Legislation and standards
The Chief Mate works within a framework of Merchant Shipping Notices (MSNs, MGNs and MINs) and keeps the ship's copy of the Annual Summary of Notices to Mariners current. Health-and-safety legislation and the Code of Safe Working Practices govern shipboard work; SOLAS and the marine-environment conventions set the standards; the ISM Code governs safe management; and Flag and Port State Control, with the ISPS Code, oversee compliance and security. The officer must know the duty, the standard, and where the detail is written.
| Topic | What the Chief Mate should know |
|---|---|
| Large Yacht Code | The commercial code the vessel operates under and what it requires |
| Certificates & surveys | The ship's certificates, their validity and survey cycle |
| Safe manning / hours | The safe-manning document and the hours-of-rest rules (MLC/STCW) |
| Crew agreements | The basis of employment and seafarers' rights under the MLC |
| Seaworthiness & pollution | The duty to keep the ship seaworthy and compliant with MARPOL |
| Business-and-law topics examined at Chief Mate level. |
Pollution and reporting
The Chief Mate applies MARPOL and its special-area and discharge rules in daily operations, knows and can implement the ship's SOPEP and Garbage Management Plan, keeps the Oil Record Book and Garbage Record Book correctly, and knows the duty to report reportable casualties and dangerous occurrences to the flag State and the MAIB. False or missing record entries are a serious offence, and honest, complete records are part of professional practice.
NOTE — Know the duty and where it is written The examiner does not want a legal recital; they want you to know the duty, the standard it must meet, and which MSN, code or convention holds the detail. Demonstrate that and you present as a safe, professional officer.
WARNING — Records must be honest and complete The Oil Record Book, Garbage Record Book and official log must be accurate; false or missing entries are a serious offence heavily pursued by port-state control. Honest record-keeping is not optional.