the whistle to draw her attention and inform Master. (Please do not forget to say Inform master or else he will say you are giving answers as if you have come for Master’s orals) The he told me that the vessel overtook you on the STBD side and once she was ahead she altered course to port. For this situation, Rule 13 part D applies which says that any subsequent alteration in the bearing between the 2 vessels does not make the overtaking vessel a crossing vessel within the meaning of these rules and relieve her of her obligation of keeping clear of the other vessel until she is finally past and clear. (Just quote him this line and he will be satisfied) After that he told me that the vessel crosses ahead of you and stops. You are heading straight into her. Take action. I told him I will give one short blast and make a broad alteration to STBD and inform the VTS. Next Situation TSS I am a power driven vessel coming out from the ITZ and I see another PDV on my port side.
As per Rule 15 Crossing she takes action. First of all I will take a series of compass bearings to determine if risk of collision exists Then I will navigate with caution. I will maintain my course and speed. Next Situation I am a PDV coming out from the ITZ and I see a vessel with a black cylinder(CBD vessel) on my port side. Take action I will take a series of compass bearings to determine of risk of collision exists. Then I told him the definition of CBD from Rule 3. In this case even though she is on my port side she is a CBD vessel which means I have more options to manoeuvre. In this case she becomes the stand on and I become the give way. PLEASE REMEMBER THAT IF YOU QUOTE THE RULE WHILES TAKING ACTION HE WILL NOT MAKE IT TOUGH FOR YOU. HE JUST WANTS TO HEAR THE RULE. AND REMEMBER ALSO THAT RULE 18 DOES NOT APPLY IN A TSS. BLIPS He gave me the Radar Plotting Sheet and told me that my vessel is doing a course of 040o at a speed of 6 knots. And he placed a blip on the circumference of the radar plotting circle on my Starboard Quarter. So I told him that this is just one blip. From this I can derive the bearing and range of the target. I also told him that it can be a false echo and quoted Rule No. 7 that assumption shall not be made on the basis of scanty information including radar information. Hence to determine the characteristics of the target I need 2 more blips in a line at equal intervals of time. So he placed the other blips and gave me ‘W’ and told me to complete the OAW triangle. I placed it and explained the situation to him. It was an overtaking situation. He asked me how did I come to know if it was an overtaking situation. This you can determine by the length of the vector. She is doing more speed. Hence she is overtaking. So he told me to take action. I told him as per rule number 19 I will avoid altering course towards a vessel abeam or abaft the beam. So I will alter course to Port since she is overtaking me on the Starboard side. He asked me what will the other vessel do. I told him she can overtake from any side. (This is what he wants to hear that the vessel can overtake from any side). Once he heard this he removed the radar plotting sheet. Make sure that you’ll answer as per the situation and have full regards to the rules. If he finds that you are doubtful in your answer he will put another situation. Buoyage He placed the buoys in line and kept my vessel at the start of the exercise. Please make sure to ask him which region. Do not make the mistake of asking him if I am inbound or outbound. I did this mistake but he ignored it. He told me that looking at the buoys you can make out. Later I saw that there was a Red lateral port hand mark(can). This indicated that it was Region A. He made it simple for me. He told me just to tell him the name of the buoy and how I will pass it. No rhythm or light fitted. Not even top marks.
I wish you’ll good luck. All the very best!!
