Advanced Gas Tanker Training Course

Assignments
Please read the following notes carefully before carrying out the assignments.

The assignments have been written under the assumption that you have served on a gas tanker and
are working for a company operating gas tankers with the appropriate Safety Management System
(SMS) in place.

You may find that some questions do not apply directly the ship type or size that you are familiar with
– however you must still attempt to answer these. Use the Videotel programme, industry publications,
the Company SMS and the advice and experience of fellow officers to research the answers.
Incomplete portfolios will be returned unassessed.

© Videotel MMXVII
Health, Safety and Protocol
Much of the work will require you to research information from your current or past ship. ALWAYS
comply in full with all Health and Safety Regulations and seek permission from the Master and
relevant officers where your work takes you out of your ordinary routines. Take care not to interfere
with shipboard operations and time your work to ‘fit in’ with others.

1. All of the questions in the following Module Projects must be completed.

2. You may type or word process your work and, where required or appropriate, provide
diagrams, computer graphics or sketches to illustrate your answers.
3. The completed Projects should be filed in your Portfolio in the appropriate place. You are
strongly advised to keep a backup of ALL your work before sending it to Videotel for
Assessment.
4. All work submitted must have been produced by you alone and each Project must be
accompanied by an authenticating Affidavit. (See in your Portfolio).
5. Anything you quote or copy from another publication must be acknowledged, giving the
following information:
 Author’s name
 Title of Publication
 Year (and day/month if a newspaper article or magazine) published
 Page reference
 Name of Publisher
 Place of Publication

Method of acknowledging others’ work

a) Use “quotation marks” round the actual words you have copied and insert a brief reference in
brackets () at the end. The brief reference should contain author’s name and publication year
only.

b) Supply the full reference in a list at the end of your answer.

Example

‘’Except as specified in paragraph 3 of this regulation, any ship of 400 gross tonnage and above but
less than 10,000 gross tonnage shall be fitted with oil filtering equipment complying with paragraph 6
of this regulation.’’ (MARPOL Annex I,14.1)

and then, at the end of the answer, supply the full reference thus:

MARPOL Annex I, International Maritime Organization, Regulation 14 - Oil Filtering Equipment.

© Videotel MMXVII
If you need assistance or would like anything clarified do not hesitate to contact the email helpline at
[email protected].

Advanced Gas Tanker Assignments

Module 1: Introduction

1. Define the term “Liquefied Gas”.

2. Define the term “Saturated Vapour Pressure”.
3. For a liquefied gas cargo of your choice state, as appropriate:
a) The Critical temperature / pressure
b) Where this information can be found
c) The relevance of this information to the Cargo Officer

Module 2: The Chemistry of Liquefied Gases

1. List the reactivity hazards of liquefied gas cargoes – give a brief description of each.

Module 3: The Physics of Liquefied Gases

1. Define the terms:

a) Solid
b) Liquid
c) Gas

2. State Boyle’s Law, Charles’ Law and the Pressure constant law.
State the 1st & 2nd Laws of Thermodynamics.
3. Use the above definitions and laws to describe the operation of a simple cargo system on a
liquefied gas ship.

Module 4: Hazards and their Management

1. Define the terms:

a) Flash Point
b) Auto Ignition Temperature

2. Sketch a Flammable range diagram and explain the terms:

a) Lower Flammable Limit
b) Upper Flammable Limit

3. Provide a diagram of the fire triangle.

List the likely sources of ignition onboard a gas carrier.
4. Outline the information you would include in a safety ‘’briefing’’ to crew members prior to
cargo transfer operations.

© Videotel MMXVII
 5. State the information contained on a Material Safety Data Sheet.
6. The main health hazards posed by the cargoes onboard liquefied gas tankers are:
a) Toxicity
b) Asphyxia
c) Anaesthesia
d) Frostbite
e) Corrosivity

Give a brief description of each with respect to gas carrier operations.

Module 5: Regulations

1. Explain briefly (250 +/- 10% words) the role of the International Maritime Organization (IMO)
in gas carrier operations. Include reference to the relevant Conventions and Codes.
2. List all the statutory certification and documentation carried onboard a gas carrier, specific to
its type.
3. State the duration of an International Certificate of Fitness for the carriage of Liquefied Gases
in bulk. State the surveys that are required to maintain the certificate and any circumstances
that will invalidate the certificate.
4. The IGC Code specifies minimum requirements for the construction of gas carriers. Explain
briefly the terms:
a) Ship Type 1G
b) Ship Type 2G
c) Ship Type 3G

Include two examples of cargo carried on each Type.

Module 6: Ship Design and Equipment

1. List the following information for the gas carrier you are currently on or for the last gas carrier
you sailed on:
a) Ship’s name, Flag, Classification Society
b) Year & place built
c) Details of cargo tank type & capacity

2. Provide a midships cross section diagram for your current or last gas carrier, showing the
construction of the cargo tanks stated in Q1.

Or

Provide midships cross section diagrams showing the differences between Independent type
A, B & C cargo tanks.

© Videotel MMXVII
 3. For each of the following items of equipment on your current or last gas carrier, state the
number, the type, and the capacities of:
a) main cargo pumps
b) compressors
c) heat exchangers

4. Provide simple sketches of the following types of valve:

a) Butterfly
b) Rising spindle gate
c) Globe
d) Ball

5. Describe different methods of producing and supplying inert gas on gas carriers.
a) state how IG is produced on your current or last gas carrier
b) provide a simple schematic diagram of the IG system
c) list the alarms built into the system.

6. Describe with the aid of a diagram a primary method/type of pressure relief fitted to the cargo
tanks of a gas carrier.
7. State the methods of monitoring the cargo tank levels on your current or last gas carrier, and
describe any safety precautions that may be necessary.

Module 7: The Cargo Operational Cycle

1. List the checks that a cargo officer would carry out of the cargo system prior to arrival and
prior to commencing a cargo operation on a gas carrier.
2. Provide a copy, or write a report in the form of a loading plan describing a loading operation.
3. Describe the Emergency Shut Down procedures to be adopted during cargo operations.
4. State where you would find information on the maximum filling limits for cargo tanks on a gas
carrier.
5. For a cargo of your choice, show by a worked example how the ‘’total cargo quantity’’ is
calculated.
6. Explain the term “Cargo Condition Maintenance”.
a) Describe briefly the operation of the re-liquefaction plant

7. Consider that you are a Chief Officer, meeting with the shore Loading Master immediately
prior to a liquefied gas cargo transfer operation. As an example copy, complete the relevant
sections of a Ship Shore Safety Check List.

Module 8: Gas Detection

1. State where you would find out how many portable gas-detecting devices there should be
onboard a gas carrier.
a) State the actual number onboard your current or last gas carrier

© Videotel MMXVII
 2. Briefly describe the procedure for testing portable gas detection equipment, stating the
frequency of such tests, and state the frequency required for testing this equipment ashore.
3. State the type, make and model of any fixed gas detection equipment fitted on your current or
last gas carrier.
a) Describe the on-board servicing/maintenance required

Module 9: Safety and Pollution Prevention

1. Discuss the personal protective equipment available onboard your current or last gas carrier
for use:
a) in ‘’routine’’ ship board duties
b) in ‘’emergency’’ situations

2. Define the term ‘enclosed space’. Explain the safety procedures to be followed prior to, and
during, an entry into an enclosed space.

Module 10: Cargo Firefighting

1. Outline the ‘’structural’’ fire protection measures taken on your current or last gas carrier to
comply with Chapter 11 of the IGC code.
2. Describe a fire drill in which you have personally been involved. Include:
a) The part of ship in which the drill took place
b) The nature of the simulated incident
c) The size and number of the firefighting parties involved
d) The methods used to contain and extinguish the fire

3. Comment on the effectiveness of the drill and suggest ways in which it might be improved.

Module 11: Emergency Procedures

1. Produce a copy of your current or last gas carrier’s Emergency Muster list, showing
ranks/ratings and responsibilities.
2. Briefly describe the core roles of each of the Emergency parties.
3. As per SOLAS (ISM) requirements, list the Contingency Plans which ships must have in place
to respond to operational emergency scenarios.
4. When the ship is in port, state the emergency information which would be made available to
shore rescue agencies.

© Videotel MMXVII