MAJ OOW Deck Exam case studies

MAJ OOW Deck Exam · Put your knowledge to work in context.

The Master or Chief Mate (OOW) Deck Examination is the competency assessment for seafarers progressing toward a certificate of competency as master or chief mate, typically after holding an officer of the watch certificate and accumulating the required seagoing service. It is intended for deck officers who already stand watches and now need to demonstrate the higher-level knowledge and judgment expected of senior officers. The MAJ OOW Deck Exam case studies are 5 cases and about 5,281 words.

Total GNSS failure and suspected spoofing on passage to Port Said

At 0340 on 14 March a 300 m container ship is on passage from Piraeus to Port Said, steering 118° T at 18.5 kn, about 55 nm south-west of Cape Kormakiti. Wind is NE 4, sea slight, visibility 8 nm, and the charted current sets 085° at 0.9 kn.

1,070 words, about 5 min 2

Radar-only contact in fog with conflicting AIS data

At 2240 you are OOW of a laden 225 m bulk carrier steering 265° T at 13.5 kn in thick fog, with a radar range of visibility of about 1.2 nm and an actual visibility of about 0.5 nm. The vessel is not in a traffic separation scheme.

1,067 words, about 5 min 3

Marginal GM with slack tanks and a deck heavy lift

A 12,000 t displacement general cargo ship is completing loading at a river berth. The approved loading instrument shows displacement 12,000 t, KG 6.85 m, KM 7.20 m, GM 0.35 m, draughts 7.62 m forward and 7.85 m aft.

891 words, about 4 min 4

Engine room fire with a missing crew member

At 0340 on a 2011-built container ship of 8,500 TEU, the fire alarm sounds for the engine room. The watchkeeper on deck sees dense black smoke coming from the engine room casing access door and the main engine has already stopped.

1,139 words, about 6 min 5

Oily water separator failure with pressure to discharge illegally

A 2014-built 38,000 dwt bulk carrier is on passage, three days from the discharge port. The second engineer reports that the 15 ppm bilge alarm on the oily water separator trips repeatedly and that the separator internals are contaminated with solvent left over from cleaning work in the engine room.

1,114 words, about 6 min