Question 1

You witness a collision between two vessels. One vessel is sinking and has not sent a distress signal. Describe the exact procedure for sending a DSC distress alert and a subsequent MAYDAY on VHF.

Accepted Answer

DSC distress alert on VHF Ch 70: lift cover, press DISTRESS button, hold for 5 seconds (auto-sends vessel MMSI, position if EPFS connected, and distress category). Release and switch to Ch 16. MAYDAY procedure on Ch 16: MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY — THIS IS [vessel name x3] — MAYDAY [vessel name] — [position] — [nature of distress] — [number of persons] — [any other relevant info] — OVER. If sending on behalf of another vessel in distress (MAYDAY RELAY): prefix with MAYDAY RELAY x3 — include the distressed vessel's name, position and situation. DSC distress alert on VHF Ch 70 (ITU RR Article 32): the vessel's MMSI must be programmed — an unprogrammed MMSI transmits as 000000000 which is useless to SAR. The EPFS (GPS) connection allows automatic position inclusion in the DSC alert. The 5-second press allows the OOW to reconsider — accidental single-press transmissions are filtered out by the design. After DSC alert: switch to Ch 16 for voice MAYDAY within approximately 30 seconds. MAYDAY RELAY is the correct term when relaying a distress on behalf of another vessel — it distinguishes your message from your own distress. This is a key distinction: MAYDAY = your vessel in distress; MAYDAY RELAY = another vessel in distress; PAN-PAN = urgent but not distress. The OOW must also consider alerting via INMARSAT-C / MF DSC depending on sea area to maximise coverage.

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.