Simulation Assessments – A Deck Examiner’s Perspective

MPA issues Certificates of Competency (COC) to seafarers who have met the stringent competency requirements and comply with the relevant international convention. To ensure that holders of a Singapore-issued COC are competent in their jobs as a deck officer, chief mate or master of a ship, MPA uses a variety of training and assessment tools to test the candidates’ competency.

In Singapore, a candidate for Deck Officer COC has to pass the written examination, as well as the oral and simulator assessments. This is to test their theoretical knowledge, application of the theory on shipboard and to acquire the practical skills to carry out navigational watchkeeping and other functions required for the rank in a professional manner.

Full Mission Bridge Simulators are extremely powerful tools for training and assessing the competence of Deck Officers. Scenarios are introduced to mimic conditions in the open sea or coastal waters with varying degrees of traffic, environmental harshness and navigational hazards. If incorrect action is taken, no great damage is done except, perhaps, a bruise to the candidate’s ego.

MPA’s simulator assessments are carried out at the Integrated Simulator Centre. The assessment consists of exercises, where a candidate is required to keep bridge watch as an officer-in-charge of the navigational watch or as a master or chief mate to navigate a ship in coastal waters and approaches to port. Assessment scenarios are designed to display the traffic, tidal and weather conditions as the candidate would expect in the open sea. The rigours of the assessments are calibrated depending on the grade of the COC. For example, a candidate at Class 1 will be required to handle ships in more difficult conditions, such as restricted waters with strong tidal streams, poor visibility or equipment failure.

During the assessment, the examiner monitors the candidate’s progress and records particular events and actions relating to the safe conduct of ship and compliance with bridge watchkeeping procedures. These include events such as handing and taking over watch, navigating within the passage plan, methodology used in plotting and monitoring positions, monitoring traffic and making appropriate reports (such as reporting to Vessel Traffic System) or taking collision preventive action. A debrief to highlight a candidate’s progress is done at the end of the assessment.

To prepare for a simulator assessment, the candidate should be well versed in navigational skills such as taking positions from two or more sources, keeping a sharp lookout using all available equipment, monitoring performance of equipment and applying the Collision Regulations. Much of the skills can be picked up at sea by close observation of masters and senior officers and by applying the knowledge they learnt in the training institute.

Singapore Maritime Academy and many maritime training institutes have bridge and navigational equipment simulators where key concepts are taught. Students should take these lessons seriously and apply them in real life.

Masters and senior officers on ships also have a significant role in training of cadets and junior officers. They should provide opportunities for junior officers to be on bridge to observe procedures in various settings such as arrival at port or navigation in poor visibility. They must also ensure that watchkeeping principles are properly complied with – many masters skip steps and take “short cuts“ given their familiarity with coastal or port waters due to regular port calls. This sets a bad example to cadets and junior officers who pick these bad traits.

Let us all work together to enhance the Safety of Navigation!

Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) Training in Indonesia under Bilateral DGST-MPA MOU

In a move to further improve the bilateral relationship with our maritime counterpart in Indonesia, MPA sent two officers to conduct an MLC training workshop for Port State Control Officers (PSCO) in Jakarta from 8 to 11 June 2014. Participants of the course included 15 department/section heads and PSCOs of Directorate General of Sea Transportation (DGST) from the various regional ports in Indonesia.

The agenda for the 3-day course included topics on provisions for Flag State Control (FSC) and Port State Control (PSC) in MLC, guidelines for FSC and PSC inspections in MLC, PSC inspection on 14 requirements in the MLC, complaint procedures under MLC and practical aspects in inspection. During the course, the officers of the two countries also shared their respective implementation and enforcement issues.

Do You Know the MPA Staff?

The Training Standards Department’s (TSD) key role is to assist seafarers in checking eligibility, book for examinations and issue Certificates of Competency (COC) and other certificates of proficiency. The TSD of the Shipping Division works behind the scenes, deals directly with customers and provides good service. We would like to introduce two of the TSD staff.