Q: You hold an OOW < 500 GT Near-Coastal certificate. Your examiner asks you to describe what this certificate permits you to do and what it does NOT allow.

STCW Regulation II/3 OOW Near-Coastal certificate permits: watchkeeping officer duties on ships of less than 500 GT engaged on near-coastal voyages only. Near-coastal: defined by the flag state — in the UK (MCA), near-coastal means voyages within the sea area defined in Merchant Shipping Notice MSN 1861 (MCA-defined near-coastal waters including UK coastal waters, and areas agreed with specific flag states). Limitations: (1) The certificate is NOT valid for unlimited oceans voyages; (2) NOT valid on ships 500 GT or above; (3) The holder cannot act as OOW on international voyages beyond the near-coastal limit without holding STCW II/1 (OOW Unlimited); (4) Near-coastal OOW in STCW covers the STCW II/3 competencies which are the same functional areas as II/1 but assessed at the operational level appropriate to near-coastal operations and vessels under 500 GT. STCW Chapter II Regulation II/3 establishes the mandatory minimum requirements for OOW on ships of less than 500 GT. The near-coastal restriction is defined by each flag state — the MCA defines UK near-coastal as specified in MSN 1861 and related Merchant Shipping Notices. The competency framework for II/3 covers the same seven functions as II/1 (Navigation, Cargo, Stability, Machinery, Electrical, Maintenance, Watchkeeping) but at a level appropriate to smaller vessels on near-coastal voyages. A candidate must be aware: the MCA sometimes accepts STCW II/3 alongside practical endorsements for certain vessel types (fishing, passenger ferries, workboats). The OOW NC holder who works on a 300 GT coastal ferry in UK waters is correctly certificated; the same person who signs as OOW on a 400 GT vessel making a transatlantic passage is operating outside their certificate's geographic scope.

Question 1

You are OOW on a 200 GT coastal supply vessel in fog. Visibility is 200m. Your radar shows a contact 2nm ahead, closing. What actions do you take under COLREGs?

Accepted Answer

Actions in restricted visibility (COLREGs Rule 19): (1) Sound fog signal — Rule 35: power-driven vessel underway making way: 1 prolonged blast every 2 minutes; (2) Reduce speed — Rule 19(b): proceed at safe speed adapted to the prevailing circumstances and conditions of restricted visibility; "safe speed" means you can stop in less than half the visibility distance — 200m visibility means stopping within 100m; at typical coastal supply vessel speed, this may mean bare steerage way; (3) Post a dedicated lookout; (4) Use radar actively — plot the contact to determine aspect, CPA, and TCPA; (5) Rule 19(d): if the contact is forward of the beam and CPA is less than safe: alter course to starboard (not port) OR stop; (6) Rule 19(e): if the contact is abeam or abaft, do not alter towards it; (7) Do not assume the other vessel can see you on radar; (8) Alert the master. COLREGs Rule 19 is the rule governing vessel conduct in restricted visibility — it replaces the stand-on/give-way regime of Rules 12-18 in conditions where vessels cannot see each other. The key provisions: Rule 19(b): safe speed — this is specific to restricted visibility. "Safe speed" in Rule 6 is always relevant, but Rule 19(b) specifically requires speed adapted to the visibility conditions, and the IMO's guidance (STCW Convention) states safe speed means being able to stop in half the visibility distance. At 200m visibility, this means stopping within 100m — for most vessels, this requires very slow speed. Rule 19(d)(i): a vessel hearing another vessel's fog signal apparently forward of the beam (i.e., detected by radar forward of the beam) shall, if necessary to avoid close-quarters, reduce speed to minimum steerage or stop and navigate with extreme caution. Rule 19(d)(ii): avoid alteration to port for a vessel forward of the beam (except overtaking). The prohibition on altering to port when a radar contact is forward of the beam is specifically examined — many candidates incorrectly state "alter course to port" as an option.

Question 2

You hold an OOW < 500 GT Near-Coastal certificate. Your examiner asks you to describe what this certificate permits you to do and what it does NOT allow.

Accepted Answer

STCW Regulation II/3 OOW Near-Coastal certificate permits: watchkeeping officer duties on ships of less than 500 GT engaged on near-coastal voyages only. Near-coastal: defined by the flag state — in the UK (MCA), near-coastal means voyages within the sea area defined in Merchant Shipping Notice MSN 1861 (MCA-defined near-coastal waters including UK coastal waters, and areas agreed with specific flag states). Limitations: (1) The certificate is NOT valid for unlimited oceans voyages; (2) NOT valid on ships 500 GT or above; (3) The holder cannot act as OOW on international voyages beyond the near-coastal limit without holding STCW II/1 (OOW Unlimited); (4) Near-coastal OOW in STCW covers the STCW II/3 competencies which are the same functional areas as II/1 but assessed at the operational level appropriate to near-coastal operations and vessels under 500 GT. STCW Chapter II Regulation II/3 establishes the mandatory minimum requirements for OOW on ships of less than 500 GT. The near-coastal restriction is defined by each flag state — the MCA defines UK near-coastal as specified in MSN 1861 and related Merchant Shipping Notices. The competency framework for II/3 covers the same seven functions as II/1 (Navigation, Cargo, Stability, Machinery, Electrical, Maintenance, Watchkeeping) but at a level appropriate to smaller vessels on near-coastal voyages. A candidate must be aware: the MCA sometimes accepts STCW II/3 alongside practical endorsements for certain vessel types (fishing, passenger ferries, workboats). The OOW NC holder who works on a 300 GT coastal ferry in UK waters is correctly certificated; the same person who signs as OOW on a 400 GT vessel making a transatlantic passage is operating outside their certificate's geographic scope.

Question 3

You are OOW on a 280 GT passenger ferry making a coastal passage through an area with strong tidal streams of up to 3.5 knots. Your vessel's speed is 9 knots. Explain how you plan for the tidal stream effect.

Accepted Answer

Tidal stream planning: (1) Extract tidal stream data from the relevant tidal stream atlas or chart tables — timing referenced to HW at the nearest standard port; (2) Calculate the tidal stream vectors for each hour of the passage (direction and rate vary through the tidal cycle); (3) Vector triangle method: plot course to steer (CTS) to achieve the desired track made good — add own ship speed vector and tidal vector to calculate the heading required to maintain the track; (4) At 3.5 knots tidal stream vs 9 knots own speed, the cross-tide component at 90° would require approximately 23° of course correction; (5) Calculate ETAs using speed made good along track (not ship speed); (6) Identify timing of fair vs foul tide — plan departure to favour the fair tide for the main channel crossing; (7) Check for minimum depth at tidal gates — arrive at the gate when sufficient water depth exists. Tidal stream planning is a core near-coastal navigation competency. The vector triangle: the navigator must draw (or calculate) three vectors — the water track (direction and speed of the ship through the water), the tidal vector (direction and rate of tidal stream), and the resultant ground track (the actual path made good over the seabed). To maintain a specific ground track, the ship's heading must be adjusted to compensate for the tidal set. The correction formula: if tidal stream is perpendicular to the track at 3.5 knots and own speed is 9 knots, sin(correction angle) = tidal component / own speed = 3.5/9 = 0.389, correction ≈ 23°. At near-coastal OOW level, the examiner expects: (a) knowledge of tidal stream atlases and use of interpolation between hourly vectors; (b) understanding of spring/neap tidal differences; (c) awareness of "tidal gates" — points in the route where passage is only possible at certain states of tide due to depth or current strength. UK examples: Portland Race, Alderney Race, Pentland Firth — areas where strong tidal streams create dangerous conditions for small vessels.