Master Mariner Unlimited – Oral Exam

Examiner: Alec Keep

Duration: 1hr 20mins
Experience: General Cargo, Bulk, Heavy Lift
Result: Pass

20 mins comms issues tried retrying the link but didn’t improve matters much. Poor internet
apparently my end but never had issues with internet in the past. Managed to power through.
Asked me about previous experience. He never stopped me when answering questions, I would
speak for as long as I wanted and next questions were usually related to something I had mentioned
in the previous answer.
Alec Keep said he may nod through the exam and that it didn’t necessarily mean I was right, just that
he had understood what I said.
All questions as asked and to best of my memory. Really fair examiner.

1. You mentioned your last ship was 84m why is this significant? Why are there a lot of vessels
that are 84m. (I talked about LSA carriage requirements mentioned no requirement for Life
boat)
2. You mentioned your last ships Gross Tonnage what is GT?
3. What unit is Gross Tonnage measured in?
4. What is Displacement?
5. What is Lightship?
6. What would you expect to find out in the initial meeting with a new company you have
started working for, who would you meet and what information would you get from them?
7. You mentioned the technical department what other information would you get from the
technical department?
8. What is the SMC and Audit period?
9. What is the DOC and Audit period?
10. Who conducts these Audits?
11. How would you prove to Port State Control the DOC is being verified?
12. What are the duties of the DPA?
13. The Master has responsibilities under ISM code what are they?
14. What is the safe manning document?
15. Would you sail if you weren’t complying with the safe manning document?
16. Which convention tells you the certification required for crew?
17. A new OOW joins your ship, he is not from the UK what certification would he require?
18. You mentioned medical certification how do you know if his medical certificate is valid?
19. How would you expect the CO to prepare for a Loadline Survey?
20. Briefly explain the types of Equipment on the Cargo Ship Safety Equipment Certificate?
21. You mentioned Co2 Fixed Fire Fighting what other kinds of fixed firefighting systems are
there?
22. You are planning a voyage from the Gulf of Mexico to Antwerp how will you go about this
voyage?
23. What happens to a vessels stability as fuel is consumed?
24. What different types of charter party agreements are there?
25. You mentioned food and provisions what are the requirements under MLC?
26. You mentioned MARPOL how do you know your vessel is not polluting the sea and the air,
how would you check?
27. Talk to me more about Annex 1 of MARPOL, what would you check how do you know your
vessel is complying?
28. Talk to me about MARPOL Annex 6, Air pollution and ECA’s?
29. You have carried a cargo of Grain. Grain can carry al lot of insects and pests. What would be
done about this and what precautions would you take on your vessel?
30. What checks would you ensure are being carried out on the Food and Fresh Water onboard
the ship?
31. What areas are susceptible to Legionella bacteria?
32. You are on a large Bulk Carrier with a very large Block Co-efficient. What effects on ship
handling would you be considering if navigating in a narrow channel?
33. What would be the signs on a vessel experiencing Squat?
34. You have now Grounded in the Narrow channel the OOW calls you what would be your
actions as Master?
35. You are now going to refloat the vessel what will be your considerations for doing this?
36. You now have a Fire in the engine room, what actions will you take as Master?
37. Talk through Abandoning Ship?
38. Tell me more how the release hook for a davit launched Life Raft works, what are the
different modes of operation?

ROR

1. Who carries out the servicing of navigational marks in Scotland?

2. How about in England?
3. You are leaving Mexico and see this (shared screen IALA B Preferred Channel to Stbd) Explain
and action?
4. Where else in the world uses IALA Region B buoyage? (Had to list every country for this kept
saying where else)
5. Stbd Hand Special Mark, explain and action?
6. Emergency Wreck Buoy, explain and action
7. South cardinal without Top mark, explain?
8. You see it in the Pentland Firth what way would you be going in the Pentland Firth? (E or
West)
9. You are going East what action would you take for the Soth cardinal?
10. Radar plot True trails, Vectors Off, with a PI line set up off of a prominent coastal feature, one
target on Stbd quarter faster than own vessel. Explain the Radar setup.
11. Action in restricted visibility for the vessel on Stbd Quarter?
12. You have already taken all the restricted visibility measures onboard, the OOW calls you and
says he heard a sound signal forward of the beam but no radar target, actions?
13. Lights CBD prob > 50m, crossing from port side, explain lights, shapes, sound signal and
action?
14. Vessel engaged in Fishing stopped underway not making way or at anchor, or viewed from
aster underway making way. Examiner said its outlying gear what would be your action?
15. Vessel RAM <50m underway making way, obstruction on one side safe to pass on other,
viewed from ahead. Explain and action?
16. PDV crossing from port side OOW calls you to the bridge says this vessel isn’t taking any
action what would be your actions as Master?

All the best and Good Luck!