Your examiner asks what documents an OOW must personally carry under STCW and MLC 2006, and what documents the vessel carries on behalf of all crew.

A. PERSONAL documents for an OOW: (1) Certificate of Competency (CoC) — OOW Unlimited (issued by MCA or an STCW Administration); (2) STCW Endorsement (CEC) — Confirmation of Equivalent Competency for non-UK certificates working on UK-flagged vessels; (3) Medical fitness certificate (ENG1 in UK) — valid, not expired; (4) STCW Basic Safety Training certificates: PST (Personal Survival Techniques), PSSR (Personal Safety and Social Responsibilities), Elementary First Aid, Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting; (5) Additional training certificates relevant to vessel type: (e.g., Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats for officer, GMDSS GOC if radio officer duties); (6) Discharge Book / Seaman's Book (for sea service record); (7) Passport — valid with sufficient time remaining. VESSEL DOCUMENTS: (1) MLC Maritime Labour Certificate (MLC 2006 — for vessels 500 GT+, ILO Convention 186); (2) Declaration of Maritime Labour Compliance (DMLC) — Parts I and II; (3) Crew list; (4) Seafarer Employment Agreements (SEAs) for all crew; (5) STCW minimum safe manning document; (6) Crew hours of work and rest records.

B. The only mandatory personal document is the Certificate of Competency. All other certificates (STCW training, medical) are the company's responsibility to track — the OOW does not need to carry them.

C. MLC documents are carried by shore-based HR departments, not aboard vessels. PSC inspectors cannot request MLC documents from the vessel — only from the company office.

D. A valid passport is not required by MCA regulations. As long as the CoC is UK-issued, no travel documentation is required for service on a UK-flagged vessel.

A. SAFETY MANAGEMENT CERTIFICATE (SMC): issued under SOLAS IX / ISM Code. VALIDITY: maximum 5 years, subject to intermediate verification (audit) at intervals between 2.5 and 3.5 years after initial or renewal audit. Renewal process: the SMC must be renewed before expiry by a flag state or Recognised Organisation (RO) verification audit; IF EXPIRED: an expired SMC means the vessel is operating WITHOUT a valid ISM certification — this is a fundamental SOLAS breach. PSC consequences: (1) IMMEDIATE DETENTION: PSC will detain the vessel — an expired SMC is a ground for detention under SOLAS IX; (2) FLAG STATE NOTIFICATION: PSC notifies the flag state Administration; (3) CRIMINAL LIABILITY: operating a SOLAS vessel without valid certificates is an offence under the Merchant Shipping Act (UK flag state); (4) WHAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED: the ISM audit should have been arranged before expiry; the master and DPA are both responsible for monitoring certificate validity; a diary system tracking all certificate expiry dates is an ISM requirement. ROOT CAUSE: failure of the company's certificate management system — itself an ISM non-conformity.

B. An expired SMC can be sailed on for 3 months while awaiting a new survey, provided the master informs the flag state. There is no PSC ground for detention during this grace period.

C. The SMC is not required on board — only the Document of Compliance (DOC) held by the company is mandatory. PSC cannot detain the vessel on this basis alone.

D. The SMC is automatically renewed when the DOC is renewed. An expired SMC therefore simply means the paperwork has not been updated — the underlying certification remains valid.

A. CARGO SHIP SAFETY EQUIPMENT CERTIFICATE (CSSEC): issued under SOLAS I/12 for cargo ships of 500 GT and above. COVERS: (1) Life-saving appliances (LSA) — lifeboats, rescue boats, liferafts, immersion suits, lifejackets, line-throwing appliances, pyrotechnics; (2) Fire detection, fire extinguishing systems, and portable fire equipment; (3) Navigational equipment as required by SOLAS Chapter V (charts, echo sounder, gyro compass, magnetic compass, AIS, ARPA, etc.); (4) GMDSS radio equipment (though also covered by the Safety Radio Certificate); (5) Day signals (shapes). SURVEYS: (a) Initial survey before first issue; (b) ANNUAL survey (within 3 months each side of the anniversary date) to maintain validity; (c) PERIODIC survey (full survey) at intervals not exceeding 5 years; (d) ADDITIONAL surveys as required after significant repairs or modification. Annual survey focus: LSA equipment — lifejackets, immersion suits inspected, hydrostatic releases checked, EPIRB registration/battery expiry checked, pyrotechnics within date, lifeboat engine tested, falls and release gear tested.

B. The CSSEC covers only the hull structure and stability. Safety equipment (lifeboats, firefighting) is covered by a separate Cargo Ship Safety Construction Certificate.

C. No annual survey is required for the CSSEC — it is issued for 5 years and renewed at the 5-year anniversary. Only the load line certificate requires annual surveys.

D. The CSSEC is only issued to general cargo ships. Tankers, bulk carriers, and container ships hold separate vessel-type specific certificates with different survey requirements.