Articles from Chief Officer Deepak Gupta and the RCI Marine team — exam strategy, syllabus updates, and life at sea.
On 22 August 2026, MV Ocean Winner sank in the Bay of Bengal in under ten minutes, with only 2 of 24 crew surviving. Cargo liquefaction is the leading suspected cause. Here's a full breakdown of what happened — and how a strong Chief Mate Orals candidate would explain what a Chief Officer could have done differently at every stage, from pre-loading checks to the master's decision to sail
Most candidates choose a Chief Mate coaching institute based on a flashy Instagram page or a friend's recommendation — not the things that actually determine your result. Here are 5 direct questions to ask before you enroll anywhere, including a few most institutes hope you won't.
Dry docking and grounding have a reputation for punishing even a small error with a completely wrong final answer. But the real problem usually isn't the math — it's a handful of conceptual gaps students never realize they have. Here's what actually trips them up, and a quick self-check to see if you have the same gaps
Most Chief Mate students think celestial navigation is just hard by nature — but the real problem isn't the subject, it's how it's taught. Here are the exact gaps that trip students up in the PZX Triangle, Long by Chron, Intercept, and MERPASS — and a quick self-check to see if you have them too
Excerpt: A complete Chief Mate Orals answer on Chief Officer's duties after a collision in the Singapore Strait — covering immediate response, damage stability assessment, VDR preservation, Note of Protest, and communication procedures, explained the way MMD examiners expect.
Navigation and Stability top the re-attempt list in Chief Mate Phase 1 every year. Here's why these subjects trip up even experienced officers — and how to fix it.
Think Like a Chief Officer. This complete guide to the Chief Mate Function 1 Oral breaks down what MMD surveyors assess, with 40+ original practice questions and a proven framework to answer confidently. RCI Marine | Trusted Since 1984
A complete roadmap for Chief Mate Phase 1 written exam preparation — the five subjects, why two are toughest, and a realistic week-by-week study sequence.
