Master Unlimited oral exam: the themes behind the questions

What management level means

The STCW Convention sets standards of competence for seafarers, and for deck officers at management level it groups them under three broad functions: navigation, cargo handling and stowage, and controlling the operation of the ship and care for persons on board. AMSA’s checklist for Master (unlimited) is built around the knowledge and skills needed to meet them.

At this level an examiner is looking for the thinking of someone who carries final responsibility. You are expected to explain why you would choose one course of action over another, who you would consult, what you would record and how you would keep the ship, crew, cargo and environment safe at once.

Theme 1: responsibility and authority of the Master

The Master’s authority and responsibility sit at the centre of the role. International instruments, including SOLAS and the ISM Code, recognise the Master’s overriding authority to take decisions on safety and pollution prevention and to ask for the company’s assistance if needed. Be ready to explain what that means in practice: when you would use it, how you would document the decision, and how it fits with company procedures.

Related topics include the duty to render assistance to people in distress at sea, the relationship between the Master, the company, the flag state and port state authorities, and the legal consequences of a casualty or pollution incident. Think through who you must notify, in what order and within what time.

Theme 2: voyage planning and safe navigation

The Master is responsible for ensuring that the voyage is planned and that the plan is monitored. Know the stages of passage planning, the factors that decide under-keel clearance, how you would brief and supervise the bridge team, and how you would decide when to call for a pilot or tug assistance. Our guide to the four stages of passage planning covers the structure.

Add the collision regulations here. A Master has to be able to reason through situations in all visibility conditions and explain the standing and night orders given to officers of the watch.

Theme 3: cargo, stability and the strength of the ship

At management level you are expected to plan and ensure safe loading, stowage, securing and discharge, and to control trim, stability and stress. That means understanding the ship’s stability information, how a loading condition is checked against criteria, and what you would do if the ship’s condition were not as planned. Our guide to ship stability fundamentals covers the underlying concepts.

Prepare examples from your own experience of cargo planning decisions, of a time the loading plan changed and of how you assured yourself that the ship remained within limits.

Theme 4: law, certification and compliance

A Master works within layers of regulation: international conventions, Australian legislation such as the Navigation Act 2012 and the marine orders made under it, and the company’s own procedures. You should be able to say which ship certificates and documents must be carried and kept valid, what port state control inspectors look for, and how you would handle a deficiency. Our guide to Australian maritime law and marine orders explains how the pieces fit.

Theme 5: the safety management system

For ships under the ISM Code, the safety management system defines procedures, responsibilities and reporting lines, and the Master is expected to implement it on board and review its effectiveness. Be prepared to explain how you would encourage reporting of near misses and non-conformities, how drills and training are planned and what an internal audit or management review contributes. Read our guide to safety management systems for the framework.

Theme 6: emergencies and leading people

Emergency questions test your leadership as much as your knowledge. Practise explaining your first actions for situations such as fire, flooding, collision, grounding, man overboard, abandon ship and a medical emergency: raising the alarm, assessing, controlling, communicating, recording and preparing for what follows.

Also prepare for questions on managing a crew: rest hours and fatigue, discipline, welfare, training and communication across a multinational crew. Use real examples where you can.

How to use these themes

1. Read AMSA’s checklist and syllabus for Master (unlimited) and map each heading to one of the themes above.
2. Choose two or three real experiences from your career that illustrate each theme.
3. Practise explaining each theme aloud, including the reasons for your decisions.
4. Rehearse follow-ups: change one condition, such as the weather, time of day or availability of help, and explain how your decision changes.

Official sources

This guide was written from the following sources. Requirements change, so confirm the current position with the source before relying on it.

• AMSA: Master (unlimited) (STCW II/2)
• AMSA: Prepare for your oral exam (syllabi, checklists and study sheet)
• IMO: STCW Convention
• IMO: International Safety Management (ISM) Code
• IMO: SOLAS, International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea

Related certificate guides

• Master Unlimited
• Master <3000 GT
• Chief Mate Unlimited
• AMSA oral exam preparation guide

Keep reading

• How to prepare for an AMSA oral exam: a study method
• Passage planning in four stages: appraisal, planning, execution and monitoring
• Safety management systems explained: the ISM Code and domestic vessels
• Australian maritime law and marine orders: a map for seafarers
• Maritime glossary for plain-language definitions of the terms used here.
• More in Master Unlimited, or browse the knowledge centre.