1.

Define the following:-

1) Stowage factor- This is a net amount of space a unit weight of a cargo will occupy.
Stowage factor is expressed in either Cubic Metres per Tonnes (m3/tonne) or Cubic
Feet per Ton (ft3/ton).
2) Dead weight- Deadweight tonnage is the weight of all the cargo, fuel, dry provisions,
supplies, etc. carried on board the ship. In other words, it is the “displacement tonnage”
of the vessel minus the “lightweight tonnage”.
3) Proof load- This is the load for which loose gears are tested. It is higher than the Safe
Working Load but lesser than the Breaking Stress.
4) Displacement- of a ship is the weight of the ship or the weight of the water displaced by
the ship.
5) Load density- Maximum Weight which can be loaded safely in an Area of 1 Sq. M.
without causing any Damages to that area is called the Load Density of the area.
6) General Cargo Ship- A ship with one or more decks,having ability to carry a variety of
commodities in different forms such as boxed,palletized,refrigerated,an d with the
possibility to accommodate bulk materials such as grain.
7) Grain Capacity- the total amount of cargo space available for the carriage of bulk cargo.
It includes the gaps between the frames and beams in the hold.
8) Bale Capacity- the total amount of cargo space available for the carriage of bags, bales,
pallets or boxed cargoes and does not include the space between the frames and
beams
9) Broken Stowage- the space that is lost in a ship by cargo of irregular shape or because
of the hold being irregular
10) Cargo Sweat- – Cargo sweat refers to condensation which may form on exposed
surfaces of the stow because of large amounts of warm, moist air being persistently
introduced into a hold containing substantially colder cargo.
11) Frictional Forces in a block and tackle
12) Cargo Sheet
13) Safe Working Load- Also called WLL (Working Load Limit): is like a safety rating given to
any piece of gear. It is the maximum load that a rope, wire or chain or any gear in good
condition, be subjected to without fear of breaking.
14) Breaking Stress- The maximum stress a material can stand before it breaks is called the
breaking stress or ultimate tensile stress.
15) Hazardous Cargo- MHB cargoes are materials which possess chemical hazards when
transported in bulk that do not meet the criteria for inclusion in the IMDG classes. They
present significant risks when carried in bulk and require special precautions.
16) Union Purchase System of Derricks- A simple derrick by itself is not of much use
because if it is to discharge cargo it is to be plumbed over the hatch and then overside,
to avoid this tedious action a system with two derricks called the union purchase system
is used.
17) Competent Person- Any other person who is recognized under the relevant regulations
in force in other countries as competent for issuing certificates for any of the purposes.
18) MSDS Sheet-It provides guidance in handling the commodity and the properties and
composition of the item in question. This is of vital importance to any Hazardous desk of
any shipping line for them to consider accepting this cargo for loading on their ships.
19) Angle of Repose- Maximum slope angle of non-cohesive, i.e., free flowing, granular
material. It is the angle between horizontal plane and the cone of such material when at
rest on a plane surface.

1. What is contained in the Register of Lifting Appliances and Cargo Handling Gear?
Any chain register which the ship carries must be properly kept up
to date. Before the register can be signed the following
requirements must be satisfied:
– Every item of cargo gear must be of sufficient safe working load (SWL),
and suitable design.
– Every item of cargo gear must be marked with a unique identifying
number.
– There must be a certificate, in an approved form, for each item of
cargo gear, identified by its unique number.
– A system must exist to produce the certificate for any item of cargo
gear promptly.
– Every item of cargo gear must be in sound condition, and well
maintained.
– Thorough inspections of the cargo gear must be carried out at the
required intervals (annually for most authorities, but three-monthly
for Australia).
The information contained on the face or cover of the
chain register is as follows:
1. Name of the Ship.
2. Official Number.
3. Call Sign.
4. Port of registry.
5. Name of the owner.
6. Date of Issue.
7. Issued by.
8. Signature and Stamp.

2. What are the contents of the Rigging Plan.

3. Explain the contents of Cargo securing Manual.

According to SOLAS and CSS, cargo units, including containers shall be stowed and
secured throughout the voyage in accordance with a cargo securing manual.
Contents are;
Chapter 1: General
Chapter 2: Securing Devices and Arrangements
 Chapter 3: Stowage and Securing of non standardised and semi standardised cargo
Chapter 4: Stowage and securing of standardised cargo and containers
Chapter 5: Cargo Safe Acess Plan

4. List the precautions to be taken while loading Heavy Lift.

If bagged cargo is not stowed solidly, allowing too much of broken stowage, it would
tend to shift with the motion of the ship, thus shifting the centre of gravity laterally and
including a listing moment to the ship. Bulk cargoes are therefore saucered with the
same cargo, in order to prevent cargo shifting to one side.
Cargo which is liable to slide during rolling like steel rails, pipes, long steel plates are
stowed with their ends in the fore and aft direction. It is necessary because most of
these cargoes are not individually lashed, they are grouped into bundles and lashed to
make many small bundles of pipes or rails.
Vehicles should be aligned fore and aft with sufficient distance between them to allow
access through the deck. Their wheels should be chocked and the hand brakes
observed to be on and working. Lashings are the most effective at between 30-60
Degrees to the deck line. Crossed lashing should be used where practical.
Containers when loaded on deck are subject to the following consideration;
Load density of the deck
Spreading load of the container evenly
Chocking the container base to prevent shifting
Placing containers in groups
Keeping a clear passage for crew members to check the lashings during the
voyage.
5. What are the duties of Watch keeping officer during cargo operation?
The details of the duties will vary with the type of the ship but the basic duties are as
follows:
During cargo operations, some steps that must be taken to ensure the safety of
personnel are:
The location/readiness of life saving appliances and firefighting appliances.
Safe access to and from within the vessel.
Adequate lighting in holds, on deck and all other spaces as required.
Not exceeding the SWL of any gear and checking the condition of the cargo gear
prior being used.

The safety of the ship and cargo can be ensured by taking the following measures:
Check the draft and under keel clearance at regular intervals.
Make sure there is no excessive trim or list.
Check the moorings regularly.
Check the bilges and ballast conditions.
 Additionally, if at anchor:
Ascertain the vessel’s position regularly.
Keep a proper look out for possible dangers such as small boats or floating
objects such as logs.
Check the anchor specially at the turn of tide.

6. Name the types of hatch covers.

Folding Covers: They may be fitted at both weather deck and tween deck hatchways.
The simplest arrangement is two flat topped, open web panels. The top plates are
supported and stiffened by webs and girders, but there are no closing plates on the
underside.
Rolling Covers: Side rolling covers usually consist of two large panels at each hatchway.
They are fitted with wheels which roll along a track at both sides of the coaming top.
Stacking Covers: The hatch opening can be opened completely or partially by lifting the
dumb panel and rolling the first rolling panel underneath. The dumb panel is then
lowered onto the rolling panel. The cylinders continue to lower until the lifting head clicks
underneath lifting lugs on the rolling panel.
Lift away or pontoon covers: As fitted to container ships, are sized to be able to be lifted
by shore side container gantry cranes.

7. Explain the different methods of testing the weathertightness of hatch covers.

Chalk Test: Once loading has been completed, the condition of the seal is checked by
spreading chalk over the compression bar and then closing the hatch, on re-opening, an
absence of chalk at any point indicates lack of contact.
Hose Test: A hose test involves playing a jet of water along the cross joints and
perimeter seals of the hatch covers at a certain minimum pressure and distance from the
structure.
Ultrasonic Test: A transmitter is placed in the empty hold and an open hatch, reading of
the transmission strength at the coaming level is noted, then with hatch cover closed, the
detector is moved by the surveyor around the cross joints and sides and any leaks can
be located.
8. Draw the simple sketch of a simple Derrick and mark its parts

In the context of a ship's crane, the following terms are explained:

1) Hoisting or lowering - this is where the cargo hook is raised or lowered with the jib at
rest.
2) Slewing - this is where the crane jib transverses horizontally with the hook at rest.
3) Luffing - this where the crane jib is raised or lowered vertically with the hook at rest.
9. Explain ship’s sweat and cargo sweat.
Ship sweat refers to condensation which forms directly on a vessel’s structure when the
air within a hold, made warm and moist by the cargo, comes into contact with cold
surfaces as the vessel moves into cooler climates.
Cargo sweat refers to condensation which may form on exposed surfaces of the stow
because of large amounts of warm, moist air being persistently introduced into a hold
containing substantially colder cargo.
10. Describe how the cargo ventilation is carried out onboard ship to prevent sweat
formation.
Ventilation systems include a supply, or makeup air system and an exhaust system.
Supply systems replace contaminated air exhausted from a workspace with
uncontaminated outside air. Supply ventilations systems also provide replenishment air
to air conditioning recirculation systems. Exhaust systems remove odours, heated air,
and airborne contaminants from the hold.
• Mechanical ventilation systems – Systems through which air is passed by
ventilators driven hydraulically, pneumatically or by electric motors. Mechanical
ventilation may also be called power ventilation or forced ventilation.
• Natural ventilation systems – Systems in which the air movement is caused
solely by temperature differences, natural wind, or head wind.
11. Differentiate between Natural and synthetic fibre ropes.
Natural fiber ropes are manufactured from manila, sisal, hemp, coir, cotton. The process
of manufacture consists of twisting the fibers into yarns and turning the yarns in an
opposite direction to establish strands, the strands are laid into a rope. They have low
density, less processing costs, can lift heavy load.
 Synthetic fiber ropes are made from synthetic materials like nylon, polypropylene, and
polyester. They have superior lifting or pulling strength as compared to natural fibre
ropes, they have an outstanding strength to weight ratio and are cost-effective as
compared to wire ropes.
12. Explain briefly the care and maintenance of wire ropes.
 Ideally, wires should be removed from their drums for a thorough inspection, care
being taken that broken wires don’t snag and cause injury to those personnel
handling the wires.
 Once the inspection is complete, wires should be cleaned and lubricated.
 One of the most common methods of greasing wires is either by the use of a rag
covered in grease or with brushes dipped in grease and smeared over the wire.
 Another method for cleaning wires (except mooring wires as they tend to be too
big) is for the wire to be removed completely from its spool and placed in a
container of kerosene or similar.
 Any form of rope is liable to wear and mechanical damage and can be weakened
by various means, including chemical, heat and light. Regular inspection is
essential to ensure that ropes are serviceable before use.
 When not in use as on a passage the rope used for cargo gear should be stowed
in a clean, dry area free from heat and away from chemicals

13. Explain briefly the Bulk carrier, examples of bulk cargoes.

Bulk carrier means a ship which is constructed generally with single deck, top-side tanks
and hopper side tanks in cargo spaces, and is intended primarily to carry cargo in bulk,
and includes such types as ore carriers and combination carriers.
Some examples of bulk cargo may include Iron Ore, Coal, Grain, Bauxite, Sand and
gravel, Scrap Metal.
14. Explain briefly ballasting and deballasting operations on board ship.
Ballasting and deballasting are important aspects of cargo
operations especially on bulk carriers, container ships and
tankers.
Ballast plan: On bulk carriers, large quantities of ballast water have to be pumped
quickly to compensate for the rapid loading or discharge of the cargo.
The Chief Officer should have a ballast plan, which will ensure that the sequence of
pumping ballast corresponds with the sequence for loading or discharging of the cargo,
in order that the bending moments and shear forces are kept within acceptable limits.
With bulk carriers, there is often a clause in charter parties, and sometimes in the
contract with the loading terminal, that the ship must be able to deballast completely
within a specified time-e.g., 24 hours for a Panamax bulk carrier.
On some ships, the ballasting operation is performed entirely by the duty deck
watchkeeper, or by the Chief Officer assisted by the OOW.
These procedures will have to be discussed between the OOW, Chief officer and the
Engine room officer and the sequences followed.
Some checks are required to be done during such operations, including air pipes,
adjacent holds, using gravity, over pressurizing the tanks, avoiding a list.
15. Explain all types of Fibre ropes used on board ship.
 Manila rope Manila is obtained from the abaca (wild banana) plant, which grows,
largely in the Philippine Islands, and is exported via the port of Manila, from
which it acquires its name.
 Sisal rope: This rope’s name comes from the plant it’s made of, namely Agave
sisalana. It is much appreciated because it costs less, but it has the tendency to
become coarse and relatively bulky
 Cotton rope is mainly used on yachts, being soft and pliable. It also knots well.
 Coir rope is both buoyant and elastic but lacking in strength.
 Hemp rope was phased out when Manila, which does not require tarring, became
widely available.
16. Explain with a simple sketch about “Block” and label its parts.
A block is a set of pulleys or "sheaves" mounted on a single axle. An assembly of blocks
with a rope threaded through the pulleys is called tackle.
A standing eye in line with the sheave.
A standing eye at right angles to the sheave (reversed).
A standing eye at right angles to the sheave, with a free hook
A swivel eye.
A swivel hooks.
A swivel eye and a free hook.
A jaw in line with the sheave.
A jaw at right angles to the sheave.
17. Explain in detail the Dunnage and its uses onboard.
Dunnage is any material that is used to protect goods and their packing from moisture,
contamination, or mechanical damage. It can be wood, plastic, tarpaulin, etc. Its uses
include;
1. Keep cargo away from steel bottom of hold to prevent it from encountering ship
sweat.
2. Dunnage is spread about on the holds to bring about
some amount of frictional resistance between the
cargo and the steel bottom.
3. Dunnage helps in spreading the cargo weight evenly.
4. If the hold bottom is dirty and hosing down is not an
option, then a double layer of dunnage would help.
5. Dunnage also helps channeling any water into the
bilge wells.

18. Describe Cargo Stowage plans and discuss its importance.

A cargo plan or a stowage plan is a pictorial representation of the different commodities
of cargo loaded onboard a ship.
Purpose:
 For an effective and quick discharge.
 Serve as a road map in case of an emergency
 Optimum use of vessel’s cargo space
  Ensure stability of vessel
 Cargo stowed in a planned manner thereby reducing the possibility of damage to
cargo or ship
 Safety of ship and the crew

19. Write short notes on importance of port rotation while planning cargo stowage.
Cargo should be distributed so that the maximum number of hatches can be worked
simultaneously to ensure a quick turnaround of the ship. Rotation of discharge ports is to
be kept in mind when loading. Over carriage cargo is to be avoided by careful checking.
The cargo which is to be discharged at the first port of discharged needs to be loaded
accordingly at the top of the hold. But at the same time, the weight of the cargo needs to
be kept in mind as a heavier cargo might end up affecting the stability of the vessel if
loaded at the top.
20. Explain rigging of purchase to advantage and to disadvantage.
The Mechanical Advantage of a tackle depends on the number of sheaves in the block,
how the rope is moved and whether it is rigged to advantage or disadvantage. If the load
moves in the opposite direction of the effort applied, it is said to be in disadvantage,
however, if it moves in the same direction, it is said to be in advantage.
21. Enumerate important points to be remembered before loading bulk cargo.
Improperly secured cargo will shift seaway and can endanger the cargo as well as the
ship. Cargo in the ship will tend to shift with the motion of the ship.
In case of bulk cargoes, the cargo may shift on passage if non-cohesive cargo is stowed
incorrectly. The risk of shifting of bulk cargo is determined by their angle of repose.
The angle of repose is the maximum slope angle of free-flowing granular material.
Cargoes with an angle of repose less than 35 degrees are in danger of shifting. Cargoes
with higher than 35-degree angle of repose have less likelihood of shifting due to their
non cohesive nature.

22. What is permissible load density. Explain with an example.

Maximum Weight which can be loaded safely in an Area of 1 Sq. M. without causing any
Damages to that area is called the Load Density of the area. It is given in Ship's Stability
Booklet and is expressed in m.t./Sq. M.
For example, if the load density of a hold is 8.5t/sqm, and it’s area is 708.75, therefore,
cargo with a stowage factor, say, 0.5338m3/t, having a load density of 11.802t/sqm
exceeds the load density of the hold if loaded fully. So the heigh must be reduced so as
to be within permissible load density.
23. In designing a hatch cover, give 5 important key parts.
Weathertightness: When the ship is at sea, there is relative movement between hatch
covers and coamings, it should remain watertight.
Sealing arrangements: There should be a compression bar and a rubber seal, also
known as a gasket, packing or water seal or just hatch rubber.
Drainage: Hatch covers are relatively large objects and even a well-maintained cover
may experience some slight leakage through a localized defect. Therefore, a drainage
channel is a must.
 Closing/opening/securing: A common cause of panel deformation is failure to the
operating gear or hitting an obstruction on the trackway. Ensure that there is no
obstruction.
Hydraulic hooks and wedge cleats are used to restrict the movement of hatch cover
pontoons in seaway.

24. List down 5 types of container lashing materials.

When all containers are loaded on ships, prior departure, all containers are secured well
so that they do not fall off in the sea during rough weather.
Base Locks- The bottom-most layer of containers is secured by base locks.
Mid Locks- They are in the middle of the hatch cover and are used only in case of 20
feet containers.
Twist Locks- Each tier of the container is locked with the other tier of the container using
twist locks.
Other lashing materials may include; turnbuckles, lashing rods and lashing bridge.

25. What are the Operational checks to be done on ship’s crane before handing over
to stevedores?
Limit Switches- All limit switches are to be tested as per the manufacturer’s instructions.
Safe Working Load- The SWL for shipboard lifting appliances and heavy lift cranes is the
load that each complete crane assembly is approved to lift the cargo hook.
Crane Oil Levels- Check oil levels in all the relevant header tanks.
Windows- Crane windows need to be washed and cleaned and broken glass to be
replaced.
Crane and machinery space watertight doors- Sealing rubbers to be intact and all hinges
and close handles must be oiled and kept free.
Slip rings- electrician to megger test prior to operation.
Removal of jobs from crutches prior to arrival in port is strictly prohibited.

26. Explain the procedure of inspection of cargo holds.

27. With the help of neat diagram show the markings on

shackles.
A shackle is a U-shaped piece of metal secured with a
clevis (partially threaded or unthreaded with a hole for a
split pin) pin or bolt.
Each new shackle body shall have forged markings by the
manufacturer to show:
 Name or trademark of the manufacturer
 Rated load
 Size
28. Describe types of segregation of dangerous goods on General Cargo ship.
 Segregation refers to the stowage of cargoes in separate parts of the ship so that one
cannot damage the other due to its inherent properties.
For e.g Wet cargoes (Liquids in containers) must be kept away from Dry cargoes (Paper
products, flour, rice etc).
Segregation of heavy and light cargoes is necessary with respect to their vertical
position.
Odorous cargoes (Cargoes that give off fumes such as kerosene, turpentine, ammonia
etc. that are likely to taint certain cargoes) must be stowed away from delicate cargoes
such as rice, flour, tea and cereals.
The IMDG Code (International Maritime Dangerous Goods) Code is an international
code for the shipment of dangerous goods by sea. It covers amongst other matters,
segregation of incompatible substances. Once the initial stowage plan is made the
segregation requirements must be dealt with in accordance to chapter 7.2 of Volume 1
of the IMDG Code. The segregation requirements between dangerous goods carried on
the same ship are laid out in a tabular format.
Cargoes may be separated using hessian separation strips, burlap in various colours,
markings by shoring, paper sheet, tarpaulin, etc.
29. Enumerate various checks to be carried out on Ship’s cargo gear before using it
for cargo operations.
 All cargo gear shall be carefully inspected before use by the Chief Officer.
 The inspection would entail the greasing and overhauling of cargo blocks, derrick
gooseneck swivel arrangement and all moving parts.
 All wire ropes (including runner wires, topping-lift wires, preventers, cargo slings,
etc.) shall be properly inspected for wear and tear and condemned, if in any
length of eight diameters, the total number of broken wires exceeds 10% of the
number of wires.
 Check that all chains, hooks, rings, shackles, and swivels to be used for cargo
operations have been examined during the last annual examination and only
then put into use. Ensure color coding where applicable is followed.
 Wooden blocks used for side guys and center guys, checked for decay and
splitting. Replace if required.
 Examine the ropes used as guys for any signs of deterioration and replace as
required.
 All gear to be used for cargo operations shall be of adequate SWL.
30. Explain various classes of cargoes as per IMSBC code with examples.
• The primary aim of the International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes code is to facilitate
the safe stowage, shipment, and carriage of bulk cargoes. As per the code, the cargoes
are divided into three classes;
Group A Cargo: Which may liquefy if shipped at a moisture content exceeding their
transportable moisture limit. Eg. Fish in bulk, iron ore.
Group B Cargo: which possess a chemical hazard which could give rise to dangerous
situation on a ship. Eg. Coal and woodchips.
Group C Cargo: which neither liquefy nor poses chemical hazard. Cargoes in this group
may still be considered hazardous. Eg. Bauxite and cement.