BSc Nautical Sciences SOT IV Syllabus - Mumbai University 2026

Module I: 1. STCW Chapter VIII - Watch keeping at sea, at anchor

• & in port.Taking over, keeping and handing over of a watch Preparation for proceeding to sea, making port and entering harbours. Navigation with Pilot On board.
• 2 Berthing alongside and leaving quays under various conditions of wind & tide.
• 3 Knowledge of maneuvering trials, measured mile, stopping distance, turning circles, advance, transfer etc. - IMO requirement for the same.
• 4 Shallow water effect, Interaction. Turning ship short round, emergency maneuvers, Man overboard.
• 5 Code of Safe Working Practices - Safety Committee, Safety officer

Module II: 1. Use & care of Life Saving and Fire Fighting

• Appliances.
• 2 Life Boat/Life raft – Statutory requirements
• 3 Precautions in maneuvering for launching of boats or life rafts in bad weather.
• 4 Prevention of fire at sea & in port. Oxidation, flashpoint, auto ignition temperature, and spontaneous combustion.
• 5 Methods used to prevent the spread of fire.
• 6 Code of Safe Working Practices - lock out and tag out Procedures, Risk assessment

Module III: 1. Inspection and maintenance of ship and equipment,

• items to be covered include Hull, Bulkheads, DBs, Deep and Peak tanks, bilges, pipe lines, rudders, anchor and cables. Davits, safety equipment, derricks and other cargo gear, navigation lights.
• 2 A practical knowledge of siting and screening of ships navigational lights.
• 3 Surveys and classification of ships with reference to safety equipment and safety construction certificates with particular attention to maintenance aspect.
• 4 PMS - Inspection and maintenance of the ship and equipment; purpose of PMS; types of PMS.
• 5 Code of Safe Working Practices - Precautions while entering confined / enclosed space, Rescue from enclosed spaces

Module Practical

• 1. Thorough knowledge of various knots/bends/hitches/splicing/whippings
• 2 Demonstrate the method of belaying and racking a wire rope.
• 3 Conduct practical exercises on throwing heaving lines
• 4 Use of messenger line, rope and chain stoppers, mooring shackles, slip-ropes and fenders
• 5 Demonstrate the method of joining two mooring hawsers.
• 6 To transfer rope from mooring winch to bollards and making fast.
• 7 Removing of rust by chipping, preparation of surface, use of proper primers, brush painting

Reference Books

This paper runs across both semesters of the year and the University prints one list of reference books for it, at the end of the second half. Her list is repeated here so that this half is not read as a paper she recommends no reading for.

• 1 Theory and Practice of Seamanship G. Danton
• 2 Seamanship Notes Kemp and Young
• 3 Seamanship and Cargo work Capt. J. Dinger
• 4 Nicholls’s Seamanship and Nautical Knowledge A.N. Cockcroft
• 5 Shipboard Operations H.I. Laurey
• 6 Code of safe working practices for merchant seafarers MCA