Question 1

Your examiner asks: "What are the four GMDSS sea areas, and what equipment is required for a vessel trading in Sea Area A2?" Give a complete answer.

Accepted Answer

Sea Area A1: within VHF DSC range of at least one coast station (20-30nm, continuous watch). A2: within MF DSC range excluding A1 (100-150nm). A3: within Inmarsat geostationary satellite coverage excluding A1 and A2 (approx 76N-76S). A4: polar areas beyond A3. For Sea Area A2: DSC controller with MF radio (2187.5 kHz distress watch); VHF with DSC on Ch 70 and voice watch on Ch 16; NAVTEX receiver; 406 MHz EPIRB; two SARTs or AIS-SARTs; two-way VHF portable radios for lifeboats; EGC (Enhanced Group Call) receiver (may be combined with NAVTEX). SOLAS Chapter IV establishes GMDSS requirements based on sea areas. A2 equipment required: VHF (Ch 70 DSC + Ch 16 + Ch 13) with EPFS connection; MF equipment for 2182 kHz voice and 2187.5 kHz DSC; NAVTEX; EPIRB; 2 x SARTs or AIS-SARTs; 3 x portable VHF for survival craft (cargo ships 500 GT+). Alternatively, an Inmarsat-C or SES can substitute for MF in A2. A3 additionally requires HF or Inmarsat for ocean comms. A4 requires both HF AND Inmarsat (not either/or) as Inmarsat doesn't cover poles. The GMDSS modernisation (MSC.496(105), effective from 2024) is updating equipment standards to include modernised technology such as VDES, Iridium NEXT, and updated NAVTEX. OOW candidates must know their own vessel's sea area and the specific equipment required.

Question 2

Your examiner asks: "What must be shown on the muster list, and where must it be posted?" Give the SOLAS Chapter III requirements.

Accepted Answer

SOLAS III Reg 37: the muster list must show: each crew member's emergency station; duties assigned (firefighting, survival craft, medical); lifeboat or liferaft assigned; signals for mustering; instructions for passengers. Posted in conspicuous locations including the bridge, engine room, and crew accommodation. The muster list must be updated after any change in crew and before departure. Each crew member must be instructed in emergency duties before departure on first voyage. SOLAS III Reg 37 requires the muster list before departure on a voyage. SOLAS III Reg 19 requires: abandon ship drill within 24 hours of departure (new crew); monthly abandon ship drill for all crew; weekly testing of general emergency alarm. The emergency duties must be simple enough that crew can carry them out without reference to the list under stress. Key OOW point: the "person in charge" of each survival craft must be a certificated officer or seafarer — not any crew member. The Emergency Squad (for firefighting, damage control) must be identified by name. An unmaintained or out-of-date muster list is a PSC deficiency and may indicate deeper SMS failures. In practice examiners ask OOW candidates to describe their own emergency duties from the muster list — they expect a specific, practised answer.

Question 3

Your examiner asks: "Describe the types of EPIRB carried on SOLAS vessels, how they activate, and what happens when one activates." Give a complete answer.

Accepted Answer

Category I EPIRB: float-free, auto-activating when submerged to 1-4m depth; also manual activation. Category II EPIRB: manual activation only (bracket-mounted). Both transmit on 406 MHz (digital distress alert with MMSI/vessel identity to Cospas-Sarsat) and 121.5 MHz (homing). On activation: the 406 MHz signal is received by Cospas-Sarsat satellites, decoded, and passed to an LEUT (Local User Terminal), then to an MCC (Mission Control Centre), then to an RCC (Rescue Coordination Centre) which initiates SAR. Position accuracy: Doppler shift gives approx 5km; if GNSS-linked EPIRB, position accuracy is within 100m. SOLAS IV requires carriage of at least one float-free Category I EPIRB per vessel on international voyages. The 406 MHz transmission is the primary signal — it carries the vessel's unique 15-hex identification code (linked to the MMSI in the GMDSS registration database). The 121.5 MHz is the secondary homing frequency used by SAR aircraft and vessels. GNSS-integrated EPIRBs provide a position within the first transmission. The EPIRB must be registered with the flag state — an unregistered EPIRB wastes SAR resources. SOLAS also requires a SART (Search and Rescue Transponder) or AIS-SART for each survival craft. The Louisa SY30 case (MAIB 17/2017) where the Coastguard could not locate a vessel partly because of EPIRB terminology confusion demonstrates why OOWs must know the full activation and response chain.