Registered Ship Surveyor flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

SOLAS Chapter I

Requires flag State survey and certification of ships; certificates may be issued by recognized organizations acting under delegated authority, with the Administration retaining overall responsibility.

Tacit acceptance procedure

IMO amendment procedure where amendments enter into force on a specified date unless rejected by a set proportion of Parties before that date, making compliance dates predictable.

MARPOL Annex VI sulphur limits

Global sulphur limit 0.50% m/m from 1 January 2020; 0.10% in Emission Control Areas; equivalent methods such as scrubbers require approval and continuous monitoring.

STCW rest hours

Minimum 10 hours rest in any 24-hour period and 77 hours in any 7-day period; watch schedules must be posted and records maintained for inspection.

ISPS security levels

Three security levels: level 1 normal, level 2 heightened, level 3 exceptional; Ship Security Plan approved by Administration; Declaration of Security when required.

Hogging and sagging

Hogging puts deck in tension and bottom in compression; sagging reverses these stresses; combined with still-water bending in strength calculations.

Section modulus

Ratio of moment of inertia to distance from neutral axis; bending stress equals bending moment divided by section modulus; governs hull girder longitudinal strength.

Collision bulkhead location

Located between 0.05L and 0.08L from the forward perpendicular, measured from the freeboard deck at centreline, per SOLAS subdivision requirements.

Scantling diminution limit

Renewal triggered when measured thickness falls below rule minimum or allowable percentage, commonly 75-80% of original thickness for structural members.

Free surface correction

FSC equals sum of (i x rho) divided by displacement, where i is second moment of area of each tank free surface; reduces effective GM.

Initial metacentric height

GM = KM - KG; positive GM gives stable equilibrium; IS Code 2008 requires initial GM of at least 0.15 m for intact stability.

IS Code 2008 GZ criteria

Area to 30 degrees at least 0.055 m-rad; to 40 degrees at least 0.09 m-rad; to 40 degrees or flooding angle at least 0.03 m-rad; maximum GZ at least 0.20 m at 25 degrees or more.

Damage stability index A

Probabilistic subdivision index A must be at least required index R for passenger ships and dry cargo ships; deterministic one or two compartment standard applies to tankers.

Inclining experiment formula

GM equals (w x d) divided by (W x tan theta), where w is moved weight, d is transverse distance moved, W is displacement, theta is heel angle.

Two-stroke diesel SFOC

Slow-speed crosshead two-stroke engines typically consume 160-175 g/kWh at MCR; uniflow scavenging and exhaust valve or port scavenging are common.

Continuous service rating

CSR is the power at which the ship normally operates, typically 85-90% of MCR; engine room log and power limitation records are survey evidence.

Steering gear requirements

SOLAS requires two independent power-actuated steering gear units; emergency steering drills every 3 months; main and auxiliary changeover tested and recorded.

Tail shaft survey interval

Typically 5 years; stern tube bearing clearance, shaft earthing, and bearing wear are checked during tail shaft survey.

Emergency generator timing

SOLAS II-1 requires automatic start and connection to emergency switchboard within 45 seconds; supplies navigation lights, steering, fire pump, emergency lighting.

Insulation resistance test

Typically at least 1 MOhm per circuit; earth fault detection required on isolated IT systems; megger testing detects cable and switchboard degradation.

Hazardous area equipment

Ex d, Ex e, and Ex i rated equipment required; cable gland sealing and area classification drawings verified during survey of tankers and gas carriers.

CO2 system quantity

Fixed CO2 quantity is 30% of gross volume of protected space, or 35% for machinery spaces; pre-discharge alarm and release controls tested.

Lifeboat release gear test

On-load release gear requires annual inspection and 5-year dynamic test; launching appliance, davit, and winch inspected during survey.

Fire class types

Class A solids, B flammable liquids, C gases, D metals; extinguisher type and quantity selected per SOLAS II-2 and FSS Code.

Condition of class

Issued when deficiencies are found; must be cleared by a specified date; overdue condition of class can lead to suspension of classification.

Annual survey window

Annual survey must be within 3 months before or after the anniversary date of the certificate; special survey every 5 years.

Ultrasonic thickness gauging

UTM measures remaining plate thickness; average, minimum remaining thickness, and pitting evaluated separately against rule minimums; grid spacing per class rules.

Enclosed space entry

Requires entry permit, gas testing, rescue equipment, and verified atmosphere before entry; surveyor confirms permit and atmosphere before entering tanks.

Steel grade selection

Grades A, B, D, E have increasing toughness; higher-strength AH32/AH36 and DH32/DH36 selected by structural location and design temperature per class rules.

WPS and PQR

Welding procedure specification and procedure qualification record required before production welding; welder qualification records verified during survey.

NDT method selection

Visual and MT/PT detect surface-breaking defects; UT and RT detect volumetric defects; selection depends on defect type, accessibility, and acceptance criteria.

Surveyor independence

No financial interest in vessel, owner, or repairer; conflicts of interest declared and avoided; reports must reflect actual findings without influence.