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. 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.

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. 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.

A. 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.

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. 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.

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. 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.

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. 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.