VIQ 7th Edition

Knowledge based questions for officers of Oil Tankers

2.12 Are the deck officers aware of the general contents and requirements of Volatile Organic Compounds
(VOC) Management Plan the plan?
VOC plan is used to record the carriage of Crude Oils containing Volatile Organic compounds and includes
measures aimed at reducing the venting of VOCs such as maintaining of the Tank Gas pressures etc

2.14 Are officers aware of the general requirements relating to the Ship Energy Efficiency Management
Plan (SEEMP) plan?
SEEMP is a plan to help ship operators to improve the energy efficiency of a ship during its operation lifecycle.

5.19 Are the officers aware of the correct settings of pump room fire and flooding dampers?
Only the lower suction of Pump room fan should be open in normal condition. The lower suction needs to be
closed and upper suction is to be used in case of any flooding of pump room.

7.11 Does the Master/SSO have a clear understanding of the procedures for voluntary security reporting?
Reporting procedures are mentioned in the Piracy Planning Charts. These procedures are summarized below:
 For the Western Indian Ocean, the MSCHOA and UKMTO voluntary registration and reporting scheme in the
WIO (Admiralty chart Q6099). Security Bulletin 01/2018 – BMP5
 For the Gulf of Guinea, the MDAT-GOG voluntary registration and reporting scheme (Admiralty chart Q6114).
– Security Bulletin 04/2014 - Guidelines for Owners, Operators and Masters for protection against piracy in the
Gulf of Guinea region.
 For South East Asia, the Singapore Information Fusion Centre (IFC) voluntary community reporting scheme
(Admiralty charts Q6112 and Q6113). Security Bulletin 06/2014 - Establishment of South East Asia ‘Security
Cautionary Zone’ (SCZ)

7.14 Are Cyber Security Policy and Procedures part of the Safety Management System and is there a Cyber
Response Plan onboard?
 Refer to TGP 3.4.4 Vessel IT support management
 Refer to TGP 3.4.2 IT security section 5 CYBER RISK
 Refer to TGP 3.4.2 IT security section 8.8 Portable storage devices
Message to be sent to resolve cyber security issue to: vesselIt@thome.com.sg / ITsecurity@thome.com.sg

7.16 Does the company have a policy or guidance on the use of personal devices onboard?
Refer to TGP 3.4.2 IT security Section ‘8.7 Personal computing devices’

7.17 Is Cyber Security awareness actively promoted by the company and onboard?
 Refer to TGP 3.4.2 IT security Section ‘16 TRAINING AND AWARENESS’
 Refer to Seagull Cyber Security Training
 Refer to Cyber Security Poster

8.1 Are the officers aware of the operator's policy statements, guidance and procedures, including
information on maximum loading rates and venting capacities with regard to safe cargo operations?
Depending on the vessel’s building date, loading rate and venting capacities are calculated and mentioned in
the VECS manual and/or in the loading manual. This information can be found from the loading rate poster
that is posted in CCR.
The flow rate in the cargo line should not exceed 12 metre/sec in order to avoid wear and tear in the pipe line.

8.3 Are deck officers aware of the test requirements for the cargo lines?
 Cargo pipes to be tested to 100% of their rated working pressure at least annually.
 Cargo pipes should be tested to 1.5 times their rated working pressure at least twice within any five-year
period.
Pressure testing should be a hydrostatic test and records of testing should clearly mention same. Testing by
air pressure is not acceptable.

8.6 Is the vessel free of inherent intact stability problems, are officer’s aware of these problems or risks of
structural damage due to sloshing, and actions required if the vessel takes on an unstable condition
and/or an angle of loll.
Any inherent intact stability problems or restrictions will be mentioned in the trim & stability booklet and officers
should be aware of same. Any restrictions should be posted in the CCR.
TGM 2.6.13 Section 4 / TGP 1.1.9 A4 gives guidance on above topic. All officers must study these
procedures.

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 VIQ 7th Edition
Knowledge based questions for officers of Oil Tankers
8.19 Are the officers aware of the primary and secondary cargo tank venting systems and are the systems
functioning correctly?
The primary and secondary means can be achieved by the following. Find out that which system if fitted on
your ship.

 Full flow mast riser + independent full flow p/v valve per tank. Or
 Full flow mast riser + pressure sensors (with alarms and monitoring in CCR) per tank. Or
 Independent full flow p/v valve per tank + pressure sensors (with alarms and monitoring in CCR) per tank. Or
 Two (2) independent full flow p/v valves per tank OR

The pressure sensor alarm settings for the inerted vessels should be set as following:
 High pressure setting: 10% greater than the normal actuation settings of the pressure valves
 Low-pressure settings: +100 mm WG.

In case if the ship is fitted with vapour return line with a pressure sensing device that senses the pressure in
the main vapour collection line, then alarm setting for vapour return line pressure sensor should be as below:
 High pressure setting: Not more than 90 percent of the PV Valve
 Low-pressure settings: 100 mm WG.

8.24 Are the deck officers aware of required actions in the event of the inert gas failure?
Discharging must be stopped in case of IG plant failure. TGM 2.6.7/section 7 deals with the action to be taken
during failure of the Inert gas plant.

8.27 Is the liquid level in the deck seal at the correct level, clearly visible and are officers aware of
requirements to periodically check the level?
The deck seal level should be checked prior cargo operations and regularly during the discharge operations.

8.29 Are the officers and crew aware of the specific hazards associated with nitrogen gas?
High concentrations of nitrogen is dangerous because they can reduce oxygen levels to a point where people
entering the area can lose consciousness due to asphyxiation.

8.31 Are the officers’ familiar with the dangers associated with over pressurisation of the cargo tanks and
are procedures implemented to avoid over pressure due to purging, blowing and pigging with
nitrogen?
TGM 2.8.12 (Use of Nitrogen) covers in detail on the use of Nitrogen. The flow rate of the supplied nitrogen
should not exceed the maximum venting capacity of the ships PV valves or the shore vapour return system.
Purging, blowing pigging etc should be conducted using Nitrogen and not compressed air.

8.33 Are the officers aware of the IMO requirements for COW and is the vessel complying with such
requirements?
Ship staff to be aware of the content of the COW manual that includes the list of crude oil not suitable for
COW. Following is the requirement for COW on crude oil tankers:
 Atleast 25% of the cargo tanks shall be crude oil washed for sludge control purposes on a rotational basis. No
tank need be crude oil washed more than once in every four months
 Heavy weather cargo tanks to be full COW at every discharge port.
 Ballast water shall not be put into cargo tanks that have not been crude oil washed

8.37 Are deck officers aware of the precautions necessary to avoid static discharge including maximum
flow rates and settling periods for flammable cargoes in non-inert tanks?
Initial loading rate should not exceed a flow rate of more than 1 metre/second until the tank inlet is well
covered and all splashing and surface turbulence in the tank has ceased.
There should be a delay of 30 minutes (settling time) after the completion of loading of each tank before
commencing dipping, ullaging or sampling with metallic equipment.

8.38 Are officers aware if the vessel is fitted with full depth sounding pipes, is this information clearly
displayed and are officers aware of the additional precautions relating to cargo tanks that are not
fitted with full depth pipes?
Please refer to ISGOTT 11.8.2.3 and TGM 2.8.2/section 4.5 as part of static electricity precautions. Put a
notice in the CCR to indicate whether vessel is fitted with full depth sounding pipes or not.

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 VIQ 7th Edition
Knowledge based questions for officers of Oil Tankers
8.46 Is the pump room gas monitoring system in good order, regularly checked and are officers aware of
the alarm settings?
All officers must find out the alarm setting of the fixed gas detection system of their ship. Normally it is set at
10% LEL for combustible gas and 5 ppm for H2S. This equipment must be calibrated once every month.

8.52 Does the POAC have the necessary qualifications and experience and are officers aware of these
requirements?
The requirement of POAC (person in overall advisory control) is mentioned in the Ship to Ship Transfer guide
2013 edition.
The designation of POAC is a mandatory requirement for oil transfer operation through STS. The POAC will
either be one of the masters concerned or an STS Superintendent.

10.4 Are the engineers familiar with safe entry requirements to the machinery space when operating in the
UMS mode, especially with regards to use of the dead man alarm where fitted?
Procedures should be in place to ensure that no-one enters the engine compartment alone, for example to
carry out final evening checks during unattended periods, without first informing the bridge. It is essential then
that contact should be maintained at predetermined periods during the entry.
 As per company procedures no-one can enter the engine compartment alone
 Ratings should not be asked to attend the engine room alone during unattended periods.
 Safe entry requirements should be clearly posted at the normally accessible entrance to the machinery space
including the requirements to use the dead man alarm (where fitted).
 In case dead man alarm is fitted the personnel alarm should automatically give an alarm on the navigating
bridge or in the officers' quarters as appropriate, if it is not reset from the machinery spaces in a specified
period as per model ( but not exceeding 30 minutes)
 The engineers’ alarm on ships with periodically unattended machinery spaces should operate when the
machinery alarm is not acknowledged in the machinery spaces or control room in a specified limited period of
time, depending on the size of the ship but not exceeding 5 minutes. On ships constructed before 18th
January 2010 the time may be set in excess of 5 minutes

10.5 Are engineers aware of the entries required in the engine room log book, and are the entries clear,
comprehensive and adequately maintained?
Engine logbook entries should include below as a minimum :
 Vessels operating UMS, the times when UMS and manned status;
 Bunkering operations and major internal oil transfers;
 Fuel and lube oil ROB's;
 Changeover fuel / entering ECA;
 Machinery operating parameters (RPM, load, temperature and pressures, running hours)
 Chief engineers signature on a daily basis;.
Errors made in the log should be struck through with a single line and initialled and dated

10.17 Are engineers aware of the operation of the machinery space liquid fuel system remote closing valves,
and are the closing devices regularly tested and in good order?
All engineers should be aware of below:
 The location & method of operations for quick closing valves
 Position and identification of each of the closing devices must be clearly marked.
 Location of records for the testing of quick closing valves
 No inhibitor devices to be used for the quick closing valves ( to be tested under the supervision & instruction
from senior engineer CE OR 2nd engineer )

10.18 Are officers aware of the location of the accommodation and engine room ventilation fan emergency
stops, and is there evidence of regular testing and maintenance?
All officers must familiarize themselves with the location of all ESD buttons on the ship, and they should also
be aware of the spaces served by these buttons. Records of testing of emergency stops from each location
must be available.

10.33 Are engineers familiar with the procedure for taking over the controls for manoeuvring the vessel from
the bridge in an emergency?
Emergency stop procedure for operating the engine from emergency stand should be posted and tested. All
officers must familiarize themselves with these procedures.

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 VIQ 7th Edition
Knowledge based questions for officers of Oil Tankers
10.34 Are officers fully familiar with all starting procedures for the emergency generator and are these
procedures clearly and displayed?
Simplified starting instruction should be posted. All personnel should be able to start emergency generator by
primary and secondary means. Training for starting procedure must be conducted for all officers before a
vetting inspection.

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