You are master of a small coastal vessel. A crew member collapses on watch — he is conscious but clutching his chest, pale and sweating. You are 4 hours from the nearest port. What is your response?

A. SUSPECTED MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION (heart attack) response: (1) IMMEDIATE FIRST AID: keep the patient still and calm; sit or semi-recline (not lying flat if breathing difficulty); loosen any tight clothing; administer aspirin 300mg (chewed, not swallowed whole) if the patient is NOT allergic to aspirin and is not already on anticoagulants — aspirin reduces platelet clotting; administer GTN (glyceryl trinitrate) spray sublingually if available and the patient has had a previous prescription (do not use in an undiagnosed patient without medical consultation); oxygen if available; (2) MEDICAL RADIO ADVICE: immediately call for RADIO MEDICAL ADVICE — in UK: call MRCC Falmouth or the nearest coast radio station and request connection to the Duty Doctor (Radio Medical Service); 24-hour availability; (3) CONSIDER DIVERT: notify the company; discuss with medical advisor whether immediate diversion is necessary — a heart attack patient deteriorating needs hospital-level intervention (thrombolytics, angioplasty) within 90 minutes for best outcome; (4) MAKE PATIENT AS COMFORTABLE AS POSSIBLE: quiet space; keep warm; monitor pulse, respiration, and consciousness level; (5) MAYDAY: if the patient loses consciousness and CPR begins — this is a life-threatening emergency; transmit MAYDAY on Ch 16 and request immediate SAR assistance; (6) LOG: document all medical interventions, times, and observations for handover to medical professionals.

B. Administer aspirin 300mg and morphine from the ship's medical stores without seeking medical radio advice. Morphine is standard first-line treatment for cardiac chest pain.

C. Do not administer any medication without a doctor physically present. Call the coast guard to request a helicopter and wait — do not give any treatment.

D. A sea passage of 4 hours is acceptable for a suspected cardiac event. Continue to port at normal speed and arrange ambulance at the dock. Medical treatment can wait.

A. ANGLE OF LOLL: this is the classic presentation of negative GM (unstable equilibrium). Cause: the vessel's metacentric height (GM) has become negative — the metacentre (M) is now BELOW the centre of gravity (G). At 0° upright, the vessel has no restoring moment — but as she heels, the waterplane area shifts, moving B outward until a point of neutral equilibrium is found: this is the angle of loll (typically 5°-20°). The vessel "rests" here rather than returning upright. Common causes on a small coastal vessel: (1) Free surface effect from flooded compartments, slack tanks, or water in bilges; (2) Topside icing (raised G); (3) Cargo shift or absorption of water by deck cargo (timber); (4) Consumption of fuel and water from the bottom of tanks without compensating. IDENTIFICATION test: if you push the vessel toward the loll (to starboard) she returns to the loll angle; if you force her past the loll, the GZ curve at higher angles may generate restoring force — she "snaps" back to the loll. EMERGENCY ACTIONS: (1) DO NOT immediately ballast the high side (port) — if she rolls through the loll onto the other side, she may capsize; (2) Check and pump out bilges; (3) Fill double bottom ballast tanks SLOWLY starting with those on the LOW side (starboard) to raise M; (4) Reduce topweight; (5) Call master (if OOW); (6) Alert crew and consider reducing speed.

B. An 8° list to starboard means a weight has shifted to starboard — immediately correct by ballasting the port side to bring her upright, then investigate the cause.

C. A list that stays fixed at 8° is a permanent heel caused by off-centre loading. Correct it by shifting cargo from the starboard side to port before continuing.

D. A vessel that doesn't return from a list has insufficient GM. Calculate a righting lever at 8° using the GZ curve and if positive, the vessel is stable enough to continue.

A. IS CODE 2008 (International Code on Intact Stability) — criteria for cargo ships: the IS Code provides mandatory stability criteria for vessels under the 2008 International Code on Intact Stability (made mandatory under SOLAS II-1 and Load Lines). Minimum criteria: (1) AREA under GZ curve from 0° to 30° must be not less than 0.055 metre-radians; (2) Area from 0° to 40° (or flooding angle, whichever is less) not less than 0.09 metre-radians; (3) Area between 30° and 40° (or flooding angle) not less than 0.03 metre-radians; (4) GZ at 30° or greater must be not less than 0.20m; (5) Maximum GZ must occur at an angle of heel not less than 25°; (6) Initial GM (GM_0) must not be less than 0.15m. In this scenario: GM of 0.22m exceeds the minimum 0.15m — it satisfies this criterion. HOWEVER: GM alone does not determine acceptability — you must check ALL the criteria listed above (particularly the GZ curve at 30° and the area criteria). A vessel can have a positive GM but still fail the area criteria if the GZ curve drops too early. The stability booklet must be consulted to verify the full GZ curve for the proposed loading condition.

B. A GM of 0.22m is inadequate — the minimum for any vessel is 0.30m. Loading in this condition is not permitted under MCA regulations.

C. GM is the only stability criterion — a positive GM of any magnitude above zero is sufficient for a vessel to be considered stable and safe to sail.

D. The 0.22m GM is acceptable for a near-coastal voyage but would not meet the standards for an ocean passage. Near-coastal vessels have lower stability requirements.