Learning chapter
General
Day-to-day seamanship and paperwork: ship certificates, load line and tonnage, dry-docking, bunkering, audits vs surveys, and emergency equipment checks.
This chapter collects 22 illustrated lessons on General as part of Safety, ordered as they are best studied. It opens with Major Certificates & Documents to Carry On Board, The Saturday Routine: Planned Maintenance Checks, Dry-Docking: Preparation, Procedure & Survey, Bunkering & Oil Transfer: Precautions & Procedures, Conditions of Assignment of Freeboard, Why Oil Tankers Have Less Freeboard and 16 more. Each lesson is written for MEO oral and written preparation: definitions first, then how the system behaves, then the checks and figures used in practice.
Explore the lessons
01
Major Certificates & Documents to Carry On BoardLearn the major ship certificates and documents: SOLAS, MARPOL Annex I-VI, Load Line, Tonnage, STCW, ILO, liability certificates plus validity periods and supplements.
02
The Saturday Routine: Planned Maintenance ChecksLearn the ship Saturday planned maintenance routine: weekly, fortnightly and monthly checks of emergency fire pump, general alarm, lifeboat engine, CO2, emergency steering and alarms.
03
Dry-Docking: Preparation, Procedure & SurveyLearn dry-docking procedure: preparation months/days/hours before, repair list and tagging, ballasting and trim, shore services, on-dock work coordination, bottom survey and after-docking checks.
04
Bunkering & Oil Transfer: Precautions & ProceduresLearn bunkering precautions: plugging scuppers, hose checks, emergency shutdown signals, vent pipes, tank changeover, settling/service tank checks, purifiers and spill prevention.
05
Conditions of Assignment of FreeboardLearn the Conditions of Assignment of Freeboard: construction, hatchway coaming heights, ventilators, air pipes, scuppers with non-return valves, side scuttles, freeing ports and crew protection.
06
Why Oil Tankers Have Less FreeboardLearn why oil tankers are assigned less freeboard: fewer closable openings, small hatch area, greater subdivision, low tank permeability (~5%), lighter cargo density and powerful pumping.
07
Safety on Oxygen & Acetylene BottlesLearn oxygen and acetylene bottle safety: flashback arrestor, colour coding, right-hand O2 thread, left-hand acetylene thread, separate storage and gas welding precautions.
08
Tonnage Measurement: Gross & Net TonnageLearn ship tonnage: Tonnage Convention 1969, Gross Tonnage formula GT = K1 V, Net Tonnage deductions and formula, K1/K2/K3 coefficients and why tonnage matters.
09
Load Line: Marks, Letters & ConventionsLearn ship load lines: Plimsoll mark, TF F T S W WNA letters, fresh water allowance, winter/tropical derivation, class society initials, Load Line Convention 1966 and certificates.
10
Loadicator / Loading ComputerLearn the loadicator: ship loading computer that checks stability, shear force, bending moment, GM, sailing draughts and deadweight before departure.
11
Difference Between Audit and SurveyLearn the difference between an audit and a survey: survey focuses on hardware/physical status, audit focuses on system, procedures, documentation and software.
12
Emergency Generator: Testing & RequirementsLearn emergency generator testing, independent starting modes, automatic start and transfer, stored starting energy and essential services supplied.
13
MGPS — Marine Growth Prevention / Anti-Fouling SystemLearn MGPS: marine growth prevention by electrolysis, copper and aluminium anodes, Cu/Al reactions, anti-corrosion film, impressed current control unit and causes of failure.
14
Quick Closing Valve: Construction & WorkingLearn the quick closing valve: construction, valve trim, spring-loaded spindle, lever and piston operation, remote pneumatic/hydraulic control and difference from a relief valve.
15
How to Measure the Depth of the Ship (Echo Sounder)Learn how the depth of the ship is measured with an echo sounder: echo reflection principle, S = V × T formula, depth = V×T/2, transducer, and factors affecting accuracy.
16
New Amendments (1 January 2013): SOLAS & MARPOLLearn the 1 January 2013 amendments: SOLAS III/1 lifeboat on-load release hooks, MARPOL Annex VI EEDI and SEEMP, US Caribbean ECA, Baltic Annex IV special area and revised Annex V garbage rules.
17
Ship Accommodation, Midship Section & Container StowageLearn ship particulars and containers: accommodation and cargo hold length, midship section, TEU and FEU dimensions, tare/net/gross weight and securing containers in hold.
18
Rudder: Construction, Types & SupportLearn rudder construction: welded plates and frames, hollow buoyant body, balanced/semi-balanced/spade rudders, pintle and lower bearing support, jumper bar and lifting clearance.
19
Fuel Consumption & Speed RelationshipLearn the relation between fuel consumption and ship speed: specific fuel consumption (SFOC kg/kWh), the cube law (fuel ∝ speed³), daily consumption in tonnes, and the fuel coefficient (40,000–120,000).
20
Maritime Codes & Conventions: The Complete ListComplete list of maritime codes and conventions: ISM, IMDG, FSS, LSA, IMSBC, IBC, ISPS, NOx Code and SOLAS, MARPOL, STCW, Load Line, Tonnage, Ballast Water Management and Antifouling.
21
STCW: The Convention & Its Eight ChaptersLearn the STCW Convention: full meaning and all eight chapters — General provisions, Deck, Engine, Radio, Special training, Emergency/medical/survival, Alternative certificate and Watchkeeping.
22
Emergency Safeguards: Remote Fuel Shut-offs, Skylights & Fire DampersMaster shipboard emergency safeguards: SOLAS II-2 remote fuel shut-offs, quick closing valves (QCV), ventilation fire dampers, skylight closures, and machinery emergency stops.