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Every answer comes with its source quote.

Maritime decisions touch class, flag, charterer and the audit trail — so an answer without a verifiable source is unusable. Search Indexed Documents searches every collection in the library at once and returns the direct answer alongside the exact quote, page number and a clickable PDF link. It never paraphrases; it shows the source text so a superintendent can paste it straight into a report.

IMPA codesflag circularsSOLAS / MARPOL / MLCSMS manualsexact-quote evidence

How it runs

Discover collections  →  Expand search terms  →  Search every collection  →  Assemble evidence
  • Discover — finds every searchable collection by its keyword index, so new sources appear without code changes.
  • Expand — widens the query to lift recall (variants, abbreviations, related concepts).
  • Search — hits every relevant collection, not just the obvious one.
  • Assemble — reads the top matches in detail and extracts exact quotes with page numbers and PDF links.

Key concept — evidence-first, never paraphrased

The skill’s whole value is verifiability. Each answer carries its proof:

  • Direct answer in one or two sentences.
  • Evidence sources — for each: document title, section, page, the exact quote, and a clickable PDF-viewer URL.
  • Multiple sources surfaced when more than one collection is relevant.

If it can’t quote a source, it doesn’t assert the answer.

Worked example — “What does X say about main engine overhaul?”

  1. Expands “overhaul” to related terms and abbreviations.
  2. Searches ship manuals, makers circulars, and the SMS in one pass — not just the most obvious collection.
  3. Returns a one-line answer plus the exact procedure text, each with its page and a PDF link, so the TSI can verify before acting.

Under the hood

What it searches

Indexed collections grow as new sources are added:

  • IMPA Marine Stores Guide — spare-part codes
  • Flag circulars — Singapore (MPA), Panama, Hong Kong, Marshall Islands, Liberia, Malta, Bahamas
  • Makers circulars — MAN B&W, Framo, Yanmar, and others
  • IMO publications — SOLAS, MARPOL, MLC
  • SMS manuals — the company safety-management system
  • Ship manuals — vessel-specific operating manuals
Search-term expansion

The query is widened before searching so a near-miss phrasing still finds the document:

  • Singular / plural variants
  • Maritime abbreviations — PPE, ISM, SOLAS, MLC, UKC, MPA
  • Related concepts — fire / firefighting / extinguisher
  • Flag-specific terminology
Document processing The vision pipeline that builds the searchable corpus.
Memory-building Turning searched evidence into durable institutional memory.
Back to Skills The section overview.