Guidance

Chief Engineer Statutory and Operational Requirements Written Examination Syllabus

Published 20 August 2014

1. International Maritime Organisation (IMO)

1. The role of the IMO.
2. Basic knowledge of the structure and functions of IMO.
3. Basic knowledge of the Instruments of IMO (Conventions, Codes and Guidelines, Protocols, Amendments, Resolutions).

2. The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) – Responsibilities of the Chief Engineer for compliance

1. Testing of steering gears.
2. Musters, fire and boat drills.
3. On-board training and instruction.
4. Testing emergency equipment.
5. International Safety Management (ISM).
6. Code of International Ship and Port Security (ISPS) Code.

3. The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) – Responsibilities of the Chief Engineer for compliance

1. Details of the content of Annexe I:
   1. Regulations for the prevention of pollution by oil;
   2. Regulations with respect to the discharge of oil overboard using oily-water separators;
   3. Approved oily-water separators and automatic by-pass equipment;
   4. International Oil Pollution Prevention (IOPP) Certificate;
   5. Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plan (SOPEP);
   6. Oil Record Book (ORB);
   7. Entries required to be made in the ORB.
2. Basic awareness of the existence of Annexe II.
3. Basic awareness of the existence of Annexe III.
4. Details of the content of Annexe IV:
   1. Regulations for the prevention of pollution by sewage from ships;
   2. Regulations with respect to the discharge of sewage overboard.
5. Details of the content of Annexe V:
   1. Regulations for the prevention of pollution by garbage from ships;
   2. Regulations with respect to the discharge of garbage overboard;
   3. Garbage Record Book (GRB);
   4. Entries required to be made in the GRB.
6. Awareness of the existence of Annexe VI and its content (Emissions regulations and SECAs):
   1. Knowledge and name the special areas, Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA) and Sulphur Emission Control Areas (SECA) /N(Nox)ECA and relative regulations with respect to the MARPOL Annexes.

4. STCW

1. Principles of watchkeeping, performing watches.
2. Standing orders.
3. Watchkeeping at sea, setting, handing over and accepting a watch.
4. Watchkeeping in port, setting, handing over and accepting a watch.
5. Watchkeeping at anchor, setting, handing over and accepting a watch.
6. Watchkeeping with UMS class vessels, watchkeeper safety check systems.

5. International Convention on Load Lines (ICLL)

1. Strength and construction.
2. Watertight and weathertight integrity.
3. Stability, free surface effect and reserve of buoyancy.
4. Protection of crew on deck.

6. International Labour Organisation (ILO)

1. Basic knowledge of the structure and functions of ILO.
2. Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), including outline knowledge of minimum hours of rest, contracts of employment and accommodation requirements.

7. Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA)

1. The role of an Administration, the UK Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA).
2. M-notice types and functions, Merchant Shipping Notices (MSN), Marine Guidance Notes (MGN) and Marine Information Notes (MIN).
3. Knowledge of the content of the Code of Safe Working Practice for Merchant Seamen (COSWP):
   1. Health and Safety at Work Regulations;
   2. Safety Officials, Safety Officers, Safety Committee, Risk Assessment;
   3. Dangers of handling hazardous substances, asbestos, fuel oil, lubricating oil etc;
   4. Personal protective clothing and equipment;
   5. Permit to work system;
   6. Entering enclosed or confined spaces;
   7. Regulations associated with the testing and certification of lifting devices;
   8. Emergency procedures and fire precautions;
   9. Working in machinery spaces;
   10. Maintenance;
   11. Colour coding systems (safety signs, gas cylinders, pipelines, fire extinguishers);
   12. Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) (product data sheets).
4. Knowledge of the content of the Code of Practice for Control of Noise and Vibration in Ships.
5. The role of the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB).
6. The role of a Port State Control (PSC).
7. The role of a Flag State Control (FSC).

8.     Classification Societies

1. The role and functions of Classification Societies.
2. The role of the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS).
3. Understand about classification of ships and class rules and Certificates of Class.
4. Timescale requirements of continuous survey of ship’s machinery and hull with appropriate certification as required by Flag State and Class Society.

9. Planned Maintenance Systems (PMS)

1. Establishing a planned maintenance system (PMS):
   1. Integrated maintenance and survey systems;
   2. Unplanned (unscheduled) maintenance;
   3. Planned (scheduled) maintenance;
   4. Calendar based system;
   5. Hours based system;
   6. Monitored/ condition/ performance based system;
   7. Trend analysis.
2. Monitoring by human senses.
3. Monitoring by automatic control systems.
4. Recording data, log books, data loggers.
5. Continuous class surveys.
6. Approved maintenance systems.
7. Power card analysis (including computer based systems for modern engines).
8. Periodic calibration (bearings, liner wear etc).
9. Testing of fuel and lubricating oil.
10. Vibration analysis.
11. Developing an established PMS from experience and condition monitoring to enhance operation (e.g. extending/reducing running hours between maintenance overhauls) without overriding manufacturer’s recommendations and company policy.
12. Spare gear (Classification society requirements/recommendation).

10. Surveys

1. Timescale requirements of continuous survey of ship’s machinery and hull with appropriate certification as required by Flag State and Class Society.
2. Statutory surveys.
3. Different types of surveyors (Flag State, Port State, Classification Society, Charter and Cargo Insurance etc).
4. Harmonised System of Survey and Certification (HSSC).
5. In-water surveys (IWS).
6. Methods of hull and component testing, destructive and non- destructive.

11. Dry Docking

1. Frequency of dry-docking.
2. Types of dry-dock (wet dock; graving dock; floating dock; Synchro-lift; slipway; cradle lift).
3. Preparation for dry-dock; docking plan; plug plan; work list; survey requirements; services required when in dry-dock.
4. Shore power and fire protection when in dry-dock.
5. Entering dry-dock procedure; tank transfers; upright condition; trim by the stern; bilges pumped; tanks sounded; stability condition
6. Preliminary inspection of underwater hull and fittings.
7. Pre-flooding of dry-dock procedure and safety checks.
8. Floating-off and leaving dry-dock procedure and safety checks.
9. Jurisdiction of safety executive (when afloat and when in dock/ ashore).

12. Voyage Planning

1. Crew manning and certification; number of passengers; fuel consumption and reserves; lubricants consumption; water consumption; chemicals; refrigerant gases; expendable items; maintenance and survey requirements; machinery checks and alarm system tests; parts and tools; minimum spares inventory; cleaning materials and consumables; supplies and any other requirements.
2. Consultation with ship’s master on planned route, deviations from planned route and alternative ports, in case of emergency.
3. Fuel consumption:
   1. Specific fuel consumption (SFC) and units (g/kW.h or kg/kW.h);
   2. Simple fuel consumption calculations, involving tables or data and previous voyage experience;
   3. Simple daily fuel consumption calculation;
   4. Use the formula: Daily fuel con.(tonnes)=SFC(kg/kW hr)xPower(kW)x[24/1000];
   5. Simple estimated voyage fuel consumption calculation;
   6. Addition of fuel reserves to basic fuel consumption calculations and reasons for the reserves (diversion for emergency rescue, change of planned route, breakdown, weather etc).
   7. Definition of maximum continuous rating (MCR);
   8. Operation at the optimum (most economical) speed;
   9. Determining fuel consumptions at MCR and optimum speed from vessels specific fuel consumption (SFC) / power graphical curve.

13. Emergency

1. Contingency plans dealing with flooding, to maintain intact buoyancy; watertight compartments, watertight doors, collision bulkheads, emergency bilge suctions, etc.
2. Ship’s fire equipment plans and fire fighting teams; construction, use and identification of various types of fire fighting equipment; contingency planning for fighting fires, including instruction of personnel in the use of various types of equipment, by organising and supervising ‘fire drills’ for firefighting teams in emergency situations.