[原创]船长大副英文面试问题及参考答案

[原创]船长大副英文面试问题及参考答案 船长/大副英文面试问题及参考答案 船长是船上最重要的职位，也是各方面要求最高的职位。船东在面试船员时对船长的考核最 认真，最浪费时间，也是最复杂的。作为一名合格的船长，不但要求有丰富的海上工作经历、 娴熟的船舶驾驶技术，更要有很好的商务操作能力、领导管理能力、极佳的个人人品、 强大的人格魅力和感召力。还要勤于动脑、身体力行，在所有船员面前树立典范。船东在进 行面试时，往往提问船长的问题最多，也最复杂，考察的时间也最长。提问船长的问题涉及 到国际安全管理规则、安全管理体系、船长资历、船舶管理、各种具体商务和技术问题等等。 下面收集了一部分面试试题，供广大面试船长参考。其中的部分问题，不但船长必备，其他 干部船员，尤其是大副也必须看，轮机长也应该参考一下。 1. Can you tellme about your education background? Please refer to an Master’s self-introduction in Part One of this book. 实事求是，最好告诉人家在某个学校学了 多长时间，最好也要告诉人家你接受某些社会的情况，谦虚好学毕竟是一个美德嘛。 2. What is aclassification society? What is the purpose of classification survey? Pleaselist some famous classification societies in the world. A classification society is usually an independentorganization that carries out classification surveys, statutory surveys,surveys related to notarial matters for ships, offshore installations, marinefreight containers, materials and marine equipment. It also provides safetymanagement certification services to shipping companies and their ships. Thepurpose of classification survey is to evaluate the situation of a ship and themanagement of a company and its ship. Some of the famous classification societies are: NK(Japanese 日本海事协会),CCS(Chinese classification society), ABS(American), DNV(Norwegian), SL(BritishLloyd 英国劳氏), GL(German Lloyd 德国劳 氏), KR(Korean), RINA(意大利船级社)。 3.Can you talk about the previous vessels worked on board? Please refer to an master’sself-introduction in Part One of this book. 实事求是，若没有做过，千万 不要伪造。并且服务簿、书面以及你口头介绍的资历的一定要一致，特别是时间、 船型、航区、吨位、船员情况、外派公司、船东及租船公司情况，因为你是船长，应该对自 己管理的船有非常深的印象。 4. What type of cargo was carried on boardyour last vessel? 曾经在什么船上工作过， 运过什么货物也是船东非常关心的问题，因为船东在考虑把他的一条船交给你时，对你是运 过某种他们的船舶载的货物非常关键。因为你只有运过某种货物，才对这种货物的特性、装 卸时需要注意的事项、运输中需要注意的事项有所了解和经验。其实，你如果运过某些货物， 你也应该说出来。 下面提供几种货物的名称，供参考: Bulk cargo: cement, cementclicker, nickel, ore, iron, sand, phosphorus rock, potash in bulk, salt, grain,pet coke, coal etc. General cargo:vehicle, loader, wagon, heavy lifts, over-length cargo, mine equipment, steelconstruction material. Other: log,plywood, container, and so on. 5. Where was your last vessel’s trading area?Which ports have you called? I have richexperience in calling the ports in the US, some developing countries and in thepassage through the Suez Canal, Panama Canal, and Denver Strait, and DenmarkStrait. Some useful expressions fortrading areas: 全球航线ocean-going, world widely, globally, worldwide; 固定航线 fixedroute. 6.Can you tell me the differences between the Chinese stateowned shippingcompanies and foreign shipping companies? Basically, in my opinion, there are not big differences at all. It seemsto me that foreign owners are more concerned about the master’s overridingauthority on board while the Chinese shipping companies tend to ask their localagents to do more for the vessel. Another major difference between them is thatthe Safety Management System of the Chinese companies is in Chinese and theworking language on board is Chinese. What’s more, most of the Chinese ownersuse the CCS for classification while foreign owners may use differentclassification societies. 各个国家的船公司都有自己的特点和特色。至于您如何回答这个问题并不重要， 关键是不要妄自菲薄;试想一下，如果中国的船东一无是处的话，我们中国船员的素质又会 如何。 7.In case of cargo damage, for example, before the vessel arrives at thedischarging port, you find the quality of the surface cargo has changed, howwould you handle it? I have to look intothe reason and volume of the damage first, and then I’ll contact the owner ofinstruction. In the event of small quantity of grain, I shall just throw itinto the sea to avoid disputes. Or I will follow the owner’s instruction tocontact it’s the P & I correspondent or local agent for their advice. If necessary, I’ll prepare a Sea Protest toclaim that the ship owner and the crew have exercised their due diligence. 关于货损方面的处理程序，各个公司都有相关的操作和程序文件， 上面只是一般的处理原则。 8.How do youunderstand the Master’s overriding authority under emergency situations? If the situation and time permit, the Mastershould always report to the company first before taken actions. However, whenthe ship is in immediate danger, the Master shall exercise his overridingauthority and take whatever actions necessary in dealing with an emergencysituation in order to protect the safety of the seafarers, the cargo, thevessel, the port and the environment without considering too much the demandsof the ship owner and the charterer. Nevertheless, the Master should report tothe company in detail what has happened after the event. 9.Can you tell me about your experience as a Captain? Hints: Your experience may include such things as the duration you haveworked as a Captain, the places or ports you have ever been to, the types ofvessels you have ever served, the types of cargo you have ever experienced, thetypes of cargo you have ever experienced, the management styles on the vessels,and so on. Please also refer to chapterone for more detailed answers. 10.What is the Master’s StandingOrder? It is basically the Master’s ownset of instructions and orders for the vessel’s operation. The contents mayinclude the watch-keeping duties for the officers, when to ask for order fromthe master, the port entry procedure, and how to deal with emergency situationslike oil pollution, fire disaster, collision, grounding, as well as when tocall the master to the bridge, and so on. For special vessels (tanker, LPG orcar carriers, etc.) the standing orders may have some more contents. The Standing Order is normally found on thefirst pages of Deck Log Book and in the Bridge Order Book. Besides, somewarnings shall be prominently posted on the bridge and read and signed by allduty officers. 11.How do you understand the importanceof keeping good and harmonious relationship with the Chief Engineer and otherOfficers and Engineers? Withoutharmonious relationship with the Chief Engineer and the other officers andengineers, the Master cannot manage the ship well. But how can the Masterachieve it? First of all, the Master must have close contact with thedepartment heads because the daily management is delegated to them although theMaster himself is responsible for the overall safety and personnel management.Secondly, the Master himself must know his job well and know when to do what andhow. Thirdly, the Master should be very strict in himself in discipline andbehavior. Fourthly, he should be fair in job assignment, pay distribution andother daily management. But if someone on board breaks the Master’s order orthe rules on purpose, the Master’s order or the rules on purpose, the Masterwill have to penalize the offender and can consider firing him according to theprocedure of the ship owner. 这是一个考验船长管理能力的问题，可能不同船长有不 同的管理经验和办法，但是船东希望船长在这方面有较好的办法。有些船长在回答这类问题 时，会不假思索地说:“I will dismiss those who do not listen to me”。我们这样的 和船长未免太霸道了。上述答案只是笔者个人见解，公供参考。 12.Did you have the experience ofworking with foreign crews? Yes, I haveworked on four ships of mixed crew from China, China Taiwan, Philippine,Vietnam, Russia, South Korea, Japan, Burma and Ukraine. 实事求是。但是，外派资历是外国船东很看中的事， 如果你有很好的外派资历，可千万不要错过让船东知道的机会。 13. How doyou differentiate the Chinese crews and the Philippine crews? Or how do youlike the Philippine (Korean, Vietnamese, Indian, Burmese, Ukrainian, Russian,British etc.) seamen? I had theexperience of working with the Filipino crew. The Filipinos are mostly veryprofessional and obedient. Sometimes they are also demanding in terms of wages.As a whole, they are very nice seafarers. 在回答这类 问题时，切忌把其他国家的海员说得一无是处，如果你认为人家什么都不是的话，那么很难 想象你在未来的工作中能和人家配合发。何况，不论哪个国家、哪个文化的人都有好人和坏 人。要尽量说出人家的长处。船员队伍本来就很国际化，在一个类似“联合国”的工作团队 里，能和不同国籍的、不同文化的、不同性格的人相处，显得十分重要。 14. Canyou tell me about the companies you have worked for? What are the differencesamong these companies? The company Ihave worked for the past ten years is a state-owned company. It is a goodcompany. But the management of the company is, in some ways, different fromforeign shipowners companies. 实事求是。同样，也 不希望你过多地贬低你曾经工作过的公司，因为既然你憎恨所有原来的公司，你也可能会憎 恨你即将服务的新公司。而事情往往是，在船东认为，公司和船东发生冲突时，并不见得你 公司的问题，也许是你本人就不适合在原来的公司工作。 15. How isa passage/voyage plan made on board ships? What materials do you need to referto when you make such plans? Usually, apassage plan should be made before a new voyage starts. The Master should givethe Second Officer the sailing instructions and his intentions on the sailingroutes and before the Second Officer prepares the draft plan. Then the Masteris supposed to check it very carefully. If something wrong is found in thepassage plan, the Master should ask the Second Officer to correct itimmediately. If nothing is wrong about the draft, the plan shall be ratifiedand implemented. When the Second Officeris making the draft plan, the Master should help provide some importantinformation sources for the Second Officer, such as the port entry guidance,the sailing directions, lists of lights, tidal stream tables, deep draughtvessel planning guide, the IMO ship route guidance, government and portauthority’s regulations, pilot charts, notice to mariner, weather information,and the voyage plan and so on. TheMaster should ensure that the plan covers “berth to berth” area in thepassage. And the Master should help the Second Officer to select the bestsailing route that will save fuel and time, and avoid bad weatherconditions. 16. Canyou describe the preparation procedures before entering the US ports? First, I must check all the certificates forthe vessel and the seamen to make sure all the necessary certificates areavailable to deal with the customs clearances, the sanitary checks and otherport checks. In addition, I must prepare such publications as currentlycorrected navigational charts, US costal pilot guide, light list book, lightlist book, tide tables, US inland rules of navigation, and recent notice tomariners. Forty-eight hours prior toentry to a US port, I shall conduct the following emergency steering drills andlog them into the record books: operation of the main steering gear fromsteering compartment, communication between bridge and steering compartment,and alternative power supply. I shall also inform the Qualified Individual ofmy arrival. Twenty-four hours beforearrival in a US port, I shall notify the USCG of my ship’s arrival. Twelve hours prior to arrival in a US port,the following equipment shall be tested and recorded in the log book: primaryand second steering gear, internal control communications and alarms,standing-by emergency generator, and main propulsion machinery. Drills are also the priorities of mypreparatory work. Usually, the port authority of the US pays special attentionto the drills. So boat drills, fire-fighting drills and other drills must becarried out before entering into any US port. Sanitary situation of my ship is another consideration. Proper disposalof garbage on cy ship and anti-pollution devices examination are veryimportant. All in all, much more careshould be taken before entry into any US port than in the ports in othercountries. 美国是世界上海事立法最多，也是港口检查最严格的国家之一，熟悉美国有关海事立法和港 口国检查要求对一名船长来说非常重要，这也是船东特别关注的问题。 17. Didyou encounter any problems during PSC inspections in the US ports? No, I have never met any big problems becauseI always made good preparation before my vessel called at the US port. Eachtime I was able to go through the PSC inspections smoothly. Or you can say: Yes, I once had a problem during PSCinspection in a US port. The ARPA couldn’t be activated since the power supplywas out of work. The USCG only allowed us a few hours to repair it. To theirsatisfaction, the ARPA was back to normal after only one hour. Luckily wedidn’t have any fine imposed on us. I understand from this experience that goodpreparations in advance are very important. Even if there is a problem, I willask my crew to rectify it in the least possible time. 18. Howshould the pre-departure seminar be conducted in the port? According to my experience, a safety meetingshall be held prior to departure and some of the issues like theun-berthing operation (including the deck and engine room), important cargo & hulllashing check, stowaway check, cooperation with the pilot and other engineering(technical) matters should be discussed at the meeting. 19. Whyshould the Master always be aware of the actions being taken by the pilot? Well, it’s because the presence of the piloton the bridge does not relieve the Master from taking any measures necessary toassure the safety of the ship and marine environment. If he finds that thepilot’s orders are doubtful, the Master has to clarify the orders immediately.When necessary, the Master shall command the ship’s navigationhimself. 引航员在船引航时并没有解除船长和船员对于船舶安全的责任是ISM 体系特别强调的一点，船长应该熟知并让每位船员熟知。 20. Whatshould the Mater do if he is unsure about his legal standing in a foreigncountry or a strange port? He mustcontact the company at once for advice. He should also, if necessary, consultthe local correspondent of the owner’s P & I and thelocal agent of the ship who can provide advice and assistance. 绝大多数 船东希望远在海上的船员能及时和船东沟通，并把一些解决不了或不是很明白的问题及时向 他们报告。当然，和船东公司在各个国家和港口代理的沟通也十分重要。 21. Whatshould the Master do if the figures of the loaded quantity are abnormallydifferent from those on the bills of lading? The Master should report the case to the ship owner as soon as possible.At the discretion of the company, the Master should prepare and send a Latterof Protect to the notary surveyor or terminal/port authority under theinstruction of the ship owner. In such case, the Master should also requirefurther measurements and calculations and calculations to be made. 22. Whatcontents are shown on the Bill of Lading if the ship is loaded with bulkcargo? Usually, the following items areshown on the Bill of Lading (B/L): measure, quality, quantity, condition,contents and valve unknown etc.. Different companies may have different formatsfor their respective B/L. A B/L consists of three original copies that have thesame legal validity. The first copy the consignee shows will deny the validityof the validity of the other two copies. 23. Do youknow the insurance coverage provided by a P & I Club? A P&I Club is a non-profit association ofship owners that provides mutual insurance against maritime risks. It coversthe risks that are not covered by the Hull Insurer, such as personnel illnessand injury, cargo damage, collision with another vessel, stowaways andrefugees, damage to fixed or floating objects, pollution and so on. 24. Couldyou explain what the SOLAS 74 and MARPOL 73/78 are? What is the relationbetween SOLAS 74 and ISM Code? SOLAS isthe International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea. It is the mostimportant international convention on the safety of life at sea made and passedby IMO. The ISM Code is listed as Chapter 9of the SOLAS 74. It is to ensuresafety of the ship, the seamen, the port and the cargo, as well as the marineenvironment. MARPOL 73/78 is theInternational Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution. This is themost important international convention on the protection of marineenvironment. 几个国际公约的名称，特别是全称应该了如指 掌。对公约主要条款更应该知道。现在，ISM CODE因列为SOLAS公约第9章而变成强制性 执行的公约，对ISM CODE的目的、主要内容尤其要有比较深入的了解。 25. Priorto a ship’s departure, what tests should be made and logged in the Ship’s LogBook? Some of the key test to be donebefore sailing: a) Steering gear test b) Ship’s clocks andengine telegraph tests and harmonization c) Interval, external and portablecommunication equipment test d) The whistle and navigational lightstests e) Relevant electronic position-fixing equipment (ARPA, RADAR, GMDSS) test f) Any other tests that the Master thinks necessary 26. Howoften at least should the Emergency Steering Drill be held? It should be held at least every threemonths. But actually, the more often the drill is done, the better. But before entering into some ports, forexample, in the US where PSC inspections are very strict, it is very importantto have drills prior to entry. 27. How doyou maintain the minimum under keel clearance (MUKC) when the vessel is duringpassage, in fairways and inside ports? During the passage, the MUKC should be at least more than 20% of loaddraft; in fairway, 10% of load draft; inside the ports, 10% of load draft, oras regulated by port authority. 富余水深的多少因不同 的船、不同的港口、不同的航区的规定而异，但是，为了确保航行安全，船长应在心中有大 致数字。 28. Whatare the Master’s responsibilities on garbage disposal? The Master shall ensure that the posters witha summary of regulations on garbage disposal at sea is clearly displayed in theship’s galley, on the information boards and in any other places where garbageis collected prior to disposal. The Master shall discuss the subject ofshipboard garbage management with the crew at safety meetings. The Master shallcheck the garbage disposal situation on board thoroughly from time to time. TheMaster shall also nominate a specific person in charge of the garbage disposal. 29. Canyou describe the garbage disposal procedures on board your last vessel? How didyou classify the garbage on board? Foursteps should be followed: collection, processing (separation), storage, anddisposal. The garbage can be dividedinto three kinds: Plastics and plasticmixed with other materials Food andaccommodation waste Other garbage thatcan not be disposed in the sea, e.g. , plastic and plastic materials. 垃圾的处理涉及到防污染问题。各个公司的ISM手册对于垃圾的处理都规定了非常严格的程 序。垃圾当然也有明确的分类，如有的公司要求把垃圾分成三类、有的分成四类、有的分成 六类等。船东主要看备选船员在防污染方面是否重视。因为一旦给某些港口造成污染，船东 是会受到重罚的。 30. Whatare sensitive cargoes as defined by the P & I Club? The cargoes that are particularly susceptibleto moisture for sensitive cargoes. Special attention is required for sensitivecargoes. The P&I Club defines the following cargoes as sensitive cargoes:cement , grain, and sugar and so on. 31. Beforethe commencement of each voyage, which parts of the vessel should bechecked? Cargo holds, hatch coves,ventilation system, tank-top, hold lighting, fire fighting and detectorappliances, bilge ,sounding pipes, air pipes, cargo gears (hooks, grabs,slings, wires) and the relevant machinery should be checked carefully in orderto ensure seaworthiness of the vessel. After the checks, the checklists shallbe filled or records shall be kept. 32. Pleaseexplain the meaning of “SOPEP”? What contents should be included in theSOPEP? SOPEP means Shipping OilPollution Emergency Plan and it should contain the following: (1) Procedures to be followed bythe Master or other persons in charge of the ship to report and oil pollutionincident. (2) Authority orpersons to be contacted in the event of oil pollution. (3) Detailed description ofactions to be taken immediately by persons on board to reduce or control thedischarge of oil following incident. (4) List of oil spill response equipment and materials to bemaintained on board. (Removers, sprayer, oil absorbent, saw dust, sand, wasterags, scoop, shovels, buckets, bamboo brooms, portable pump, protectiveclothing, portable containers). Simplyspeaking, SOPEP should include such things as the emergency contacts (telephoneand other means of communication, address, etc.), the equipment used in dealingwith oil pollution, the muster list in the oil pollution, and the reportprocedure when the accident happens, etc. 33. Whatpreparations should you make before entry into a port? (1) To gather the necessaryinformation on the state and destination port authority requirements related topilotage, berthing, customs clearance and port quarantine inspection, etc. (2) To make sure of an orderlyslow-down of the main engine, and ask the duty officer to give ETA and the timethe ship is expected to be on maneuvering speed to the duty engineer. (3) The main engine is to betested in the astern mode and the Master should know that in some countries(e.g., in US), before entry into port, entire test of the navigationalequipment and main engine is required. (4) To ask the duty officers to ensure that the right flags,signals, or lights are shown. (5) To facilitate the machinery maintenance, the Mastershould give the C/E an indication of ETB and ETD immediately after the arrivalat an anchorage or berth. 34. Whatshould a Muster List include? What kinds of Muster List did you have on thelast vessel? A Muster List shouldinclude the following points: (1) Details of emergency alarm signal (2) How abandon ship order willbe given (3) Substitutes forthe key personnel who may become disabled (4) The boat to which each person belongs and duties to beperformed in an abandon ship situation (5) The specific group to which a person belongs and generalduties during various emergencies (6) Any additional or specific duties (7) Specific assembly point ofeach group The Muster Lists must beready before a ship sails. We had thefollowing Muster Lists on board the last vessel; General emergency, firefighting, fire in the engine, emergency steering, abandon-ship, man overboard,oil pollution station. 35. Whenyour ship is involved in an oil pollution incident, whom do you report itto? According to the ISM Code andMARPOL, the incident should be immediately reported to the nearest coastalState, and the ship owner without any delay. A report should also be submittedto the flag state. 36. Do youallow cargo discharge without being shown the B/L? Definitely no. The B/L is the legal evidenceof the cargo’s owner ship. However, the cargo can be discharged if theconsignee shows a Letter of Indemnity approved by the ship owner confirming theauthenticity of the documents. 37. How doyou understand shipboard training? It isa very important thing on board. Routine training on safety of the vessel, thecargo, and the seamen should be carried out periodically. Training to newjoiners is also important. They should be briefed on emergency procedures,anti-pollution, safety equipment familiarization, ship operational training andworking kills. 38. Howcan you maintain a balance of interests between the ship-owner and thecharterer? Well, this is a difficultquestion. My opinion is that the owner’s interests should always beprioritized. But you know, sometimes the Master is under heavy pressure fromboth the owner and charterer. My experience is that the charterer’s interestsshould be taken good care of without hurting the interests of the owner and thecrew. 船长可以根据自身的经验和体会来组织这个问题的答案。但一 般而言，船东希望既能和租船公司建立良好的关系，又能维护船东的利益。因为船长拿的是 船东的工资，但船东拿的是客户(租家)的钱。 39. Whatdo you know about the internal and external audit? During the internal audit,how will you cooperate with the auditors? Usually, the internal audit is carried out once or twice a year inaccordance with the owner’s SMS manuals. It is under the charge of theDesignated Person (DP), or at the discretion of the DP. After receiving audit notice from thecompany, the Master should hold a pre-audit meeting with the officers andengineers after receiving the audit notice. The Master should make sure thatthe best cooperation is provided to the auditors of the company and thedocuments to be audited are well prepared. The external audit is carried out by the professional auditors from theClass. If major non-conformities, non-conformities and observations are foundeither in the internal or external audit, the ship should make rectification inthe stipulated time. 40. Canyou briefly describe the hand-over procedure between the outgoing Master andthe relieving Master? Usually, thehandover procedure is as follows: First,the outgoing Master should prepare a handover report as per the company’shandover procedure and checklist. Second, the outgoing Master should prepare a handover memo to beattached to the report. The followingshould be the highlights in the handover procedure: Documentation, communication (the means tocontact all related persons and companies), bridge equipment, stores andaccounts, personnel, ship maintenance and conditions etc. Besides, it is alsovery important to give the relieving Master a clear idea of the personal, thelocal agent, the port and some other information that are not written in thechecklist. Try to fill in all the check lists at the presence of bothMasters. 41. Whatis the relationship between the Master and the Chief Engineer? Or what kind ofrelation should the Master and the Chief Engineer have? The Master is the No. 1 leader of the ship,responsible for the whole vessel and the Chief Engineer is one subordinate ofthe Master. The Chief Engineer is full charge of the engine department. TheMaster gives the Chief Engineer full power to manage his department. In themeantime, it is also important for the Master to offer support and help to theChief Engineer in his implementation of duties. Anyway, smooth cooperation andharmonious relationship between the Master and the Chief Engineer is veryimportant to the safe operation of the vessel. 船长和轮机长的融洽的关系非常重要，但船长对船舶安全的绝 对权威不能有任何折扣。船东希望船长既能和轮机长处好关系，又能够树立的管理权威。 42. Whatshould the ship’s Night Orders include? How often do you prepare the Night Orders?Do well-prepared Night Orders mean you can have a good sleep? The ship’s Night Orders should include suchinformation as sailing courses, anti-collision warning, some precautions, watchkeeping point, dangerous cargo orders, sailing warning in special areas etc.the Master should prepare a Night Order every night before he goes tosleep. Even I have well prepared nightorders, I shall still be on high alert when the vessel is sailing in some dangerousareas (i.e. areas with low visibility, some narrow straits, along the seacoastand the pending arrival at the port, etc.) 这是一个船东非常关心的问题，因为这涉及到船舶的行驶安全，船长必须能熟 练说出。 43. Whennew crews come on board, what training will you offer to them? First, I will get them familiar with thewhole vessel, including the equipment, the personnel and documents. Second, Iwill ask them to get familiar with their respective duties. Third, I will getthem trained on the safe operation and emergency procedures and so on. 新上船员的培训既要符合国际规则的要求，也要符合公司体系文件的要求。此外，船长也要 根据情况安排相应的培训内容。 44. Whatare the three grades of bulk carriers according to their size? Generally, they are classified into threetypes: Handy size, Panamax size and Cape size. The Handy size bulker is lessthan 60,000 tons in deadweight tonnage. The Panamax size bulker is between60,000 to 70,000 tons, usually carrying usual cargoes such as coal, Bauxite (铝土矿), Borax (硼砂), Cement,Grain, Tapioka, Copra (椰子肉)，pellet, Lime Stone and so on. The Cape size is more than 80.000 indeadweight tonnage, and 106 feet in breadth, and the cargo usually carried bythis type of a bulker are iron ore, pellet, and Coal. 45. How do you know that the sea chart is up-to-date? How do you get the latest Notice toMariner? I need to check the chartscorrection log and the charts concerned to make sure the chart is updated. Normally the company sends the Notice toMariner periodically and automatically to the ship. I will send a requisitionto the company if the Notice to Mariner is not being received. 46. Whatis the DCPA during passage, in fairways, in the strait, and inside ports? At sea, the closest point of approach (DCPA)is two miles; in the strait, the shortest distance between the two ships is thenew course distance. The safe anti-collision clearance between two vessels alsodepends on such factors as weather condition, the sizes of the two vessels andso on. 47. How doyou treat the engine bilge water? Theengine bilge water can by no means be pumped out into the sea directly. If ithas to be pumped out, it must be properly treated through the oily waterseparator. If there is too much enginebilge water, the Chief Engineer will report it to me. I will then ask forinstructions from the owner. With the owner’s approval and confirmation, thebilge water may be transferred into the fuel oil tank or ask for shoreassistance. 48. Do youknow something about the ILO? What is ILO 147? Do you have any experience withITF? What is your policy in dealing with them and what is your company’s policyin dealing with them? The ILO is theInternational Labour Organization and the ITF is the International Federationfor Transport Workers. ILO Convention147 is The Merchant Shipping (Minimum Standards) Convention, 1976 (No. 147)(and its Protocol of 1996). This rule is made by the International LaborOrganization Conference. In this Convention, the minimum internationallyacceptable labor standards for seamen in merchant ships are stipulated.Convention No. 147 requires the flag State to adopt minimum standards relatingto safety, social security, and shipboard conditions of employment and livingarrangements to be observed in merchant shipping registered under anyflag. It is very important to tell theseamen not to approach the ITF personnel actively. The Master should instructhis crew to answer the questions in accordance with the ship owner’s and themanning agent’s instructions if the ITF inspectors approach the vessel and talkwith the crew. The Master himself should know very well the company’s policy indealing with the ITF. Anyway, the Master and his crew should deal with themvery cautiously so as to avoid any possible disputes for the ship owner. As aemployee of the shipowner and the manning agent. ILO和ITF 是涉及到船员利益的两个国际组织，船长应对此有粗略的了解。 49. What should bridge orders include? What are the contents of the standing order andwhat are night orders? Bridge orderincludes Standing Order and Night Order. The master shall include the following contents in the standingorder: Master’s requirements for theconduct of watch keeping personnel (1) Define the master’s requirements on the duties ofofficers on watch (2) Definethe master’s requirements for the actions in case of emergency situations (3) Procedures at times ofreduced visibility (4) Special requirements with regards to the ship and its trade The master shall regularly enter into theBridge Order Book-no matter at sea or at anchor. The entry in the Bridge OrderBook shall include the instructions on the safe navigation at the time when themaster intends to take rest, as well as any other necessary instructions. Thisshall include: (1) A briefdescription of the navigational plan with details of the courses to be followedand charts to be used (2) Points which require special consideration (strong currents, cross trafficetc.) (3) The time andposition when the master is to be called to the bridge (4) The position where the shiphas to report to traffic or port control (5) The position where the notice has to be given to engineroom (one hour notice, stand by engine etc.) (6) Details of any other activities during the night period(tank cleaning, gas freeing, watch on IG pressure, repair work, launch calls,etc). The master shall finish his nightorder before he is going to take sleep. 50. Normally, what ranks cannot be relieved for vacation together? Considering the operation and safety of thevessel, normally the following ranks cannot be relieved together: The Masterand the Chief Officer. The Chief Engineer and the First Engineer. The Chief Officer should complete thehandover procedure after completion of cargo operation and relateddocumentation unless he is relieved on some other occasions where is no cargooperation. Besides, senior engineers should not hand over their duties beforeor when any major repair or maintenance work is underway. The relieved engineers or officers shouldprepare handover notes to the relieving personnel. Copies of the Master andChief Engineer’s handover notes should be sent to the company for filing. TheChief Engineer’s handover notes should be verified and signed by theMaster. 51. Whatranks should not be allowed to have shore leave at the same time? In view of the jobs on board, the followingpositions and ranks can not be allowed to have shore leave at the same time:the Master and the Chief Officer; the Chief Engineer and First Engineer; theChief Engineer and Electrician; the Bosun and Pumpman (in tankers); the ChiefCook and Second Cook (or mess boy); The Chief Officer and Pumpman (intankers). Any crew who wants to haveshore leave must check the department head for permission and return to thevessel on time. 52. Whatis the maximum blood alcohol concentration (BAC) rate for crew on board? According to the STCW95, the BAC shall not bemore than 0.08% by weight any time when being tested, but the CFR (Code ofFederal Regulations) requires the BAC to be no more than 0.04%. Watch-keeperare not allowed to drink any alcoholic beverage 4 hours before their watch. 公司的毒品和酒精管理政策是根据有关国际公约的规定制定的，船长 应该熟知。 53. Underheavy weather conditions, what preparations should you make beforesailing? During heavy weatherconditions, the Master should make the following preparations: (1) If possible, select a routethat can avoid the heavy weather area (2) Inform the crew of the predicted heavy weather and issuea warning. Make sure that the warning is known to all crew on board (3) Instruct the Chief Officer tocheck the hull strength based on stowage calculation, cargo loading and stabilitydocuments. If the ship is not carrying cargo, the Master shall ballast the shipto increase the draught and take action to prevent propeller racing, reduceoscillations and slamming of the ship (4) Make sure the following holes are closed: hatches, cargohold, bosun’s store, manhole, accesses to accommodation spaces and steeringgear room, tank air pipes, sounding caps, all water-tight doors and water-tightopening on the ship (5) Ensure that the Chief Officer adopts measures to prevent movement of cargo andother objects on various parts of the ship (6) Ensure that cargo gears such as derricks, cranes andlife boat are securely lashed (7) Ensure that the Chief Officer checks the conditions ofthe stowage of anchors and anchor chains (8) Keep critical checklists on the bridge forreference 54. If theship is sailing in the heavy weather conditions, what should the Master payattention to? If the vessel isnavigating in heavy weather, the Master should pay attention to the following (1) Adopt measures to preventslamming and pounding of the ship, considering the frequency of encounters withswells and change speed or course, if necessary (2) The watch keeping officer shall change over to paralleloperation of the steering gear, if possible (3) If possible, change the auto pilot to “rough sea mode”or change over to manual mode (4) The Master shall frequently check the weather and seaconditions, observe closely future changes and judge if there is a problem withthe present sailing course and speed (5) Report the weather conditions to the nearest portauthority and the ships in the vicinity of the bad weather area and ask them tobe careful on the warning (6) The master shall check the abnormalities whenever hethinks it possible to make the ship in good condition. 55. Afterthe heavy weather is over, what checks should be made? After the heavy weather, the following shouldbe checked: The hull, the deck machineryand pipes, hatch covers, the cargoes in the holds, and the sounding of alltanks. If something wrong is found, the Master should report is to the companyas soon as possible. Of course, the Master should solve some small problemswith the crew. 56. If the stevedoresdamage the crane or derrick on board, what should you do? Usually, I shall report the damage to thecharterers and/or owners immediately. In the meantime, I shall prepare theStevedore Damage Report and get it signed by the foreman or the stevedoringcompany. If they refuse to sign the Report or repair the damage, I shall send aLetter of Protest to all parties concerned. Anyway, I shall not leave the portuntil the damage is settled properly. 57. Why isit very important to get rid of the outdated SMS documents on board? It is very important to maintain an updatedcatalogue of the SMS documents on board. Those out-of-date files have to bemarked and kept away. The mixture of the old and new documents on board caneasily cause confusion after a period of time and this may ultimately result insome problems for the vessel. Besides, the mixture and confusion of differentversions of documents are considered to be a nonconformities or deficiencies bythe auditors. 58. Whatelements or factors should you consider when anchoring in deep water? Anchoring in deep water means droppinganchors in water more than 50 meters deep. Before going to an anchorage, I must make sure that the windlass andbrake are in good order. I will study the weather conditions, sea and localcurrent, tides, water depth, bottom condition etc. I also need to find goodholding ground and enough room for swing. Before anchoring, I need to (1) discuss with the Chief Officer theanchoring procedure, including which anchor and how many shackles to be used.(2) make sure of the water depth and ship’s position. During anchoring, I will have to (1) Makesure the ship has come to a complete stop. (2) Lower the anchor into wateruntil it touches the ground. (3) Disengage and slack the chain cable until theexpected length is paid out. I will use the main engine movement to stretch thecable only but have to make sure not to use excessive weight. 这是一个船东很 关心的问题。主要看船长和大副是否掌握这方面的经验。 59. How doyou implement the SMS on board? I shallinstruct the crew to study and fully understand the company SMS manuals. Thecrew will sign on the signature cards after they have studied the manuals. Ishall prepare some important procedures and have warning posted in the deck orengine department. I shall also organize systematic training on the manuals.Moreover, I will instruct the crew to follow the procedures in practice. 这是一个外审或港口检查时常问到的一个问题。 60. Wha tare the minimum rest hours every day for a seaman on board? According to the STCW 78/95, the minimum resthour for a seaman is 10 hours every 24 hours. 61. How should you deal with the garbage on board on board the ship? MARPOL 73/78 provides for detailedregulations on garbage disposal. Usually, any shipping company should have itsown Garbage Management Plan in its ISM documents. Usually, the Chief Engineeror the Chief Officer is the designated person in charge of carrying out thegarbage disposal, but all crew on broad should follow the garbage managementplan. Garbage is disposed in fore steps,i.e. collection, separation, processing and disposal. The Chief Engineer or theChief Officer should make clear records in the Garbage Record Book. The Masterhas to make sure the Garbage Record Book is available for checks at anytime. 62. When navigating in restricted visibility or heavy traffic or in a close quarter, asthe Master or duty officer, which ship do you think should reduce speed, orstop engine to avoid danger of collision? According to COLREG 1972. Both ships should reduce speed if they thinknecessary. And anti-collision actions should be taken as early as possible.When navigating in restricted visibility, the Master must navigate the shipwith safe speed and great caution. 船长和驾驶员应该能够用简单的英语述 出常用的避碰规则。 63. Wha tis safety speed during sailing? What factors should you consider in decidingthe speed of a vessel during sailing in the sea? The safe speed is the speed at which thevessel can take proper and effective actions to be stopped in a safe distance.The following factors should be taken into account to achieve safe speed: visibility,number of ships in the area, the ship’s maneuverability, wind force, sea tideand current, background lights, draught and available depth of water, proximityof navigational hazards, standard and operation of technical equipment onboard, ice condition and so on. 64. When navigating in a crossing situation, as master or duty officer, whatanti-collision measures should be taken? When the vessels are proceed onhead-on condition, what anti-collision rule should be observed? When apower-driven ship and sailing meet in the sea, what anti-collision rule shouldbe observed? When two power-driven shipsare crossing, the ship which has the other ship on her own starboard side shallkeep out of way. To do this, this ship can either alter course to starboardside or slow down her speed in order to avoid collision. When tow power-driven ships are meetinghead-on situation or near head-on situation, each ship shall alter course tostarboard so that they can pass on the port side of each other at a safedistance. When a ship sails at a higherspeed overtakes another ship, the ship shall sails at higher speed or shallalter its course to avoid collision. Apower-driven ship shall keep out of the way of a sailing ship. This can be doneeither altering its course or speed up to avoid collision. 65. What routines should the relieving officers be familiar with when he comes for watchkeeping? The relieving officers shouldfamiliarize himself with all the equipment and condition of the ship, thevisibility and weather condition, speed and current condition, instruction ofthe master and some other aspects to ensure the safety of the vessel as percompany SMS. 66. Based on your experience, tell the sequence of actions to be taken when you encounterrestricted visibility. Switch on bothradars of the vessel. Arrange additional lookout. Reduce to safe speed.Implement bridge team management as per the SMS. 67. When the ship is loaded with general cargo, if the ship has several and differentdischarging ports, what precautions must be taken to ensure no short over carriage of cargo? To avoid theproblems, I must ensure proper stowage landingand and no broken stowage, proper and clearcargo separation markings, correct loading sequence, and good stability of theship. 68.How doyou handle the cargo damage caused by the stevedores? First I will check the seriousness of thedamage. Second, I will discuss with the foreman responsible for the damage.Third, I will inform the tallyman and agent to replace the damaged cargo ormake proper remarks on the cargo documents. Fourth, I will prepare a damagereport as per the company SMS and advise the owner if a damage survey isneeded. Fifth, I will ensure all evidence is in good order to protect theinterests of the ship owner and its crew. Lastly, I will ensure the roperlogbook entry. 69.Canyou tell me some instances when you have to consult the ship owner or managerin relation to the instructions from the charterer or theirrepresentative? Here are some instances:changes in sailing instructions, changes in cargo type/quantity/loadingsequences, vessel not meeting the requirements of the speed and oil consumptionclause, tec. 70. Undertime charter party, based on your experience, what factors do you think can putthe vessel off hire? Breakdown of mainmachinery, incorrect or improper hold preparation which is not in compliancewith the cargo fitness survey, major noncompliance to port state inspection,any delay caused by the owner and/or the crew. 71. Before grain loading, how should you prepare your holds for grain fitness? First, I should clean and wash the holdsthoroughly in accordance with the grain fitness requirement so as to get rid ofany residual and odor of the previous cargo. Second, I should make sure thereis no scaling of paint and rust on the bulkheads. Third, I should also ensurethat all cargo holds and hatches are watertight and dry. 72. What preparations should you make before your ship enters the dock yard? It depends on why my ship is dry-docking.Generally, I shall adjust the proper trim as per the dock’s requirement andprepare a detailed docking repair list as per the company’s instructions. Ishall get all the certificates and classification records ready for reference. 73. If you are to prepare for load line survey, what items require your specialattention? I should pay attention tothese items: certificates, watertight doors and manholes, rubber gaskets,ventilation flaps, cargo hold water-tightness and comings, bilge pump andballast pump. 74.If youare to prepare you for safety equipment survey, what items should you checkbeforehand? I shall check relevantcertificates, lifeboat and other safety equipment, pyrotechnics (烟火报警工具),emergency fire pumps, fire hose, box and hydrant(消防栓) as well as otherfire fighting and life saving appliances. 75. Why isstability important in loading s ship? What are the factors to be consideredbefore loading to ensure stability of the ship after being loaded? To achieve stability of the ship, I mustensure loading in compliance with safety requirement, existing rules, andrelevant regulations, the safety of life at sea, protection of property andenvironment. Beside, I should also ensure proper towage and proper weight distribution. 76. Inyour opinion, what abilities should a Master possess? A Master should be knowledgeable on the typeof vessel he is running. He should be experienced on trade, navigation, cargocaring. He should have a good understanding of the international convention andregulations. He should, also have good crew management and crisis managementskills. Lastly, he should set up an example in good leadership. 77. How doyou decide to join a new company? BeforeI decide to join a company, I will consider the following factors: companystability, working environment, salary, relations among employees, properprogram of crew rotation, promotion and advancement and good management. 78. Whatare the functions of a B/L? What’s a clean B/L and what is an unclean B/L? A B/L has three very important functions. Itconstitutes evidence of the terms of the terms of the contract of carriage – apromise to carry and deliver the cargo. It constitutes the apparent order,condition, and quantity or weight of goods at the time of shipment. It is alsoa document of title (property) of the cargo. A clean B/L is one on which there is not any remark of cargo loss,shortage or damage. An unclean B/L is also called claused B/L, which carriessome remarks of cargo damage, quantity shortage and so on. 79. Whatis back dated or anti-dated B/L? What is advanced B/L? A bark-dated Bill of Lading is a one whoseissuing date is earlier than the virtual loading completion date. An advancedB/L means a B/L that is signed and issued by the carrier before the completionof loading. Both backdated and advanced B/Ls will bring some dangers andliabilities to the shipowner and charterer. The master should be very cautiousabout these two types of B/Ls. 大副面试问题及参考答案 大副是甲板上仅于船长的“第二把手”。大副的好坏直接关系到 船舶、货物和人身安全。经验表明，船东在面试大副时也是相当严格和认真的。主要集中在 货物的配载、装卸货、货物的保管、货物单据、管理能力等方面。而对于特种船来说，对有 关货物装卸货的有关规定等也要熟知。此外，有关ISM/SMS及其他公约、PSC检查以及船东 下面整理了一部分面试试题，供参考。我们建内外审时的提问也是一个非常重要的部分。 议，大副不但要准备下面的一些问题，也应该看看有关船长及二副和三副的有关问题，这样 才能达到融会贯通的目的。 1. Can you tell me about your educational background and working experience? A reference answer: I graduated from Jimei Navigation Collage in1992. I studied there for three years. I have worked as a seaman on eight shipsfor nearly ten years. I have the experience of Chief Officer for two ships. I haveworked both Chinese and foreign shipowners in the past ten years. 2. Can you tell me the responsibilities of the Chief Officer? Under the leadership of the Master, the ChiefOfficer shall carry out the daily management of the deck department, and he isalso responsible for cargo handling. The specific duties include: (1) Watch-keeping from 0400~0800hours and 1600~2000 hours. (2) Safety of the ship and work place, safetyequipment. (3) Daily safetyand sanitary inspection. (4) Store and spare parts inventory management. (5) Maintenance on deck. (6) Stowage plan making. (7) Supervision of the loading and unloading process. (8) Cargo caring on board. (9) Some other work anddesignated by the master of the vessel. 3. Can you talk about the previous vessels (last vessel) you worked on board? It was an ocean-going ship, but it mainlyloaded cargoes in Asia and discharged in Europe. It was an old ship about 14years old. But the general condition of the ship was quite good because we didvery good maintenance work on board 4. What types of cargoes have ever been carried on board your last vessel? I have worked on bulk carriers and generalcargo vessels and I have experienced a lot of cargo handling. 这是一个很重要的问题，因为大副的一个很重要职责便是货物管理。大副 应该对不同货物的装卸、配载、保管、单据、保险等相关问题有所了解。 5. Where was your last vessel’s trading (plying, sailing) area? It was an ocean-going ship, but it mainly loaded cargos in Asia anddischarged in Europe. She has ever been to New Orleans, Long Beach, New York,Rotterdam, Hamburg and so on. 6. Did you have the experience of working with foreign crews? What were theirnationalities? The last two vessels Iworked on had crew from several countries. The masters were Indian, the ChiefEngineer were from Hong Kong and Philippine and other seamen from china,Indian, Burma and Vietnam. 7. Can you tell me how to make a stowage plan? Based on the capacity of the hold, the stowage factors, types of cargo,loading and discharging ports rotation. I shall calculate the volume of thecargo that is to be loaded into different holds. Then I shall calculate thedraft of the vessel and trimming, shear force, bending moment to meet therequirements of the ship. At last, stowage plan in made based on thesefactors. 8. What does stowage factor of mean? Astowage factor of any cargo is the figure that expresses the number of cubicunits of measure needed to accommodate one unit of weight-how many cubic metersis needed to stow on metric ton of certain goods. Stowage factors shouldinclude allowance for dunnage, irregular size of certain goods, pallets andsomething else. Even the most carefully determined stowage factor is notabsolute and it should be used only as guide while planning cargo disposition. 9. If there happens stevedore damage to cargo, equipment or ship’s structure inthe loading or discharging ports, what should you do? If damage happens, I must record it first andthen report it in an appropriate written form to the master and other partiesconcerned. The report must be signed by the liable parties admitting they have(or have not) responsibility for the damage. The damage report shall becarefully worded and shall be supported with photos and other evidence, if any.The damage report should also include the following contents: ship’s name,voyage number, date, geographical location, name of the person who took thephotos and his signature, location where the photo was taken, and what isintended to show. 10. Whatprecautions do you have to take before cargo operation is carried out? I shall check the pre-cargo operation checklists to make sure that no item is missing. The following procedures are to beadopted: (1) The ChiefOfficer shall make a cargo operation plan, in which the following factors shallbe considered: the cargo must be stowed in such way that the stability, trim,shearing forces and bending moments are within the limits as laid down by thestability manual; excessive weight on tank tops, tween decks and hatch coversmust be avoided; and cargo must be stowed and secured in such way as to avoiddamage which can result in possible loss of life or property. (2) Pre-operation conference withall ship’s personnel to be involved in the cargo operation should be held todiscuss such matters as cargo disposition, numbers of gangs and working hours,usual and special safety requirements, ballasting and de-ballastinginformation, special requirements regarding cargo operation, damage preventionand control, personnel organization, cargo watch etc. The Chief Officer mustensure that all relevant personnel have fully understood the intended cargo andall usual and special safety and operational requirements. 11. Whatwill you do if cargo damage is found or suspected before loading or duringloading? I shall report to the masterfirst and foremost. The master should decide whether to replace the damagedcargo. For the full-set machines and high-valued products I must ask for thereplacement in the loading port if damages are found. If the damaged cargoescannot be replaced, the Chief Mate shall make remarks on the Mate’sReceipt. If disputers happen on thequantity and quality of the cargoes, I shall, at the discretion of the master,ask the cargo surveyor to do the survey. If necessary, under the endorsement ofthe ship owner, I shall write a Letter of Protest (based on the format providedby the company) to prove the innocence of the seamen on board. During the voyage, if a very small amount ofcargo is damaged, with the permission of the master, I shall throw it away intothe sea to avoid any disputes with any third party. 12. Whatare the differences between the Bill of Loading and the Mate’s Receipt? A Tally Sheet is the basis of the Mate’sReceipt. The Mate’s Receipt is the R/L. The condition of the cargo is clearlyshown on the Mate’s Receipt. It is very important to make sure that the cargocondition on the bill of loading is the same as that on the Mate’s Receipt. TheMate’s Receipt is the legal evidence of the Mate’s Receipt. The Mate’s Receiptis the legal evidence of the cargo received and the B/L is the legal evidenceof the cargo ownership. If the consigner wants the master to issue a clean B/Lon the basis of unclean Mate’s Receipt, the master firstly must ask forpermission from the company. If the company agrees, the consigner must issuereliable Letter of Indemnity or Letter of Guarantee. 13. If thedraft survey proves a shortage of cargo after loading is completed, what willyou do apart from reporting to the Master? Will you make any remarks on theMate’s Receipt? In this case, I shallreport the problem to the master first. With the permission of the master, Ishall ask the third party surveyor to do the survey. If the survey shows thereis shortage or damage of the cargo, I shall write remarks on the Mate’s Receiptshowing the loss or damage or shortage. The third party is to be invited to make the objective report on thereal quantity of the volume of the cargo. If the cargo is proved to be inshortage, I shall write remarks on the Mate’s Receipt. 14. Whatdo you know about the ISM code and SMS? How many chapters are there in the ISMCode (as amended)? What are these chapters? The ISM code is the International Safety Management Code. The purpose ofthis Code is to provide an international standard for the safe management andoperation of ships and for pollution prevention. The objectives of the Code areto ensure safety at sea, prevention of human injury or loss of life, andavoidance of damage to the environment, in particular to the marine environmentand to property. The 16 chapters of ISMCode are: general, safety and environment protection policy, companyresponsibilities and authority, designated person(s), master’s responsibilitiesand authority, resources and personnel, development of plans for shipboardoperation, emergency preparedness, reports, and analysis of non-conformity,accidents and hazardous occurrences, maintenance of the ship and equipment,documentation, company verification, review and evaluation, certification andverifications and control, certification and periodical verification,verification, verification, interim certification, and forms of certificates.The last four chapters are newly added in the new version of ISM Code. SMS means safety management system, and thissystem is mad based on the 16 elements of ISM Code, which is a compulsory partSOLAS 74. The shipowner or manager cannot get Document of Compliance (DOC) andSMC without audited Safety Management Certificate (SMC) by Class designated bythe flag registry country administration. Every company should develop,implement and maintain a safety management system (SMS). 15. Whatdo Observation, Non-conformity and Major non-conformity mean respectively? Observation means a statement of fact madeduring a safety management audit and substantiated by objective evidence.Non-conformity means an observed situation where objective evidence indicatesthe nonfulfillment of a specified requirement. Major non-conformity means anidentifiable deviation that poses a serious threat to the safety of personnelor the ship or a serious risk to the environment that requires immediatecorrective action and includes the lack of effective and systematicimplementation of a requirement of this Code. (摘自新ISM Code原文) 以 上内容不一定要非常准确详细地背诵，但至少要知道大致的内容，尤其要知道，ISM规则是 变化的、开放的国际公约，其内容经常进行修改和增加。此外，随着ISM规则的改变，各船 东和管理公司对SMS也要进行相应的修改和补充。 16. Haveyou experienced any on-board internal audit before? The onboard internal audit is carried out atthe discretion of the Designated Person of the owner. When the auditors come onboard, the seamen should give full support to them. If observation ornon-conformity items are found in the audit, these items should be treated withdue diligence and rectified on time. Asthe Chief Officer, I should be very familiar with the operation and calibrationof the gas detector and the loading computer. 17. Whatis Garbage Management Plan? TheMAPROL73/78 requires that a Garbage Management Plan should be developed inaccordance with the IMO guidelines on board almost all ships. The Plan includesthe procedures for garbage collection, separation, processing and disposal, aswell as the management and requirements of garbage processing equipment,implementation of the Plan and crew responsibilities. All processing workshould be recorded in the Garbage Record Book. 18. How doyou carry out the deck machinery maintenance? On board the last vessel, I often ordered my Bosun to organize the deckcrew to maintain such equipment as windlass, steering engine, derrick, crane,wires, meters and winch. Chipping and greasing are also among their dailyroutines as per the PMS (Planned Maintenance System). All maintenance plans for the machines in thedeck department shall be made by the Chief Officer. 19. As theChief Officer, what precautions do you have to take to prepare for the PSCinspection? The Chief Officer shouldarrange for the checks of the following items: LSA and FFE equipment, garbagedisposal records, gangway safety, ballasting system, sanitary condition,especially in the accommodation area, the galley, provisions stores, cargooperation safety and documents. Besides, the Chief Officer should follow theMaster’s instructions in organizing the emergency drills. 20. Whatprecautions do you have to take before entering an enclosed space? I shall nominate the standby personnel andprepare the ventilation, breathing tool, connecting signals, oxygen, air andpoisonous gases testing equipment, and other necessary equipment according tothe checklist. I shall then get the Master’s signature on the checklist. 21. Whatchecks do you have make before any hot work is permitted? I must make sure of the following: There is no gas leakage on cargo deck or pumproom area The nearby places shall befree of inflammable materials or gases and portable extinguishers areavailable The area where the hot work isdone is not piled with solvents of any kind, including diesel oil, kerosene,paint, cleaners and thinners Gas testingis also important to make sure no flammable or toxic gas in present at the worksite and that the oxygen content is 21% by volume Ventilation condition should also be checkedbefore any hot work is done The Master’sapproval must be obtained under all circumstances. While in port, you must alsoget the port authority approval. 22. Onboard your previous vessels, how often did you conduct a fire-fightingdrill? I carried out a fire fightingdrill at least once every month. 23. Whatare the Chief Officer’s responsibilities with regards to cargo operation? The Chief Officer is in charge of safehandling of all cargo operation. He must submit all cargo plans to the masterfor approval and discuss ay critical stage of cargo operation with the Master.He is responsible for making cargo records, time sheets, port logs and otherpaperwork related to cargo operation. He must also prepare cargo operationorder and get all duty officers to read and understand it. 24. Whatare the Chief Officer’s responsibilities with regards to maintenance? The Chief Officer should prepare the deckmaintenance schedule-both the long-term and short-term ones-and discuss theschedule with the Master. He is in charge of the deck department personnel andshould oversee their maintenance work. He should also write the monthlymaintenance report. 25. Whenthe charted depth of anchorage is 40 meters, usually how do you drop theanchor? Before dropping the anchor, Ishould make sure that be windlass and the brakes are in good condition andthere is good holding ground. I should also study the water depth, weather andsea conditions and take into account the duration of the anchorage action. During the anchoring, I should lower theanchor until it touches ground, then disengage and slag the chain cable untilthe length is paid out. Main engine should be used to stretch the cable. Ishould not use excessive weight for the cable. The length of the cable must be decided by the master in advance. No matter how deep the water is, at least twoshackles should remain on board. 26. Ifwater depth is more than 80 meters, is it possible for you to drop theanchor? Except in an extreme emergencysituation, dropping anchor in this depth of water is very dangerous. So, if theanchor has to be dropped, the geographical condition (sea bed and adjacentarea), weather condition must be carefully studied beforehand. If possible, youshould have a discussion or meeting with relevant crew before the work is done. 27. How doyou keep proper ventilation during the voyage? Your ship is loaded with steelcoil at Constanta in December and the cargo is to be discharged inSingapore. In order to prevent rustformation on the surface of the cargo, I must make sure the temperature inholds is higher than the dew point at any times. Ventilation is to be made onthe condition of dew point and try to lower the dew point. Under the above situation, no ventilation isneeded because the ship sails from a cold place (Constanta) to a lot place(Singapore). 28. How doyou maintain the minimum under keel clearance (UKC) when the vessel duringpassage/in fairways/inside ports? Indifferent places, the UKC may vary a little bit. Normally, the UKC should be20% of the load draft during passage, 10% of the load draft in fairways, and10% of the load draft inside the port. The reference data are subject to theregulations of the port authority. 29. In case ofcargo damage (for example, before the vessel arrives at the discharging port, whenopening the hatch, you find the quality of the surface cargo has changed, howwould you handle it? Well, I have toknow the quantity of the cargo whose quality has changed. If the cargo is asmall quantity, I shall dispose it myself. If it is a large quantity, I shallask for decision from the Master. 30. Whatare sensitive cargoes as defined by the P & I Club? The cargoes that are particularly susceptibleto moisture and damage are called sensitive cargoes. For the sensitive cargoes,special attention shall be required. The P&I Club defines the followingcargoes as sensitive cargoes: cement, grain, and sugar. 31. How doyou judge whether the cargo holds are fitted for loading? According to the requirements of the voyageinstructions or the charter party, I shall first see if meets the charterer’sdemands. Then I will make my own judgment. If the holds are not suitable forloading any type of cargo, I shall report this to the master and ask him todecide on this. 32. Canyou please briefly explain the general requirements for grain cargocarriage? (1) HoldPreparation The hold should be veryclean and free scale and odor. All bilges should be clean and dry. The tank topshould be clean, stainless and dry. The front and rear sides of the bracketsand beams, piping etc. Should be completely washed and clear of all residuesand dust from the previous cargo. And if the ship carried grain in the previousvoyage and insects are found in the hold, the holds should be fumigated withinsecticide. (2) Ventilation Grain can self heat,condense and absorb moisture. Without good ventilation, the cargo can easilydeteriorate. In case of bulk grain, air is to be blown to the surface of thegrain continuously on a daily basis in order to remove the air from the cargo.The temperature of the cargo shall be tested by thermometer on a daily basisand be recorded in the logbook. (3) For detailed answer, please refer to the IMO Grain Rule.(IMO Resolution A. 714 CODE OF SAFE PRACTIVE FOR CARGO STOWAGE AND SECUREING.) 33. How toconduct ventilation for hygroscopic cargo from warm to cold area voyage, andfrom cold to warm voyage? How about the non-hygroscopic cargo? In case of carrying hygroscopic cargoes froma warm place to a cold place, ventilation is very critical. It should be asstrong as possible in the beginning so that eventually the outside dew pointwill be too low. This is a very difficult voyage situation in which to arrangesatisfactory ventilation. From cold to warm voyage, the ventilation is notnecessary. In case of carryingnon-hygroscopic cargoes from a cold place to a warm place, no ventilation isneeded, and cargo sweat would occur on the surface of the stow if relativelwarmer moisture laden air was admitted. From the warm to the cold voyage, noventilation is needed because ship sweat is inevitable but cargo will beunaffected unless condensation drips back on the stow. 34. How toprevent cargo from being damaged by rain or seawater? Before the voyage, I will check the hatchcover to see if it is properly closed that tight water condition is in goodorder. To make sure suction boxes and manholes are properly closed; to checkthe bulkhead of adjacent ballast tank. 35. Whatpreparations should make before the pilot comes on board? Preparations should be made in the followingsteps First, the duty officer is tocontact the pilot station to confirm the availability the pilot Second, the Master is to contact the comingpilot and discuss with him the vessel’s heading position and speed at the timeof his boarding Third, the duty officershould supervise the embarkation and disembarkation of the pilot to ensure hisidentity and safety Fourth, the pilot laddermust meet the standards of the US Coast Guard and the IMO Fifth, the deck crew is to prepare the ladderwell and hoist the G flag Last, when thepilot is on board, H flag should be hoisted. 36. Whenyou pass through the Panama Canal, what should you pay attention to? Why? The turn of bilge radius should be made knownto the pilot. According to the regulations, the turn of bilge radius of thevessel cannot be over 12.04 meters in the fresh water area. No bilge water isallowed to be pumped. As a precaution,we should check with the MR Notice and apply for correction if on time. Weshould also prepare for the safety inspections by the boarding officers. Seven days before the ship’s estimated timeof passing by the Canal, we should report to the Canal authority on the vesselcondition. 37. Whatmaterials and information do you need when you make the passage plan? The passage plan shall contain all the chartsrequired and shall locate all the information concerning the intended area. Theinformation needed for the passage plan shall be found from the SailingDirection, List and Lights, Tide Tables, Tidal Stream Table, Guide to PortEntry, Deep Draft Vessel Planning Guide, The IMO Ship Route Guide, Guide toTanker Port, various ports’ information booklets, government and portregulations, Navigational Warnings, pilot Charts, Notice to Mariners, WeatherInformation, and so on. 38. Do youoften change the ballast water? What should you pay attention to when changingthe ballast water? Yes. The ballastwater change is required by most port authorities in the world. Ballasting and de-ballasting on time is veryimportant to keep the stress of the vessel in good condition. Under heavyweather conditions, it is necessary to test the ballasting and bilge water moreoften to make sure of the stability of the vessel. 39. Whatshould you pay attention to when the vessel is loaded with coal? Trimming is very important to make sure thatcargo is evenly loaded. Since coal is liable to get fire. Fire-fightingequipment should be available at any time. Air in the cargo space should beregularly checked. Bilge water should be tested systematically to see whetherthere is any water leakage. Ventilationis not allowed during the voyage. Reasonable ventilation is to be carried outwhen the cargo temperature is above 55 degrees Centigrade or the methaneconcentration is abnormal. Also, youhave to measure the cargo temperature at least once every day. If thetemperature and methane are abnormal, I will report to the owner forinstruction. 40. Whatare the functions of a B/L? what is a clean B/L and what is an uncleanB/L? A B/L has three very importantfunctions. It constitutes evidence of the terms of the contract of carriage – apromise to carry and deliver the cargo. It constitutes the apparent order,condition, and quantity or weight of goods at the time of shipment. It is alsoa document of title (property) of the cargo. A clean B/L is one on which there is not any remark of cargo loss,shortage or damage. An unclean B/L is also called claused B/L, which carriessome remarks of cargo damage, quantity shortage and so on. 41. Whatis back dated or anti-dated B/L? What is advanced B/L? A back dated B/L is a B/L whose issuing dateis earlier than the virtual loading completion date. An ed B/L means aB/L that is signed and issued by the carried before the completion advanc of loading.Both backdated and advanced B/Ls will bring some dangers and liabilities to theshipowner and charterer. 42. Whatanti-stowaway precautions should you take before the vessel sails from aport? Before departure from any port,stowaway search has to be carried out. The following spaces shall be searchedthoroughly: void space, chain lockers, funnel, and other places where thestowaways can hide themselves. If stowawaysare discovered before the ship sails, arrangement has to be made for hisimmediate disembarkation. Records have to be make in the Ship’s Logs and thecompany should be notified. Necessary steps should be taken to prevent anyfurther reoccurrence. 43. Whoshould not be allowed to have the shore leave at the same time? In view of the jobs on board, the followingpositions and ranks can not be allowed to have shore leave at the same time:the Master and the Chief Officer; the Chief Engineer and First Engineer; theChief Engineer and Electrician; the Bosun and Pumpman (in tankers); the ChiefCook and Second Cook (or mess boy); The Chief Officer and Pumpman (intankers). Any crew who wants to haveshore leave must check with the department head for permission and return tothe vessel on time. 44. Whatis the maximum blood alcohol concentration (BAC) rate on board? According to the STCW 95, the BAC shall notbe more than 0.08% by weight any time when being tested, but the CFR (Code ofFederal Regulations) requires the BAC to be no more than 0.04%. Watch-keepersare not allowed to drink any alcoholic beverage 4 hours before theirwatch. 45. Whatkind of garbage cannot be thrown into incinerator? The following garbage can not be thrown intothe incinerator: l Any containers that once contained gasesunder pressure, or aerosol cans l The materials that may produce harmfulgases or ashes l The materials that may produce hightemperature and prolonged incineration of such materials that may cause damageto the incinerator 46. Whatshould a Muster List include? What kind of Muster Lists did you have on thelast vessel? A Muster List shouldinclude the following points: (1) Details of emergency alarm signal How ship-abandon order According to theSTCW95, the BAC shall not be more than 0.08% by weight any time when beingtested, but the CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) requires the BAC to be nomore than 0.04%. Watch-keepers are not allowed to drink any alcoholic beverage4 hours before their watch. (2) Will be given (3) Substitutes for the key personnel who may becomedisabled (4) The boat towhich each person belongs and duties to be performed in an abandon ship situation (5) The specific group to which aperson belongs and general duties during various emergencies (6) Any additional point of eachpump (7) Specific assemblypoint of each group. The Muster Listsmust be ready before a ship sails. Wehad the following Muster Lists on board the last vessel: General emergency,fire fighting, fire in the engine, emergency steering, abandon-ship, manoverboard, oil pollution prevention station. 47. Whatis heavy weather condition? Under heavy weather conditions, what preparationsshould you make before sailing? I thinkheavy weather means weather conditions of wind force of 8 or above on theBeaufort scale and ware height of greater than 5 meters. During heavy weather conditions, thefollowing preparations should be made (1) If possible, select a route that can avoid the heavyweather area (2) Inform thecrew of the predicted heavy weather and issue a warning. Make sure that thewarning is known to all crew on board (3) Check the hull strength based on stowage calculations,cargo loading and stability documents. Ballast the ship to increase the draughtand take action to prevent propeller racing, reduce oscillations and slammingof the ship of the ship if the ship is in ballasting condition. (4) Make sure the following holesare closed: hatches, cargo hold, bosun’s store, manhole; accesses to accommodationspaces and steering gear room; tank air pipes, sounding caps; all water-tightdoors and water-tight openings on the ship (5) Ensure that measures are taken to prevent movement ofcargo and other objects on various parts of the ship (6) Ensure that cargo gears suchas derricks, cranes and life boat are securely lashed (7) Ensure that the conditions ofthe stowage of anchors and anchor chains are checked 48. Underheavy weather conditions, what preparations should you make before sailing? If navigating in heavy weather, the followingshould be paid attention to: Adoptmeasures to prevent slamming and pounding of the ship, considering thefrequency of encounters with swells and change speed or course ifnecessary? a) The watch keeping officer shall changeover to parallel operation of the steering gear, if possible b) If possible,change the auto pilot to “rough sea mode” or change over to manual mode c) Master shallfrequently check the weather and sea conditions, observe future changes andjudge if there is a problem with the present course and speed d) Report theweather to the nearest port authority or the ships in the vicinity on the badweather and ask them to be careful and warn them e) The master shallcheck the abnormalities whenever possible to make the ship in goodcondition. 49. If thestevedores damage the crane, derrick or any other equipment on board, whatshould you do? Firstly, I shall ask theduty officer have a careful supervision when the stevedores are loading andunloading cargo and ask the duty officers to report to me any incident or anydamage the workers have done to the vessel equipment. If equipment damages occur, usually, I willsee how serious the damage is. If the damage is not very serious, I shall askthe stevedore company to make repair. At least, I shall ask the stevedores toacknowledge their liabilities. But anyway, I shall not allow the stevedoreworkers to leave the vessel until the damage is settled properly. 50. Beforeand during dry-docking for the vessel, what should a Chief Officer do? The Chief Officer shall prepare a detailedrepair list for the approval of the master and the company, adjust the propertrim as per the dock’s re 51. How doyou balance the interests between the ship owner and the charterer? Sometimes, the crew are heavily pressured inthe circumstances; the charterer just pushes the master to catch time, butthere will be no time for the maintenance and repairs for the vessel. But Iknow that the charterer is very important to the ship owner, so good relationwith the charterer is very important to both the master and the shipowner. 船东希望大副既能和租家建立良好的关系，又能维护船东和利益。因为大 副挣的是船东的工资，但船东挣的是客户(租家)的钱。 52. Whatdo you know about BC Code? The BC coderefers to the IMO Bulk Cargo Code. In this code, bulk cargo operation procedureare stated. This is a very important manual and the Chief Officer must study itwith care and follow the instructions in the Code at work, especially whenmakes the stowage plan. 53. Howshould you deal with the garbage on board the ship? MARPOL 73/78 provides for detailed regulationon garbage disposal. Usually, any shipping company should have its own GarbageManagement Plan in its SMS manuals. Usually, the Chief Engineer or the ChiefOfficer is the designated person in charge of carrying out the garbagedisposal, but all crew on board should follow the garbage management plan. Garbage is disposed in four steps, i.e.collection, separation, processing and disposal. The Chief Engineer or theChief Officer should make clear records in the Garbage Record Book. The Masterhas to make sure the Garbage Record Book is available for checks at anytime. The garbage can roughly be dividedinto two types: the biodegradable and persistent garbage. The former refer tothose that can be rotten by themselves, such as food paper, and wood; thelatter refers to those that can not rotten themselves, such as plastic, mentaletc. The persistent garbage can never be thrown into the sea. 54. Whenshould a turnover/handover of watch be deferred or postponed? Usually, under the following situations, theturnover can be deferred or even postponed: (1) If the officer on which has reason to believe that therelieving officer is obviously not able to carry out his dutieseffectively. (2) When bridgemaneuver is taking place, turnover of watch must be deferred until the actionis completed and the ship is in a safe condition for the relief of the watch totake place. 55. Underwhat situations should you as the officer on watch reduce the ship’s speed? Canyou give some examples? The OOW shouldnot hesitate to use engine to reduce the speed for safety. Some examples are: (1) When the ship meetsrestricted visibility (2) When the ship is in heavy traffic area (3) When the ship is in a close quarter situation 56. Whatactions should be taken when restricted visibility is encountered orexpected? The following actions shouldbe taken. (1) Call or notifythe master (2) Stand byengine and sail at safe speed (3) Switch on the navigational lights (4) Switch on and sound fogsignals (5) Switch on ARPAand Radar (6) Shift tomanual steering for maneuver (7) Post additional lookout 57. Whatprecautions should be taken 12 hours before arrival at or departure from anyport? Tests on the following should bemade before entering or getting underway: (1) Primary and secondary steering gear. (2) Internal controlcommunications and control alarm. (3) Standby and emergency generator. (4) Storage batteries foremergency lighting. (5) Mainpropulsion ahead and astern. 58. Whatshould you do in case of steering failure? When steering failure occurs, I shall immediately inform the engine roomto change to the emergency steering gear. In the meantime I shall report to themaster. If no further incidents occur, I will get the signals hoisted for avessel not under command. 59. Do youknow something about the internal and the external audit? Internal audit is a systematic check of themanagement and operation situation of the vessel. The internal audit, as Iremember, is carried out at least once a year. The external audit is carriedout the Classification of the vessel. The surveyor of the Class usually come onboard the check. 60. Whatis safety speed during sailing? What factors should you consider in decidingthe speed of a vessel during sailing in the sea? The safe speed is the speed at which thevessel can take proper and effective actions to be stopped in a safe distance.The following factors should be taken into account to achieve safe speed:visibility, number of ships in the area, the ship’s maneuverability, windforce, sea tide and current, background lights, draught and available depth ofwater, proximity of navigational hazards, standard and operation of technicalequipment on board, ice condition and so on. 61. Whennavigating in a crossing situation, as a duty officer, what anti-collisionmeasures should be taken? When the vessels are proceed on head-on condition,what anti-collision rule should be observed? When a power-driven ship andsailing meet in the sea, what anti-collision rule should be observed? When two power-driven ships are crossing, theship which has the other ship on her own starboard side shall keep out of way.To do this, this ship can either alter course to starboard side or slow downher speed in order to avoid collision. When two power-driven ships are meeting head-on situation or near head-onsituation, each ship shall alter course to starboard so that they can pass onthe port side of each other at a safe distance. When a ship sails at a higher speed overtakes another ship, the shipshall sails at higher speed or shall alter its course to avoid collision. A power-driven ship keeps out of the way of asailing ship. This can be done by either altering its course or speed up toavoid collision.