The Merchant Shipping (Inland Waterway and Limited Coastal Operations) (Boatmasters’ Qualifications and Hours of Work) Regulations 2006

19.  The syllabus is set out below—

• Section 1. Generic competencies: Waters of categories A to D and the sea

  1.

  Bridge watchkeeping

  2.

  Meteorology

  3.

  Ship manoeuvring

  4.

  Vessel handling in extreme weather

  5.

  Mooring and unmooring a vessel

  6.

  Ropework, access and lifting gear

  7.

  Ship knowledge (construction, maintenance, etc)

  8.

  Basic engineering knowledge and machinery

  9.

  Health and safety issues

  10.

  Emergency action

  11.

  Pollution prevention and handling and waste management

• Section 2. Generic competencies: Waters of categories A and B only

  1.

  Generic chartwork: waterway guides and maps where available

  2.

  Ship manoeuvring: rigid or small tug towing

  3.

  Locks and bridges

• Section 3. Generic competencies: Waters of categories C and D and the sea

  1.

  Tides and currents

  2.

  Compass work

  3.

  Bridge watchkeeping: steering by compass

  4.

  Generic chartwork: use of nautical charts

  5.

  Anchor work

• Section 4. Passenger operations (general) endorsement

  1.

  Knowledge of Domestic Safety Management Code requirements (Merchant Shipping Notice 1754 and Marine Guidance Note 158)

  2.

  Procedures following an emergency, including recovery from the water, running aground, collision damage, fire and explosion (Merchant Shipping Notice 1754 and Marine Guidance Note 158)

  3.

  First Aid – awareness of equipment carried and action required (i.e. pertaining to care of passengers – basic first aid covered in generic licence syllabus)

  4.

  Pre-voyage procedures, including pre-voyage checks, crew briefing and passenger safety announcements, passenger counting and reporting (Merchant Shipping Notice 1729)

  5.

  Firefighting equipment as fitted on vessel and appropriate to category of waters (not including basic Fire Safety covered in generic licence syllabus

  6.

  Lifesaving appliances as fitted on vessel and appropriate to category of waters (not including basic water safety/personal survival covered in generic licence syllabus)

  7.

  Fire prevention on passenger vessels – e.g. “No Smoking” areas

  8.

  Knowledge of safety instructions (main and auxiliary emergency exits, gangplank, fire and evacuation plans and routes)

• Section 5. Large passenger vessel endorsement

  1.

  Berthing and unberthing of a large passenger vessel including management of crew duties

  2.

  Specific manoeuvring skills

  3.

  Crew pre-voyage briefing, passenger safety announcement

  4.

  Knowledge of man overboard and recovery procedure with large vessel

  5.

  Storage capacity, on board distribution, filling procedures for bunkers on large vessels

  6.

  Pollution control measures with bunkers for large vessels

  7.

  Knowledge of type, bhp, reduction gearboxes, power take-off uses on large vessels

  8.

  Knowledge of type, KVA, power supply, other appliances on large vessels

  9.

  Steering, anchor handling, engine controls on large vessels

  10.

  Monitoring equipment, pumping system, pipelines on large vessels

  11.

  Effective knowledge of all routine and emergency procedures under the Domestic Safety Management Code for the vessel

  12.

  Knowledge of contents of first aid box

  13.

  Control procedures for dealing with unruly passengers in large numbers

  14.

  Use of public address system in an emergency

• Section 6. Towing and pushing endorsement

  1.

  Preparations for towing

  2.

  Securing and letting go tow

  3.

  Manoeuvring and managing tug and tow

  4.

  Hazard identification and safety issues

• Section 7. Cargo endorsement

  • General cargoes

    1.

    Opening and closing cargo holds – risks, dangers and principles of safety

    2.

    Loading and discharging – rigging of cargo gear, proper and appropriate use of slings and other types of lifting equipment, special loads management

    3.

    Stowage and securing of cargoes including bulk cargoes

    4.

    Loading and discharging – effects on stability

    5.

    Loading and discharging procedures for bulk liquid, and powder, cargoes – awareness of free-surface effect on stability

    6.

    Hold cleaning and preparation for cargoes

    7.

    Ventilation of cargo holds

    8.

    Stowage and securing of cargoes, including bulk cargoes – stowage and loading/unloading plans in context of vessel’s longitudinal strength; division of responsibilities between MCA and HSE

    9.

    Liquid and powder cargoes – characteristics and storage

  • Packaged dangerous goods

    1.

    Awareness of the 9 (UN) classes of dangerous cargoes as defined in the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code and other sources

    2.

    Awareness of the labels, marks and signs used to designate cargoes within those classes as indicated in the IMDG Code and other sources

  • Ro-ro operations

    1.

    Loading, discharging and securing of vehicles

    2.

    Vessel stability

    3.

    Watertight integrity

• Section 8. Oil and chemical cargo endorsement

  1.

  Liquid cargoes – characteristics and storage

  2.

  Dangerous cargoes – demonstrate knowledge of risks and safety precautions when handling

  3.

  Hazardous cargoes – knowledge of risks (e.g. spontaneous combustion)

  4.

  Documentation and cargo sampling procedures

  5.

  Loading and discharging procedures for bulk oil and chemical cargoes – setting-up, connecting and disconnecting cargo lines, nozzles, hoses and couplings; operation of pumps and pipelines; dipping of tanks; taking samples of cargo; awareness of free-surface effect on stability

  6.

  Ventilation and venting of cargo tanks

  7.

  Knowledge of safety procedures and appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for loading and discharging dangerous cargoes (Merchant Shipping Notice 1731)

  8.

  (Where fitted to vessel) knowledge and understanding of Crude Oil Washing (COW) and Inert Gas (IG) systems

  9.

  Appreciation of Code of Safe Practice for Solid Bulk Cargoes (BC Code)

  10.

  Knowledge and use of spill clean-up materials

  11.

  Pollution prevention equipment and pollution control measures and minimising environmental damage – full specific knowledge

  12.

  Awareness of International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) Annexes 2 and 3

• Section 9. Dredging endorsement

  1.

  Awareness and management of specific stability problems

  2.

  Navigational hazards

  3.

  Loading and discharging – demonstrate best principles

  4.

  Managing operation to maintain personal safety

  5.

  Awareness of free-surface effects

  6.

  Bottom hazards

  7.

  Air draft considerations including power cables

• Section 10. Fast craft endorsement

  1.

  Knowledge of all on-board propulsion systems, including communication and navigational equipment, steering, electrical, hydraulic and pneumatic systems and bilge and fire

  2.

  The failure mode of the control, steering and propulsion systems and proper response to such failure

  3.

  Handling characteristics of the craft and the limiting operational conditions

  4.

  Bridge communication and navigation procedures

  5.

  Impact and damage stability and survivability of the craft in damaged condition

  6.

  Location and use of the craft’s life-saving appliances, including survival craft equipment

  7.

  Location and use of escapes in the craft and the evacuation of passengers

  8.

  Location and use of fire protection and extinguishing appliances and systems in the event of fire on board

  9.

  Location and use of damage control appliances and systems, including operation of watertight doors and bilge pumps

  10.

  Cargo and vehicle stowage and securing systems

  11.

  Methods for control of and communication with passengers in an emergency

  12.

  Location and use of all other items listed in the vessel’s training manual

• Section 11. Relevant local knowledge endorsements

  1.

  In any area, a good knowledge of local navigational regulations and byelaws

  2.

  In an area where appropriate, knowledge of—

  (a)

  navigation authority publications

  (b)

  local signals and traffic regulations

  (c)

  local marks, including buoyage, lights, leading lights and marks

  (d)

  local dangers to navigation – including depths over banks, obstructions, currents and abnormal tidal streams

  (e)

  local safe havens and landing places in differing weather conditions

  (f)

  the times and heights of tides

  (g)

  safe courses in and out of local harbours

  (h)

  the location of, and means of communication with, the nearest Coastguard centre and other emergency services

  (i)

  local language terminology, including radio communications

  (j)

  local VTS and traffic control

  (k)

  local traffic density and patterns

  (l)

  types of traffic to be encountered

  (m)

  fixed items and air draft hazards (e.g. bridges)

  (n)

  other items of local knowledge which an examiner may deem to be necessary (e.g. current notices to mariners on temporary works)

• Section 12. Personal survival, fire fighting and first aid competencies

  (1) Knowledge or competency	(2) Waters for which it is necessary
  Personal survival and water safety
  Awareness of safe practices and accident prevention in order to minimise risks	All waters
  Awareness of the types of emergencies that might occur (e.g. collisions, fire, foundering, man-overboard)	All waters
  Knowledge of life saving appliances normally carried on inland waterways vessels for the relevant areas of operation (e.g. lifebuoys, lifejackets, lines)	All waters
  Correct utilisation of appliances to aid another crew member, or self, in the water	All waters
  Knowledge of types of lifejackets likely to be encountered	Categories C and D and sea
  Donning and use of lifejackets	Categories C and D and sea
  Knowledge of effects of immersion in water and hypothermia (including how to treat)	All waters
  Knowledge of recovery procedures in man-overboard situations	All waters
  Liferafts: awareness of types likely to be encountered stowage and deployment awareness of maintenance and servicing requirements knowledge of hydrostatic release units	Categories C and D and sea
  Fire safety
  Theory of combustion and the “fire triangle”	All waters
  Knowledge of types and sources of ignition likely to be encountered on vessels	All waters
  Awareness of flammable materials, fire hazards and spread of fire	All waters
  Knowledge of best practice precautions and awareness of need for vigilance	All waters
  Knowledge of classification of fires (A, B, C & D) and correct extinguishing equipment and methods for each type	All waters
  Knowledge of types of extinguishers: water, dry powder, foam, CO2, fire blanket, etc	All waters
  Know how to extinguish a fire (and demonstrate practical use of extinguishers)	All waters
  Knowledge of correct location of firefighting equipment on vessel	All waters
  Awareness of types and use of fixed fire-fighting installations on large vessels	Categories C and D and sea
  Knowledge of correct sequence for fire detection and raising the alarm (“FIRE” ): find, inform, restrict, extinguish	All waters
  First aid
  	All waters
  Awareness of body structure and functions	All waters
  Knowledge of the measures to be taken in cases of emergency, including—
  (a) how to position a casualty	All waters
  (b) how to apply resuscitation techniques and maintain clear airway	All waters
  (c) how to control bleeding	All waters
  (d) how to apply appropriate measures of basic shock management	All waters
  (e) appropriate measures in the event of burns and scalds, including accidents caused by electric current	All waters
  (f) how to rescue and transport a casualty	Categories C and D and sea
  (g) how to improvise bandages and use materials in emergency kit	All waters
  (h) how to raise the alarm efficiently and effectively for accidents or medical emergencies in different situations	All waters
  (i) how to identify promptly the probable cause, nature and extent of any injuries	Categories C and D and sea