6. Annex B – Marine Laws and Regulations

From: Transport Canada

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Marine Laws and Regulations Knowledge for Applicants to the STCW-endorsed Fourth-Class Engineer's Certificate

6.1 Introduction

1. TCMSS developed this Annex to meet the requirements of Table A-III/1 of Part A of the STCW Code, as amended, Monitor compliance with legislative requirements. It will enable applicants who cannot get the basic training on this subject to reach the level of competence required to obtain an STCW-endorsed 4th Class Engineer's certificate.

2. Applicants who plan to complete this Annex instead of taking the approved training must be familiar with:

  1. Canada Shipping Act, 2001 and its Regulations, with specific reference to the following:

    1. Administrative Monetary Penalties Regulations
    2. Ballast Water Control and Management Regulations
    3. Fire and Boat Drills Regulations
    4. Fire Detection and Extinguishing Equipment Regulations
    5. Large Fishing Vessel Inspection Regulations
    6. Life Saving Equipment Regulations
    7. Marine Machinery Regulations
    8. Marine Personnel Regulations
    9. Safe Working Practices Regulations
    10. Safety Management Regulations
    11. Small Fishing Vessel Inspection Regulations
    12. Small Vessel Regulation
    13. Tackle Regulations
    14. Vessel Certificates Regulations
    15. Vessel Clearance Regulations
    16. Vessel Pollution and Dangerous Chemicals Regulations

  2. Canada Labour Code with specific reference to Maritime Occupational Health and Safety Regulations

  3. Arctic Waters Pollution Prevention Act and its Regulations and Orders, with specific reference to the following:

    1. Arctic Waters Pollution Prevention Regulation
    2. Steering Appliances and Equipment Regulations
    3. Shipping Safety Control Zones Order

  4. Marine Transportation Security Act and its Regulations, with specific reference to the following:

    1. Marine Transportation Security Regulations (MTSR)

  5. Criminal Code, as it relates to the operation of a ship

  6. MARPOL and SOLAS Conventions.

3. Anyone with proper documentation will need about 20 hours to complete this Annex. Once completed, the applicant must present it to a TCMSS Examiner of Engineers for assessment.

6.2 Objective

  1. The Annex has two objectives, namely to ensure basic working knowledge of:

    1. the Canadian Acts and Regulations and their specific requirements for preventing pollution on the Great Lakes and other Canadian internal waters, and
    2. the IMO Conventions relating to the protection of the marine environment and the safety of life at sea.

6.3 Canadian Laws and Regulations

(1) The legislative process

  1. What is the final step in enacting a new law?
    1. Third Reading
    2. Royal Assent
    3. approval by the Senate
    4. the Report Stage
  2. Which of the following can be referred to as subordinate legislation?
    1. Regulations
    2. Part II of the Canada Gazette
    3. Acts
    4. Bills
  3. At what step in the development of regulations does Privy Council ensure there is no conflict with other legislation?
    1. Review
    2. Drafting
    3. Ministerial approbation
    4. Prepublication
  4. When a bill is introduced in the House, it is said to go through:
    1. Committee Stage
    2. Report Stage
    3. First Reading
    4. Royal Assent
  5. The final form of a regulation is published in:
    1. The RIAS
    2. The Canada Gazette, Part I
    3. The Canada Gazette, Part II
    4. The Canada Gazette, Part III

NOTE: For the legislative process, see the Privy Council Office web site (Making Canada's Laws)

For the Canada Shipping Act, 2001, Canada Labour Code and Regulations, see the Transport Canada (marine) web site: (Canada Labour Code and Regulations).

(2) Vessel Pollution and Dangerous Chemicals Regulations – Part 2 - Division 6 - Air:

  1. Where and to whom do these regulations apply?

  2. Under what circumstances may a ship emit smoke of a density greater than what is normally allowed?

(3) Vessel Pollution and Dangerous Chemicals Regulations – Division 3 - Pollutants:

  1. Under which section of the Canada Shipping Act, 2001 were these Regulations established?

(4) Vessel Pollution and Dangerous Chemicals Regulations – Pollutant Discharge Reporting:

  1. To which ships do these Regulations apply? Which ships are exempted?

  2. Apart from the ship’s Master, who may be responsible to make a report in case of discharge of a pollutant and under what circumstances?

(5) Vessel Pollution and Dangerous Chemicals Regulations – Part 2 - Division 1 - Oil:

  1. Which ships must carry an Oil Record Book?

  2. List all the documents a 5000-ton Oil tanker engaged in international voyages must have on board under the Vessel Pollution and Dangerous Chemicals Regulations – Part2 - Division 1 - Oil.

  3. Which ships are required to have containers or enclosed deck areas for bunkering operations? What is the minimum size of containers? Which ships are exempted from this requirement?

  4. Where and under what conditions may a mixture not exceeding 5 ppm of oil be discharged into the sea?

  5. Which ships are required to have on board a Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plan? What is the reason for this plan?

(6) Part 2 of Canada Labour Code:

  1. What are the fundamental rights of the employee?

  2. Describe the obligations of the employer.

(7) Maritime Occupational Health and Safety Regulations:

  1. Where and to whom do these regulations apply?

  2. Under which section & part of the Canada Labour Code is the Health and Safety Officer designated?

6.4 MARPOL

  1. What types of ship-generated pollution does MARPOL deal with?

  2. Where and to whom does this convention apply? Which ships are exempted?

  3. Which annexes are considered optional? Has Canada ratified all annexes?

  4. In relation with oil pollution prevention, what does a special area mean?

  5. Name the certificate(s) required and issued under this convention. Who must issue them? When do they cease to be valid?

  6. Under what conditions may an oil tanker discharge oil or oily mixtures into the sea? What about a ship other than an oil tanker?

  7. Where are the reception facilities for discharging ship’s oily residues located?

  8. Which ships must be equipped with a sludge tank in order to retain on board the oil residues from the normal engine room operation?

  9. With regard to the carriage of noxious liquid substances in bulk, which ships are required to carry a Cargo Record Book? What must be the content of this book?

  10. For harmful substances carried in packaged form, what is the required marking and labeling of packages?

  11. Which ships are required to comply with regulations regarding the prevention of pollution by sewage?

  12. When and under what conditions is the discharge of sewage allowed into the sea?

  13. With regard to disposal of garbage at sea, what does special area mean?

  14. What are the conditions for disposing of garbage at sea outside special areas?

6.5 SOLAS

  1. What is SOLAS?

  2. Where and to whom does it apply? Which ships are exempted?

  3. List the certificates required and issued under this convention and state their normal period of validity.

  4. Give a brief outline of Chapter 1. What does it deal with?

  5. Where is the collision bulkhead located on a passenger ship? What about a cargo ship?

  6. What is the maximum time allowed for the main steering gear to turn the rudder from 35° on either side to 30° on the other side? What about the auxiliary steering gear?

  7. Describe the characteristics of the starting arrangements for an emergency generator.

  8. What is the minimum pressure in the fire mains of a 12,000-ton cargo ship? State the conditions under which this pressure is to be measured. What is the maximum pressure?

  9. How is the minimum speed of descent of a rescue boat determined? What factors must be considered when determining the maximum speed? What is the minimum strength of the launching appliance’s winch brakes?

  10. Name the different classes of dangerous goods.

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