Your ship's Second Engineer falls while working in the engine room in port and is taken to the hospital and found unfit for duty. As Chief Engineer you inform the USCG of the accident. The Coast Guard officer you talk with asks if you have the correct complement of crew to proceed to your next port. How would you determine if the ship has the correct number of persons with the corresponding ratings required to proceed to the next port?
• Minimum Safe Manning Certificate and what it legally specifies • Difference between internal ship documents (like station bill or company advice) and official regulatory certificates • Why the Coast Guard is concerned with number of persons AND their ratings/endorsements
• Which document is issued by or approved by a Flag State/Administration specifically to define the minimum number and type of licensed and unlicensed crew required for safe operation? • Does a station bill or a personnel department guarantee that you meet the legal manning requirements, or just help organize/employ people? • If one licensed engineer is missing, what comparison do you actually need to make to answer the Coast Guard’s question with certainty?
• Verify which document is a formal legal requirement for manning, not just an internal shipboard document. • Confirm that the chosen method lets you check both numbers of crew and their specific ratings/positions. • Ensure the method would stand up to a USCG/Port State Control inspection, not just informal company practice.
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