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Chapter 26 - First-class Engineer, Motor Ship and Steamship

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General

26.1 General requirements

The general requirements for a certificate as First-class Engineer, Motor Ship or Steamship, are listed in section 144 of the Marine Personnel Regulations.

26.2 Validity of certificates

The holder of this certificate may act as chief engineer, second engineer or engineer in charge of the watch on any type of vessel other than an ACV, subject to the propulsion type specified on the certificate, without voyage limitation or propulsive power restriction.

Syllabuses of Examinations

26.3 Ship management practices (examination code: PPSSIM2)

  1. The examination consists of a practical scenario, using a propulsive plant simulator, and includes a written report.
    1. This report must be submitted to the examiner before the end of the training session. The candidate must prepare individually a written report in which he outlines a problem or situation that a plant manager might have to deal with under normal circumstances. This report helps the assessor to evaluate the candidate’s ability to recommend appropriate solutions to ship owners or other authorities. Among the items to be outlined in the report are costs, fuel consumption, cause of the problem or situation and actions to resolve the problem or situation.
    2. The written report accounts for 20% of the examination mark.
  2. The examination is of 3½ hours’ duration (practical scenario).
Subject  Required knowledge
Start-up and shut-down main propulsion and auxiliary machinery, including associated systems Method of preparing the start-up and of making available fuels, lubricants, cooling water and air; checks of pressures, temperatures and speed during start-up and warm-up, in accordance with technical specifications and agreed work plans; surveillance of main propulsion plant and auxiliary systems is sufficient to maintain safe operations; methods of preparing the shut-down and of supervising the cooling down of the engine.
Operate, monitor and evaluate engine performance and capacity Methods of measuring the load capacity of the engines, in accordance with technical specifications; performance checked against bridge orders; performance levels in accordance with technical specifications.
Maintain safety of engine equipment, systems and services Operation and maintenance of marine diesel engines and of auxiliary machinery, including pumping and piping systems and auxiliary boiler plant; operation, testing and maintenance of control systems.
Manage fuel and ballast operations Operation and maintenance of machinery, including pumps and piping systems.
Detect and identify the cause of machinery malfunctions and correct faults Detection of machinery malfunction, location of faults and action to prevent damage.
Maintain safety and security of the vessel, crew and passengers Actions to limit damage and salve the ship following fire, explosion, collision and grounding.
Manoeuvres General ability to keep the operation of the propulsion plant under control during any situation; specific ability to respond to bridge manoeuvres at any time; general ability to keep the switchboard parameters at a normal value and to keep electrical power available for ship and bow-thruster uses, during any situation; ability to operate different pumping systems, during any situation; ability to inform the bridge or a superior officer of any abnormal situations; ability to prepare the main and auxiliary machinery for manoeuvres; ability to manage boiler operation during manoeuvring; ability to determine order of priority among problems encountered; ability to resolve problems in an orderly manner; ability to make records in a logbook and notice unusual readings; ability to write appropriate entries in the Oil Record Book; ability to manually bring the electrical power system back to working order after a power failure; ability to bring the propulsion system back on line after a power failure; ability to transfer controls from bridge to engine room.

26.4 Applied Mechanics (examination code: 1APM)

  1. The duration of the examination is 3½ hours.
  2. The examination consists of problem-solving questions and the applicant answers 6 out of 9 questions.
Subject Required knowledge
Statics Laws of equilibrium; moments and couples; polygon of forces; Rapson’s slide.
Friction Law of dry friction; friction angle; friction clutches; friction on inclined plane; friction on threads; work done against friction.
Kinematics Linear and angular motion with constant acceleration; gravitational acceleration; velocity-time graphs; cams.
Relative velocity and acceleration Effect of a current on the velocity and course of a ship; relative velocity between bodies moving in different planes.
Dynamics Newton’s law of motion; the force equation; Atwood machines; acceleration of connected bodies; effect of simple air resistance on motion under the effect of gravity; the torque equation; conservation of momentum; kinetic energy of translation and of rotation; flywheels; energy; conservation of energy; impulsive forces; centrifugal force; Porter governor with sleeve friction; simple harmonic motion; simple pendulum; simple vibrations; dynamic balancing of masses rotating in one plane; basic dynamics of the engine mechanism; use of piston velocity and acceleration formulae; derivation of piston displacement formulae.
Machines Velocity ratio; mechanical advantage; efficiency.
Stress and strain Direct stress and strain and modulus of elasticity; shear stress and strain and modulus of rigidity; stresses on oblique planes; strength of simple connections such as cottered or screwed joints; resilience due to direct stress; suddenly-applied loads.
Compound bars Effects of direct loading and temperature changes.
Beams Shear force and bending moments diagram for cantilevers and simply-supported beams; stresses in beams of simple section; use of simple deflection formulae.
Torsion Torsion equations for solid and hollow round shafts; torsion of shaft fitted with liner; horsepower transmitted; close-coiled helical spring.
Struts Eccentric loading of short columns; use of strut formulae.
Thin shells Stresses in thin shells; design of riveted joints; use of boiler shell design formulae.
Hydrostatics Flotation in two liquids of different specific gravities; total force and centre of pressure on immersed surfaces such as tanks and bulkheads.
Hydraulics Bernouilli’s equation applied to simple flow problems; venturi meter; flow through orifices under constant head; force exerted by a jet on a flat surface perpendicular to the jet; blade-angle diagrams for a centrifugal pump; simple flow problems relating to automated control circuits.

26.5 Thermodynamics (examination code: 1H-H)

  1. The duration of the examination is 3½ hours.
  2. The examination consists of problem-solving questions and the applicant answers 6 out of 9 questions.
Subject Required knowledge
Elements Expansion of solids and liquids, including coefficient of apparent cubical expansion; first and second laws of thermodynamics and their application to steady flow conditions; formulae for work done associated with the formula PVn = C.
Heat transfer Conduction (use of log mean temperature difference); radiation; Stefan-Boltzmann law.
Properties of steam Enthalpy; internal energy; volume; use of steam tables and entropy charts.
Mixtures Heat and temperature problems involving two or more substances; throttling and separating calorimeters.
Gases Boyle’s law; Charles’ law; characteristic equation; relations between P, V and T when PVn = C; determination of n from graph connecting P and V; proof of the formula Cp - Cv = R; calculations for expansions and compressions in air compressors, internal combustion engines, rotary compressors, vane and blade types, air pumps and air storage; simple applications of Dalton’s law of partial pressures.
Gas cycles Use of entropy charts; constant volume cycle; diesel cycle; open and closed cycles for gas turbines; indicated and brake thermal efficiencies; mechanical efficiency; overall efficiency; Morse test.
Expansion of steam Throttling; hypothetical PV diagrams; work done; m.e.p.; diagram factor, including effect of clearance; compounding; mean referred pressure; total power; combined diagrams.
Steam cycle Use of entropy charts; basic Rankine cycle; heat loss in reciprocating engines and turbines; effect on thermal efficiency of such modifications as superheating, exhaust turbine and regenerative feed heating; equivalent of evaporation; efficiencies.
Density and scale Basic calculations on the effect of condenser leakage and impure feed on the density and scale in boilers; basic calculations on evaporator performance.

26.6 Electrotechnology (examination code: 1ELC)

  1. The duration of the examination is 3½ hours.
  2. The examination consists of problem-solving and essay-type questions and the applicant answers 6 out of 9 questions.
Subject Required knowledge
The electric circuit Superposition and Thevenin’s theorems in network problems; circuits involving non-linear elements.
Electromagnetism Electromagnetic induction, magnetic circuit, mutual inductance; energy stored in an electric field; treatment of voltage and current changes in an electric circuit involving inductance and resistance; time constants, B/H and B/Ampere turns-per-metre curves and their effect on simple magnetic circuits involving an air gap; qualitative treatment of hysteresis.
Electrostatics Types of capacitors; simple series and parallel circuits involving capacitors; electric force and electric flux density; relative permittivity; charging and discharging currents of a capacitor connected in series with a resistor across a DC supply; energy stored in a capacitor; generation of static electricity.
Electronics Characteristics of junction transistors; effect of voltage feedback on amplifier gain; input-output impedances; equivalent circuits; rectification; simple treatment of thyristors and zener diodes.
Alternating current Theory for three-phase systems; current and voltage relationships; current, voltage, power and power factor applied to RLC circuits; the impedance triangle; power-factor improvement; resonance; star and delta systems.
DC Machines Armature reaction; speed control; efficiency; application to a Ward Leonard system; suitability of DC motors for various types of work; motor starters, automatic, relay and solid state types; calculations on starters.
AC Machines The principles, constructional details and protection of salient pole, cylindrical and brushless alternators; EMF equation and automatic voltage regulation for alternators; production of rotating magnetic fields; relation between frequency, number of poles and speed of a machine; principles, construction details and protection of induction motors; slip, rotor EMF and frequency; torque/speed curves; wound, slip-ring, cage and double-wound types; starting methods; principles and construction details of single-phase transformers; EMF equation and efficiency; auto and current transformers; magnetic amplifiers, static and rotating; motor starters.
Propulsion Types using DC and AC machines; electric drives, starting methods; speed control; advantages and disadvantages of electrical propulsion; effects of stalling propulsion motors in ice; static and rotating control using pulse modulation and magnetic amplifiers.

26.7 Naval Architecture (examination code: 1NAR)

  1. The duration of the examination is 3½ hours.
  2. The examination consists of problem-solving questions and the applicant answers 6 out of 9 questions.
Subject Required knowledge
General Wetted surface formulae; Simpson’s rules applied to second moments of areas, centroids and centres of pressure; shearing force and bending moment of loaded ship in still water.
Transverse stability Moment of statical stability; GZ curves; cross curves of stability; hydrostatic curves commonly supplied to ship; effect of free liquid surface and subdivision of tanks; dangers due to water accumulation during firefighting; practical requirements to ensure stability at sea; theory of free surface stabilization.
Longitudinal stability Longitudinal BM and GM and statical stability; centre of flotation and its calculation; moment to change trim by one centimetre; stability during grounding, ice breaking and dry-docking.
Draught, trim and heel Changes due to adding or removing fuel, ballast or cargo; changes due to alteration in density of water; changes due to bilging of compartments, using the lost-buoyancy and added-mass methods; forces on rudder and stress in rudder stock; heel when turning, including effect of centrifugal force and force on rudder.
Resistance and propulsion Derivation of admiralty and fuel coefficient; law of corresponding speeds; Froude’s law of comparison; simple problems on the prediction of full-scale resistance from model experiments; problems on propellers involving the use of wake factor, ep, dp, QPC, thrust and power; qualitative treatment of cavitation.
Ship construction Forces on ship under various conditions, including the effect of panting and pounding; construction of all parts of steel ships; use of high-tensile steel and aluminium; structural fire-protection arrangements; dry-docking; design features of ships for general and specialized trades; design features for operating in ice.
Ship tonnage measurement and classification Meaning of classed and unclassed ships; common terms used in measurement of modern steel ships; common terms used in tonnage measurements (e.g., gross tonnage, net tonnage, propelling space allowance).
Loadline Common terms, markings and main criteria used in assignment of freeboards; maintenance of conditions of assignment.
Damage control Counter ballasting; temporary patching; structural reinforcing; temporary and semi-permanent shoring.

26.8 General engineering knowledge (examination code: 1EKG)

  1. The duration of the examination is 3½ hours.
  2. The examination consists of essay-type questions and the applicant answers 6 out of 9 questions; he may be required to illustrate his answers by means of freehand sketches.
Subject Required knowledge
Material treatment The general effects of various heat treatments on the physical properties of materials commonly used in the construction of marine engines and boilers, and the physical tests to which these materials are normally subjected.
Heat and combustion Physical and chemical properties of steam, fuel, lubricants and other liquids, gases and vapours used in machinery on board ship.
Instrumentation Use, constructional details and operational principles involved in the action of the pressure gauge, thermometer, pyrometer, barometer, salinometer, hydrometer and other meters commonly used in remote monitoring of systems by engineers on board ship.
Corrosion Causes, effects and usual remedies for encrustation and corrosion; feed-water densities and electrolysis.
Marine engines Constructional details and operational principles of marine engines; methods of determining their propulsion power output; principles of working and methods of calibration of dynamometers and torsion meters.
Machinery management The methods of dealing with wear and tear of machinery and boilers; alignment of machinery parts;
correction of defects due to flaws in material or accident; temporary or permanent repairs in the event
of derangement or total breakdown.
Pump systems Constructional details and principles of action of pumps fitted in ships; general requirements concerning feed, fuel, bilge and ballast pumping systems.
Steering gears and auxiliary machinery The constructional arrangement, operational details and working of steering engines and gears; refrigerating machinery; hydraulic and other auxiliary machinery; such steam and internal combustion engines used for emergency and auxiliary machinery on board ship.
Power balance Application of the indicator; calculation of mean pressure and kilowatt propulsion power; variation of pressure in the cylinder as shown by indicator diagrams; the recognition of irregularities in the running of engines from indicator diagrams; the rectification of these irregularities; illustration, by means of sketches, of the change produced in the diagram due to an alteration in the setting or working of the valves or any other factors.
Fire prevention Precautions against fire or explosions due to oil or gas; flash point; explosive properties of gas or vapour given off by fuel or lubricating oils when mixed with a quantity of air; the danger of leakage from oil tanks, pipes, gas producers and vaporizers, particularly in bilges and other unventilated spaces; the action of wire-gauze mesh and the places where such devices must be fitted.
Hazards of coal Spontaneous combustion of coal; explosive properties of gas given off by coal.
Fire detection Maintenance of fixed methods of dealing with fire; chemical and physical action, maintenance of fire extinguishers and other firefighting appliances, respirators and safety lamps; detection meters.
Toxic Materials Toxic and other dangerous properties of substances used in marine practices; maintenance of plant and equipment associated with the carriage of dangerous goods.
Management Administrative duties of a chief engineer; organization of his staff for emergency duties and the use of safety equipment; organization of repairs and surveys; training of staff for both normal and emergency duties, including first aid relative to machinery space injuries; functions and use of lifesaving appliances and the supervision of staff in the absence of ideal safe working conditions.
Fundamentals of automation and instrumentation Periodically unattended machinery spaces; techniques and work practices; bridge control; monitoring systems.

26.9 Engineering knowledge of motor vessels (examination code: 1EKM)

  1. The duration of the examination is 3½ hours.
  2. The examination consists of essay-type questions and the applicant answers 6 out of 9 questions; he may be required to illustrate his answers by means of freehand sketches.
Subject Required knowledge
Marine engines Principles underlying the working of internal combustion engines; the differences between various types of engines; constructional details of internal combustion engines in general use.
Oil, fuel and lubrication Nature and properties of the fuel and lubricating oils generally used in internal combustion engines; the supply of air and fuels to cylinders of engines of different types; the constructional details of apparatus for carburetting or atomizing the fuel; the means of cooling the cylinders and pistons; constructional details and working of air compressors.
Construction of engines Methods of constructing marine internal-combustion engines; the processes to which the several parts are submitted or which are incidental to their manufacture; methods employed in fitting the machinery on board ship.
Starting and reversing Arrangements and the various operations connected therewith.
Machinery management The attention required for the operation and maintenance of the various parts of machinery; the use and management of valves, pipes, connections and safety devices employed.
Corrective maintenance Enumeration and description of defects arising from working of machinery; the remedy for such defects.
Construction of auxiliaries Constructional details and management of auxiliary steam boilers, their fittings and mountings, with special reference to water gauges and safety valves; construction details and management of auxiliary machinery; draught, combustion equipment, oil fuel equipment.
Fundamentals of automated controls Monitoring and recording devices, pneumatic and industrial electronics, and the use of Boolean algebra in control circuits.

26.10 Engineering knowledge of steamships (examination code: 1EKS)

  1. The duration of the examination is 3½ hours.
  2. The examination consists of essay-type questions and the applicant answers 6 out of 9 questions; he may be required to illustrate his answers by means of freehand sketches.
Subject Required knowledge
Steam engines Methods of constructing marine steam engines and boilers; processes to which the several parts are submitted or which are incidental to their manufacture; methods employed in fitting the machinery on board ship.
Auxiliary machinery Various types of propelling and auxiliary machinery in use; functions of each important part and the attention required by the different parts of the machinery on board ship.
Setting valves The methods of testing and altering the setting of the steam admission and exhaust valves; effect produced in the working of the engine by definite alterations in the settings of the valves.
Water treatment Constructional details and working of evaporators, feed-water heaters and feed-water filters.
Marine boilers Various modern designs; the prevention of movement of boilers when vessels are pitching or rolling;
the determination by calculation of suitable working pressure for boilers of given dimensions.
Boiler mountings Use and management of boiler fittings and mountings, with special reference to water gauges and safety valves; precautions necessary when raising steam and operating stop valves, with particular reference to the danger arising from water-hammer action.
Combustion control Constructional details, operation and maintenance of installations generally employed for assisting draught, superheating steam and burning coal or oil fuel.
Fundamentals of automated boiler control Monitoring and recording devices, pneumatic and industrial electronics and the use of Boolean algebra in control circuits.

26.11 Oral examination (examination code: 1ORM or 1ORS)

  1. The examination is of an unlimited duration.
  2. The oral examination will be based on:
Subject Required knowledge
Plan and schedule operations Planning and preparation of operations suited to the design parameters of the power installation and to the requirement of the voyage.
Start up and shut down Main propulsion and Auxiliary machinery, including associated systems Method of preparing the start-up and of making available fuels, lubricants, cooling water and air; checks of pressures, temperatures and speed during start-up and warm-up, in accordance with technical specifications and agreed work plans; surveillance of main propulsion plant and auxiliary systems is sufficient to maintain safe operations; methods of preparing the shut-down and of supervising the cooling down of the engine.
Operate, monitor and evaluate engine performance and capacity Methods of measuring the load capacity of the engines, in accordance with technical specifications; performance checked against bridge orders; performance levels in accordance with technical specifications.
Maintain safety of engine equipment, systems and services Arrangements for ensuring the safe and efficient operation and condition of the machinery installation, suitable for all modes of operation.
Manage fuel and ballast operations Fuel and Ballast operations meeting operational requirements and carried out so as to prevent pollution of the marine environment; operation and maintenance of machinery, including pumps and piping system.
Internal communication system Operation of all internal communication system on board; transmission and reception of messages are consistently successful; communication records complete, accurate and in compliance with statutory requirements.
Operate electrical and electronic control equipment Operation of equipment and system is in accordance with operating manuals; performance levels in accordance with technical specifications.
Test, detect faults, maintain and restore electrical and electronic control equipment to operating condition Maintenance activities are correctly planned in accordance with technical, legislative, safety, and procedural specification; effect of malfunction on associated plant and systems accurately identified; ship’s technical drawings correctly interpreted; measuring and calibrating instruments correctly used; actions taken are justified.
Organize safe maintenance and repair procedure Maintenance activities correctly planned in accordance with technical, legislative, safety, and procedural specification; appropriate plans, specification, materials and equipment available for maintenance and repair; action taken leads to restoration of plant by most suitable method.
Detect and identify the cause of machinery malfunction and correct faults Detection of machinery malfunction, location of faults and action to prevent damage; methods of comparing operating conditions, in accordance with recommended practices and procedures; action and decisions in accordance with recommended operating specifications and limitations.
Ensure safe working practices Working practices in accordance with legislative requirements, codes of practice, permits to work and environmental concerns.
Control trim, stability and stress Understanding of fundamental principle of ship construction and the theories and factors affecting trim and stability and measures necessary to preserve trim and stability; stability and stress conditions are maintained within safety limits at all times; knowledge of the effect on trim and stability in the event of damage to and consequent flooding of a compartment and countermeasures to be taken
Monitor and control compliance with legislative requirements and measures to ensure safety of life at sea and protection of the environment Knowledge of relevant international maritime laws embodied in international agreements and conventions; certificates and others documents required to be carried on board ships by international conventions, how they may be obtained and their period of validity; requirements for renewal and extension of certificates to ensure continued validity of survey items and equipment; responsibilities under relevant requirements of the International Convention on Load lines, International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, and International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships.
Maintain safety and security of the vessel, crew and passengers and the operational condition of life-saving, fire-fighting and other safety systems Thorough knowledge of life-saving appliances regulations; organization of fire and abandon ship drills; maintenance of operational condition of life-saving, fire-fighting and other safety systems; actions to be taken to protect and safeguard all persons on board in emergencies; actions to limit damage and salve the ship following fire, explosion, collision or grounding; procedures for monitoring fire-detection and safety systems, ensuring that all alarms are detected promptly and acted upon in accordance with established emergency procedures.
Develop emergency and damage control plans and handle emergency situations Emergency procedures in accordance with the established plans for emergency situations.
Organize and manage the crew Crew allocated duties and informed of expected standards of work and behaviour in a manner appropriate to individuals concerned; training objectives and activities based on an assessment of current competence and capabilities and operational requirements.
Regulations and ship’s business Knowledge of national and international maritime laws embodied in agreements and conventions as they affect the specific obligations and responsibilities of the engineering department, particularly those concerning safety and the protection of the marine environment; knowledge of the general organization of ship management, including: IMO, ILO and the SOLAS conventions, including articles, regulations and resolutions.

Knowledge of the Canada Shipping Act, 2001 relating to:

Steamship inspections, marine machinery inspection, hull construction and inspection, registration of ships, steering appliances and equipment; life saving equipment, boat and fire drills, fire detection and extinguishing equipment; dangerous goods shipping, oil pollution prevention, sewage pollution prevention, garbage pollution prevention, pollutant discharge reporting; safe working practices, shipping casualties reporting, tackle; crewing, engagement and discharge of seafarers in and/or out of Canada, rights of seafarers, maintenance of discipline, distressed seafarers, provisions, health and accommodation.

Knowledge of the Canada Labour Code, as applicable to shipping and relating to the occupational health and safety.

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Date modified:
2010-01-21