Appendix III

Specimen exam
questions with
mariiing scheme
Recent Examination questions for Ship Stability
@ 032-72 level: (a) STCW 95 Chief Mate/Master
Reg.11/2 (unlimited)
Note that all calculations are to be based wherever possible on the use of
real ship stability information.
Marking scheme shown in brackets.
1. (a) Explain why the values of trim and metacentric height in the freefloating condition are important when considering the suitability of
a vessel for dry docking.
(14)
(b) Describe how the metacentric height and the trim can be adjusted
prior to dry docking so as to improve the vessel's stability at the critical instant.
(6)
(c) Describe two methods of determining the upthrust (P) during the
critical period.
(10)
2. A vessel is floating upright with the following particulars:
Displacement 12 850 tonnes KM 9.30 m.
A boiler weighing 96 tonnes is to be loaded using the vessel's heavy lift
derrick from a position 17.00 m to port of the vessel's centreline. Kg of
derrick head 22.00 m.
(a) Calculate the maximum allowable KG prior to loading in order to limit
the list to a maximum of 7 degrees during the loading operation. (20)
(b) Calculate the final angle and direction of list if the boiler is to be
stowed in a position Kg 2.60 m, 3.90 m to starboard of the vessel's
centreline.
(15)
3. (a) The Load Line Regulations 1998 require the master to be provided with
stability particulars for various conditions. Detail the information to
be provided for a given service condition, describing how this information may be presented.
(20)

506

Ship Stability for Masters and Mates

(b) State the corrections required when converting basic freeboard to

assigned freeboard, outlining the circumstances when freeboard is
increased or decreased in each case.
(15)
4. A vessel operating in severe winter conditions may suffer from nonsynnmetrical ice accretion on decks and superstructure.
Describe, with the aid of a sketch of the vessel's curve of statical
stability, the effects on the overall stability of the vessel.
(35)
5. Describe, with the aid of one or more sketches, the effect on the dynamical stability of a vessel during bad weather, of a transverse and vertical
shift of solid bulk cargo originally trimmed level.
(35)
6. With reference to a modern shipboard stability and stress finding
instrument:
(a) state the hydrostatic and stability data already pre-programmed
into the instrument;
(8)
(b) describe the information to be entered into the instrument by the
ship's officer;
(12)
(c) describe the output information.
(15)
7. A vessel with a high deck cargo will experience adverse effects on its
stability due to strong beam winds on lateral windage areas.
Describe, with the aid of a sketch, the minimum stability requirements with respect to wind heeling under current regulations.
(35)
8. (a) A vessel loads a packed timber cargo on deck such that there is an
increase in the vessel's KG and an effective increase in freeboard.
Using a sketch, show the effect of loading this cargo on the vessel's GZ curve.
(14)
(b) Sketch, showing how the GZ curve for vessel with a zero GM is
affected by each of the following:
(i) a rise in the vessel's KG;
(8)
(ii) a reduction in the vessel's KG.
(8)
9. (a) Discuss how a vessel's still water rolling period may be affected by
changes in the distribution of weight aboard the vessel.
(10)
(b) Explain the term synchronous rolling, describing the dangers, if any,
associated with it.
(12)
(c) State the action to be taken by the ship's officer when it becomes
apparent that the vessel is experiencing synchronous rolling.
(8)
10. A box-shaped vessel floating at an even keel in salt water has the following particulars:
Length 83.00 m Breadth 18:00 m Depth 10.50 m Draft 6.12 m
KG 6.86 m
An empty midship watertight compartment 14.64 m long and
extending the full breadth of the vessel is bilged.

Specimen exam questions with marking scheme

Calculate each of the following:

(a) the new draft;
(b) the GM in thee flooded condition;
(c) the righting moment at an angle of 17 degrees.

507

(8)
(12)
(15)

11. Describe the hydrostatic stability and stress data required to be supplied
to ships under the current Load Line Regulations.
(30)
12. (a) Explain why a vessel laden to the same draft on different voyages
may have different rolling periods.
(10)
(b) Sketch on one set of axes, specimen GZ curves showing stiff and
tender conditions for a vessel laden to the same draft on different
voyages.
(4)
(c) Describe the different rolling characteristics of a vessel in a stiff condition and a vessel in a tender condition.
(6)
(d) Sketch the GZ curve for a vessel with a small negative GM.
(4)
(e) Describe the rolling characteristics for a vessel with a small negative
GM.
(6)
13. A box-shaped vessel floating on an even keel in salt water has the following particulars:
Length 146.00 m Breadth 29.40 m Draft 6.52 m KG 9.90 m.
The vessel has a centreline watertight bulkhead with an empty amidships compartment of length 24.00 m on each side of the vessel.
Calculate the angle of heel if one of these side compartments is
bilges.
(35)
14. A vessel is trimmed 1.50 m by the stern and heeled 8 to starboard and
has the following particulars:
Displacement 15 000 tonnes MCTC 188 KG 7.25 m KM 7.52 m
No. 1 D.B. tanks, port and starboard, are empty and have centroids
112.00 m foap and 3.80 m each side of the centreline.
No. 5 D.B. tanks, port and starboard, are full of oil and have centroids
53.00 m foap and 3.60 m each side of the centreline.
Calculate the quantities to transfer into each of the No. 1 tanks from
No. 5 tanks to bring this vessel to even keel and upright using equal
quantities from No. 5 port and starboard tanks.
(35)
15. (a) State the formula to determine the virtual loss of GM due to a free
liquid surface within a rectangular tank, explaining each of the
terms used.
(8)
(b) Explain the effects on the virtual loss of transverse GM due to the
free surface effects when the slack tank is equally divided in each of
the following situations:
(i) by a longitudinal bulkhead;
(ii) by a transverse bulkhead.
(10)

508

Ship Stability for Masters and Mates

(c) A double bottom tank, initially empty, is to be ballasted full of salt

water. Sketch a graph to show the way in which the effective KG of
the ship will change from the instant of starting to fill the tank until
it is full.
(12)
16. (a) Describe, with the aid of sketches, how a vessel overtaking another
vessel of a similar size is likely to be affected by interaction in each
of the following situations:
(i) when the bows of the two vessels are abreast;
(6)
(ii) when the stern of the overtaking vessel is close to the bow of the
vessel being overtaken.
(6)
(b) Describe the measures each vessel can take to reduce the danger of
collision due to interaction when one vessel is overtaking another
in a channel.
(18)
17. (a) State the purpose of the inclining experiment.
(5)
(b) Describe the precautions to be taken, by the ship's officer, before and
during the experiment.
(16)
(c) List the circumstances when the inclining experiment is required to
take place on passenger vessels.
(9)
18. With reference to the current Passenger Ship Construction Regulations:
(a) state the assumed hull damage used when calculating the ship's
ability to remain afloat in a stable condition after flooding; (10)
(b) describe the minimum stability requirements in the damaged condition for passenger ships (other than Ro-Ro) built after 1990,
including details of the heeling moment assumed.
(20)
19. A vessel initially upright, is to carry out an inclining test. Present displacement 5600 tonnes. KM 5.83 m.
Total weights on board during the experiment:
Ballast 720 m, Kg 2.32 m. Tank full.
Bunkers 1561, Kg 1.94 m. Free surface moment 438 tm.
Water 871, Kg 4.25 m. Slack tank. Free surface moment 600 tm.
Boiler water 181, Kg 4.2 m. Free surface moment 104 tm.
Deck crane (yet to be fitted) 171, Kg 8.74 m.
Inclining weights 561, Kg 8.44 m.
The plumblines have an effective vertical length of 7.72 m. The inclining weights are shifted transversely 6.0 m on each occasion and the
mean horizontal deflection of the plumbline is 0.82 m.
Calculate the vessel's lightship KG.
(35)
20. A vessel has the following particulars:
LBP177m MCTC258 TPC24 LCF82mfoap
Initial drafts: forward 5.86 m; aft 6.81 m.

Specimen exam questions with marking scheme

509

The vessel has a fore peak tank. Leg 162 m foap, which is to be ballasted in order to reduce the draft aft to 6.58 m.
Calculate each of the following:
(a) the minimum weight of ballast required;
(20)
(b) the final draft forward.
(15)
21. A vessel has loaded grain, stowage factor 1.65m^/tonne to a displacement of 13 000 tonnes. In the loaded condition the effective KG is 7.18 m.
All grain spaces are full, except No. 2 Tween Deck, which is partially full.
The tabulated transverse volumetric heeling moments are as follows:
No. 1 Hold
No. 2 Hold
No. 3 Hold
No. 4 Hold
No. ITD
N0.2TD
N0.3TD

1008 m*
1211m*
1298 m*
1332 m*
794 m*
784 m*
532 m*

The value of the Kg used in the calculation of the vessel's effective KG

were as follows:
For lower holds, the centroid of the space.
For Tween Decks, the actual Kg of the cargo.
(a) Using Datasheet Q.21 Maximum Permissible Grain Heeling Moments
Table, determine the vessel's ability to comply with the statutory
Grain Regulations.
(20)
(b) Calculate the vessel's approximate angle of heel in the event of a
shift of grain assumed in the Grain Regulations.
(5)
(c) State the stability criteria in the current International Grain Code. (10)

General Ship Knowledge @ 0 3 5 - 2 2 level: (b) STCW

95 Officer in Charge of Navigational Watch
< 5 0 0 g t Reg.11/3 (Near Coastal)
Note that all calculations are to be based wherever possible on the use of
real ship stability information.
Marking scheme shown in brackets.
1. A ship has the following particulars:
Summer freeboard
FWA
TPC

1.65 m
75 mm
6.8

The ship is currently in dock water RD 1.010 with freeboards as follows:

Port
Starboard

1.85 m.
1.79 m.

510

Ship Stability for Masters and Mates

Calculate the weight of cargo to be loaded in order that the ship will be
at her Summer load draft in salt water (RD 1.025).
(20)
2. Describe, with the aid of sketches, how a virtual rise of a vessel's centre
of gravity occurs due to slack tanks and the consequent reduction in the
righting lever.
(20)
3. Define and explain the purpose for each of the following:
(a) sheer;
(b) camber;
(c) flare;
(d) rise of floor.

(5)
(5)
(5)
(5)

4. Explain, with the aid of a sketch, each of the following:

(a) transverse metacentre;
(b) initial metacentric height;
(c) righting lever;
(d) righting moment.

(5)
(5)
(5)
(5)

5. A ship has a displacement of 1200 tonnes. An 80 tonne generator is in the

lower hold in position Kg 2.8 m, 3.2 m to port of the centreline.
(a) Calculate the vertical and the horizontal components of the shift of
the ship's centre of gravity if the generator is restowed on deck in
position Kg 8.4 m, 2.2 m to starboard of the centreline.
(20)
(b) Draw a sketch to illustrate the shift of the ship's centre of gravity
calculated in Q5(a).
(10)
6. (a) Define, with the aid of sketches, each of the following ship stability
terms:
(i) metacentre:
(3)
(ii) BM;
(3)
(iii) metacentric height;
(3)
(iv) vertical centre of gravity;
(3)
(v) righting moment.
(3)
(b) With the aid of sketches, show a vessel in each of the following
conditions:
(i) stable equilibrium;
(5)
(ii) unstable equilibrium.
(5)
7. A ship in salt water (RD 1.025) has a mean draft of 3.10 m, KG 3.70 m.
The Summer load draft is 3.80 m.
120 tonnes of cargo are loaded under deck at Kg 2.30 m.
50 tonnes of bunkers are loaded at Kg 0.60 m giving a free surface
moment of 160 tonne-metres.
Cargo is then loaded on deck. Kg 2.50 m, to take the ship to her
Summer load draft.

Specimen exam questions with marking scheme

Using Datasheet Q.7, calculate each of the following:

(a) the weight of deck cargo to load;
(b) the load KG;
(c) the GMf on completion of loading.

511

(8)
(17)
(5)

8. A ship is upright. Using the ship's derrick a heavy item of cargo is

moved from a stowage position on the centreline of the lower hold to a
new stowage position on the starboard side of the weather deck.
Explain, with the aid of sketches, the successive movements of the
ship's centre of gravity when the cargo item is:
(a) raised from the lower hold;
(10)
(b) swung to the starboard side;
(10)
(c) landed at the new stowage position.
(10)
9. A ship in salt water (RD 1.025) has a mean draft of 2.70 m, KG 3.90 m.
The Summer load draft is 3.60 m.
160 tonnes of cargo are loaded under deck at Kg 2.10 m.
150 tonnes of bunkers are loaded at Kg 0.60 m giving a free surface
moment of 190 tonne-metres.
Cargo is then loaded at Kg 4.50 m, to take the ship to her Summer load
draft.
Using Datasheet Q5, calculate each of the following:
(a) the weight of cargo to take the ship to her Summer draft;
(b) the load KG;
(c) the GM on completion of loading.

(8)
(17)
(5)

10. (a) Discuss, with the aid of sketches, how free surface effects reduce a
ship's metacentric height and list the factors involved.
(19)
(b) List three methods for reducing free surface effects.
(6)
11. Draw an outline profile and an outline midship section of a ship. On the
outlines clearly show the positions of each of the following:
LBP, LOA and Amidships.
Draft moulded and Freeboard.
Upper deck sheer forward and aft.
Upper deck camber.
Bulbous bow.
Rise of floor.
12. A ship has the following particulars:
Summer freeboard
FWA
TPC

1.70 m
90 mm
8.5

She is currently in dock water RD 1.015 with freeboards as follows:

Port
Starboard

1.80 m
1.73 m

(25)

512

Ship Stability for Masters and Mates

Calculate the weight of cargo to be loaded in order that the ship will be
at her Summer load draft in salt water (RD 1.025).
(20)
13. A vessel has a draft of 3.75 m in salt water. The lightweight displacement
is 658.91.
Using Datasheet Q.13, calculate each of the following:
(a) fully loaded displacement;
(5)
(b) fully loaded deadweight;
(5)
(c) fresh water allowance in mm;
(5)
(d) tropical fresh water allowance in mm;
(5)
(e) fresh water draft in metre.
(5)
14. (a) Define, with the aid of sketches, each of the following terms:
(i) ullage;
(3)
(ii) sounding;
(3)
(iii) ullage plug;
(3)
(iv) sounding pad (striker plate);
(3)
(v) strum box.
(3)
(b) Outline the information contained in and use of a ship's tank calibration Tables.
(10)
15. (a) Define TPC and explain its use on ships.
(8)
(b) Explain clearly why TPC changes with each draft in a conventional
merchant ship.
(8)
(c) A vessel moves from salt water of density 1025 kg/m^ to river
water at 1012 k g / m ^
If the displacement remains constant at 12 2501 and the TPC in
salt water is 27.65, calculate the mean bodily sinkage after the vessel has moved into the river water.
(9)
16. A ship has an initial displacement of 93001, KG 8.20 m, and loads the
following cargo:
3200 tonnes at Kg 7.20 m
1400 tonnes at Kg 8.00 m
500 tonnes at Kg 10.50 m
On passage the ship will use:
275 tonnes of bunkers at Kg 1.60 m
40 tonnes of FW at Kg 3.00 m
causing a free surface moment of 300 tonne-metres.
Determine, using Datasheet Q.15 (maximum KG), whether the ship
has adequate stability in each of the following:
(a) on completion of loading;
(15)
(b) on completion of the voyage.
(15)

Specimen exam questions with marking scheme

513

17. A ship in salt water (RD 1.025) has a mean draft of 3.10 m, KG 3.70 m.
The Summer load draft is 3.80 m.
120 tonne of cargo are loaded under deck at Kg 2.30 m.
50 tonne of bunkers are loaded at Kg 0.60 m giving a free surface
moment of 160 tonne-metres.
Cargo is then loaded on deck. Kg 2.50 m, to take the ship to her
Summer load draft.
Using Datasheet Q.16, calculate each of the following:
(a) the weight of deck cargo to load;
(b) the load KG;
(c) the GMf on completion of loading.

(8)
(17)
(5)

514

Ship Stability for Masters and Mates

TS035-22

GENERAL SHIP KNOWLEDGE

DATASHEET Q15
(This Datasheet must be returned with your examination answer book)

MAXIMUM KG (METRES) TO COMPLY WITH MINIMUM STABILITY CRITERIA SPECIFIED

IN THE CURRENT LOAD LINE RULES

Displacement
t
19500

Candidate's
Name

KG.
m
7.85

19000

7.93

18 500

8.02

18 000

8.10

17500

8.17

17000

8.20

16500

8.19

16 000

8.18

15 500

8.18

15000

8.19

14500

8.20

14000

8.22

13500

8.24

13000

8.28

12 500

8.34

12 000

8.42

11500

8.50

11000

8.60

10500

8.71

10000

8.85

9500

9.03

9 000

9.24

8500

9.48

8000

9.73

7500

9.82

7000

9.62

6500

9.43

6000

9.18

5500

8.84

5000

8.40

Examination
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Specimen exam questions with marking scheme

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