Chief mate oral exam questions

QUESTIONS ASKED BY EXAMINERS IN ORALS: FUNCTION-1 1. WHAT ASPECTS WILL YOU KEEP IN MIND AS C/O, WHILE PLANNING PASSAGE BETWEEN TWO PORTS? 2. HOW DO YOU TAKE NOON SIGHT? WHAT WILL YOU DO IF THERE ARE CLOUDS COVERING THE SKY AT MERPASS TIME AND EVEN DURING THE EX-MERIDIAN TIME LIMIT? WHEN CAN YOU USE ‘INTERCEPT’ & ‘LONG BY CHRON’ METHODS? 3. HOW DO YOU TAKE STAR-SIGHT? HOW DO SELECT STARS FOR TAKING SIGHT? (TELL ABOUT INTENSITY & LOACTION OF STARS & ANGLE FORMED BY STARS AT OBSERVER) 4. WHAT INFO. IS AVAILABLE IN ALAMNAC ABOUT STARS? 5. HOW DO YOU RESLOVE COCKED-HAT? 6. WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO CHECK, WHEN PLOTTING GPS POSN ON CHARTS? (V.IMP-BOTH SHOULD BE ON SAME DATUM) 7. WHAT IS THE PRINCIPLE OF GYRO COMPASS? (PRECESSION & GYROSCOPIC INERTIA). WHAT ADJUSTMENTS ARE DONE ON GYRO COMPASS WHEN CROSSING FROM ONE LATITUDE TO ANOTHER? 8. ERROS OF GYRO COMPASS. 9. MAINTENANCE OF GYRO COMPASS AND MAGNETIC COMPASS. 10. HOW WILL YOU TAKE ERROR OF MAG COMPASS, IF YOUR GYRO HAS FAILED?(WITH THE HELP OF VERGE RING GRADUATIONS ON GYRO REPEATER & MAG COMPASS, CORESSPONDING MAG. HEADING CAN BE READ AND ERROR CAN BE CALCULATED.) 11. WHAT IS SAFE SPEED? WHAT IS R.V.? WHAT IS R.A.M. VESSEL? (ANSWER GIVEN IN RULE-3 & 6) 12. VARIOUS ROR SITUATIONS AND IALA BUOYAGE SYS.? WHAT IS FREQ. OF Q.Fl? 13. DE_script_ION OF ROR DAY- LIGHT SHAPES? (BALL,DIAMOND,CONE). 14. WHAT IS WEATHER ROUTING & IS IT MANDATORY? 15. WHAT IS ROUTING CHART? 16. Wx. ASSOCIATED WITH TRS? AVOIDING ACTION? FAVOURABLE CONDITIONS FOR TRS? WHAT IS DANGEROUS QUADRENT AND WHY IT IS CALLED DANGEROUS QUADRENT? 17. CAUSES OF OCEAN CURRENT AND TWO EAMPLES OF EACH TYPE OF CURRENTS? 18. SYNOPTIC AND ANALYSIS CHARTS. 19. ETA ON TANKERS. 20. BEACHING PROCEDURE? 21. WHAT PRECAUTIONS YOU WILL TAKE, WHILE APROACHING HIGH LATITUDES? 22. WHAT IS BTM? HOW IS IT HELPFUL ON THE BRIDGE? FUNCTION-2

1. GRAIN LOADING- WHOLE PROCEDURE (HOLD PREP, PLANNING OF LOADING, CURVE OF VOL. HEELING MOMENT, DOA, STABILITY ASPECTS, SECURING METHODS) 2. DRAW TIMBER LOAD LINE. CAN YOU USE TIMBER LOAD LINE, IF LOADING CARGO INSIDE HOLD? 3. IMDG CODE- LATEST EDITION, CLASSES, DRAW THE LABLE OF CLASS-8 & 7, WHAT IS STOWAGE & SEGREGATION, DOCUMENTS REQD. FOR CARRYING DANGEROUS GOODS, HOW DO YOU LOAD GOODS OF CLASS-1, DAGEROUS GOODS MANIFEST? 4. WHAT IS LOAD DENSITY, STOWAGE FACTOR? 5. WHAT IS MATE’S RECIEPT, FUNCTIONS OF B/L, CARGO MANIFEST? 6. WHAT IS ‘CODE OF SAFE STOWAGE & SECURING’ AND ‘CARGO SECURING MANUAL’? NAME VARIOUS MOTIONS OF SHIP (NAME THE SIX MOTIONS). 7. DRAW DIAGRAM OF UNION PURCHASE. 8. BC CODE- ANGLE OF REPOSE, HOW DO YOU LOAD IRON ORE, COAL? HAZARD OF SULPHUR? 9. CONTAINER SHIP- INFORMATION ON CSC PLATE, WHAT IS THE FUNCTION OF CHECK DIGIT AND HOW DO YOU CALCULATE IT? 10. WHAT IS MAIN HAZARD ASSOCIATED WITH WOOD PULP? (VOLUME EXPENSION WHEN WET). WHAT IS THE PREFERABLE LOCATION FOR STOWAGE OF WOOD PULP? 11. HOW DO YOU LOAD REEFER CONTAINERS? WHERE SHOULD THESE CONTAINERS BE FACING? 12. HEAVY LIFT LOADING PROCEDURE. YOU HAVE CARGO GEAR OF 100T SWL, CAN YOU LOAD A 100T HEAVY LIFT?( KEEP IN MIND THE WEIGHT OF SHACKLES, SPREADERS, SLINGS ETC. IN NO CASE, YOU CAN EXCEED 100T) 13. WHAT ARE THE LATEST CHANGES IN ISGOTT? WHICH IS THE NEW EDITION? 14. EXPLAIN THE DILUTION AND DISPLACEMENT METHODS ON OIL TANKERS. 15. WHAT ARE THE CERTIFICATES CARRIED ON TANKERS? 16. WHAT IS CHAIN REGISTER? WHAT ENTERIES ARE MADE IN CHAIN REGISTER? 17. HOW DO REPORT AN ACCIDENT CAUSING INJURY TO DOCK LABOUR? 18. WHO IS A COMPETENT PERSON? WHAT ARE POWERS OF INSPECTOR? FUNCTION-3 1. WHAT ARE THE DUTIES OF C/O AS PER STCW’95? 2. WHAT ACTION YOU WILL TAKE AGAINST A SEAMAN, INVOLVED IN AN OFFENCE AGAINST DICSIPLINE? 3. WHAT INFO. DO YOU GET FROM CAPACITY PLAN? 4. WHAT KIND OF LIFEBOATS SHOULD BE THERE ON BULK-CARRIERS? (SOLAS AMNDT.) 5. HOW WILL YOU CLEAR A FOUL ANCHOR?

6. WHAT IS GROUND TACKLE? 7. WHAT ARE THE ENTERIES MADE IN ORB? 8. WHAT IS THE USE OF ‘SHORES’ IN DRY DOCK?

Function 1 How will you ascertain that your RADAR is working properly out at open sea? Why does gyro becomes unreliable in high latitude? On bridge 3/o tells you that deviation of magnetic compass is high? What will you do as mate? How will you make deviation card at sea? What is LRIT? Does the ship automatically transmit LRIT information?

ROR Cards: dredger, towing vessel (identification, action??) Situations: power driven vessel crossing from your stbd. Side, open sea, clear visibility Power driven vessel crossing from your stbd. Side, open sea, Restricted visibility Power driven vessel crossing from your port side, TSS, restricted visibility Which was your last trading area? What season will you expect in Arabian Sea in the month of June? What about the weather in South China Sea? How will you ascertain and monitor weather? Signs of TRS; Which is the dangerous semi-circle? Function 2 Loading on a tanker; tanks loaded to 70%; Port informs the ship to leave berth due to forecast of heavy weather. Master wants to know the GM of the vessel? How will you find the GM of the vessel? How will you load grain? Hazards of concentrates; Stability of RORO vessels; LNG cargo; loaded passage; how the boil off of the cargo is controlled? Gun tackle, how is it used on ships; advantage or disadvantage Function 3 What all certificates does a ship require to carry? Preparation for loadline survey; Requirements for ETA; draw the forward ETA arrangements; What is the provision given for preventing the chafing of the chain? Mooring: how will you berth the ship with following current? Which will be the last line to cast off for a ship at berth, having head current? Capt. R. Sagar: What are the recent changes in ISGOTT?

Function 1: ROR Cards: towing vessel-RAM, Cardinal marks Situations: restricted visibility, crossing situation, overtaking situation Rules 6 & 10 What is VTS? From where to obtain information; TRS: signs, associated weather avoiding action Ocean currents: East of north America Function 2: Load density, stowage factor, capacity plan, Grain: stability criteria for ships with DOA Contents of IMDG supplement; how to refer it; Concentrates: hazards; how to determine that which cargo shall be classified as concentrate or grain; What are salient features of SOLAS ch.12; additional safety measures for bulk carriers; How to refer trim-tables, deadweight scale; Function of B/L; Function 3: Preparation for SEQ survey (pilot boarding arrangements; flags) Oil record book entries Duties of C/O on board; Foul anchor, with submarine cable- action; hanging off anchor; Passing towline to disabled vessel in calm seas and rough weather; SOLAS requirements for ETA on oil tankers; Oil overflowing during cargo operation- action as OOW; Preparation for dry dock-stability; A.B. slaps O.S.-action as chief mate; Mantra for first shot:

Self confidence, clarity of mind, common sense, co-operative