Articles from Chief Officer Deepak Gupta and the RCI Marine team — exam strategy, syllabus updates, and life at sea.
Why does a 10% higher SFC at lower speed change how you solve MMD numericals? Understand the concept correctly, then try the practice problem.
Heel due to wind is one of the toughest Naval Architecture 2 questions. Learn the weather criterion in six simple steps, with a worked example.
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.
