During a routine passage, your vessel experiences a near-miss collision with a fishing vessel at night. No damage or injury occurs. Your examiner asks: "What reporting obligations do you have and to whom?"

A. A near-miss with no damage or injury does not require any formal reporting. Make a log entry and continue the voyage.

B. Under the MAIB (Marine Accident Investigation Branch) Reporting Regulations 2012: a near-miss that had the potential to cause serious injury, fatality, or significant damage must be reported to MAIB. The MCA also encourages confidential near-miss reporting through its voluntary reporting scheme. Under the ISM Code, the near-miss must be recorded and reported within the SMS non-conformity reporting system to the company and DPA. The OLB (Official Log Book) entry should record the incident with time, position, vessels involved, and circumstances. If the fishing vessel sustained unreported damage, the master should make reasonable efforts to confirm their status — not departing the scene without checking they are safe.

C. Report to the local harbour master only. MAIB investigations are only triggered by actual accidents, not near-misses.

D. Report to the flag state only. Near-miss reporting to MAIB is voluntary and provides no additional obligation beyond the ISM Code internal reporting requirement.

A. A Master (STCW II/3) certificate authorises command of ships of less than 500 GT engaged on near-coastal voyages only. It does not authorise command on international unrestricted voyages or on vessels 500 GT and above. "Near-coastal" is defined by the flag state — in UK practice, MCA defines near-coastal voyages as voyages within defined sea areas relative to the UK coastline. To command vessels 500 GT+ or on worldwide voyages, a Master Unlimited (STCW II/2) certificate is required. A Master < 3000 GT Unlimited covers larger vessels but is typically combined with the Chief Mate Unlimited examination in MCA practice.

B. The STCW II/3 certificate authorises command of any vessel provided it is engaged in domestic trade. There is no size restriction if the voyage remains within national territorial waters.

C. A Master < 500 GT NC certificate authorises command of all vessels less than 500 GT anywhere in the world. The "near-coastal" designation applies to the vessel type, not the voyage area.

D. The certificate is identical to OOW < 500 GT NC. The only difference is the title — both authorise the same operational functions.

A. Vessels under 100 GT are exempt from stability documentation requirements under the Workboat Code. The master decides whether the vessel is stable based on experience.

B. Under the MCA Workboat Code (2nd Edition), CTVs and workboats must carry a Stability Booklet approved by the MCA or a Recognised Organisation. The booklet must contain loading conditions relevant to the vessel's operational profile. For offshore CTVs, specific loading conditions must include: personnel transfer (maximum persons), cargo runs, and light ship. The operator must complete a pre-departure stability check for each sailing condition. The IMO IS Code 2008 intact stability criteria apply: GM minimum 0.15m; GZ criteria; weather criterion. Some workboats may have additional class-specific criteria. The Workboat Code requires vessels to operate within the ranges defined in the approved stability booklet at all times.

C. Stability requirements for workboats are set by the vessel's insurer. The MCA approves the insurer's criteria and the master follows the insurer's stability guidance.

D. Only passenger vessels need an approved Stability Booklet. CTVs under the Workboat Code use a simplified load assessment based on the vessel's freeboard only.