National Maritime Center Providing Credentials to Mariners (Sample Examination) Page 1 of 17
Choose the best answer to the following Multiple Choice Questions. 1. When you enter shallow water, which describes your vessel's rudder response and speed variations? o (A) The response will improve and your speed will increase o (B) The response will improve and your speed will decrease o (C) The response will be sluggish and your speed will increase (D) The response will be sluggish and your speed will decrease 2. You must load as much of a large shipment of case goods as possible into a hold which has 24,400 cubic feet of space. Each case measures 2 feet by 2 feet by 4 feet and weighs 448 pounds. If you allow for broken stowage of 15%, how many long tons can be loaded? o (A) 54 o (B) 207 (C) 259 o (D) 351 3. An icebreaker assisting a vessel through an ice field would display a visual signal consisting of the code letter "M" (Mike). What does this signal signify? o (A) I am altering my course to starboard o (B) I am operating astern propulsion o (C) I am altering my course to port (D) My vessel is stopped and making no way through the water 4. After casting off moorings at a mooring buoy in calm weather, which action should you take? o (A) Go half ahead on the engines and pass upstream of the buoy o (B) Go full ahead on the engine(s) o (C) Go half ahead on the engines and put the rudder hard right (D) Back away a few lengths to clear the buoy and then go ahead on the engines Page 2 of 17
5. Which document is NOT required by law to be posted aboard a vessel? o (A) Certificate of Inspection o (B) Muster List o (C) Officer's licenses (D) Official Crew List 6. What speed do most bow thrusters generally become ineffective? (A) Over 3 knots headway o (B) Over 1 knot sternway o (C) At any speed astern o (D) At any speed ahead 7. Which international body is responsible for drafting the convention prohibiting marine pollution (MARPOL)? o (A) The Maritime Advisory Council o (B) The International Association of Shipping o (C) The Association of Seafaring Nations (D) The International Maritime Organization 8. Which may indicate the proximity of pack ice? o (A) Rapid changes in seawater salinity o (B) Frequent changes in air temperature (C) White glare on clouds on the horizon o (D) Icebergs 9. In some cases, the 50% duty on all foreign repairs made to American flag merchant vessels may be remitted. Which work does NOT come under the remitting policy of U.S. Customs? o (A) Repairs due to damage done by heavy weather (B) Chipping, painting, and scaling by foreign labor o (C) Repairs to hull structural damage o (D) Repairs to the main propulsion machinery Page 3 of 17
10. Which of the signals listed is required to be displayed at night while bunkering at a dock? o (A) One red light over a white light (B) One red light o (C) One red light over a yellow light o (D) Two red lights 11. Your load line certificate expires on 27 May 1988. The vessel is surveyed on that date and is found satisfactory. You are sailing foreign the same day. Which statement is TRUE? (A) The existing certificate is extended for a period of up to 150 days. o (B) The existing certificate is extended until the first foreign port of call where a new certificate will be issued by the local surveyor. o (C) The existing certificate is endorsed as valid for a five year period commencing 27 May 1988. o (D) A new certificate must be issued before you sail. 12. What is the period of validity of a Cargo Ship Safety Equipment Certificate? o (A) 72 months (B) 60 months o (C) 48 months o (D) 42 months 13. When anchoring, good practice requires 5 to 7 fathoms of chain for each fathom of depth. Which is TRUE when anchoring in deep water? o (A) Veer more chain for each fathom of depth o (B) Use the same ratio (C) Use less chain for each fathom of depth o (D) Use two anchors with the same ratio of chain 14. What is a enclosure which will withstand ignition of a flammable gas, and which will prevent the transmission of any flame able to ignite a flammable gas, which may be present in the surrounding atmosphere called? o (A) gas-safe enclosure (B) explosion proof o (C) primary gas barrier o (D) a flame proof screen Page 4 of 17
15. What affect does shallow water have on a vessel's stopping distance? o (A) There is no difference in the stopping distance. o (B) The stopping distance is shorter. (C) The stopping distance is longer. o (D) The propeller is more effective when going astern in shallow water. 16. You are on a large merchant vessel entering a U.S. port. There is a Pilot on board and he has the conn. Which statement is TRUE? o (A) The Pilot is solely responsible for the internal working of the ship. (B) The Master is responsible for the safe navigation of the ship and the Pilot is employed for his local knowledge. o (C) The Pilot is solely responsible for the safe maneuvering of the ship only if he is required to be on board by law. o (D) The Pilot becomes solely responsible for the safe navigation of the vessel only if the Master relinquishes the conn. 17. The signal man assisting the crane operator has his arm extended with the palm down and holds this position rigidly. This is the signal to. o (A) swing (B) stop o (C) hoist o (D) lower 18. You are docking a vessel starboard side to with the assistance of two tugs. You are attempting to hold the vessel off by operating both tugs at right angles to the vessel and at full power. Which statement is TRUE? o (A) The bow doesn't close the dock first o (B) Steerageway is never taken off (C) The ship has no headway at the time o (D) The bow closes the dock first Page 5 of 17
19. You are preparing to load fuel oil on a vessel of 300 gross tons constructed after June 30, 1974. Before loading, which statement is TRUE concerning fuel oil tank vents? o (A) The vents are not obstructed by on-deck cargo in a ten foot radius o (B) All vents are opened and the flame screen removed for efficient flow (C) Each vent must have a fixed containment with a capacity for at least one half barrel o (D) Each vent is required to have a fire extinguisher within the immediate area 20. Your vessel is required to have a slop chest. Which of the following articles is NOT required by law to be carried in the slop chest? o (A) Blankets o (B) Tobacco products (C) Candy o (D) Foul weather clothing 21. When selecting the fuel oil tanks for the "burn-out" of bunkers during a voyage consideration of all of the following must be taken with the EXCEPTION of. (A) flashpoint o (B) list o (C) trim o (D) stability 22. Which statement concerning the carriage of containers is TRUE? o (A) The Chief Mate and Master of a container ship should have the proposed stowage plan ready for the stevedore upon arrival in port. (B) With tiered containers, a 40-foot container may be stowed on top of two 20-foot containers. o (C) Deck load calculations must take into account the square footage of the entire container bottom. o (D) When stowed on deck of a break bulk ship, the bottom of the container must be evenly supported throughout. 23. Which agency assigns Load lines for U.S. vessels? o (A) The National Cargo Bureau o (B) The U.S. Coast Guard (C) The American Bureau of Shipping o (D) The Lloyd's Register of Shipping Page 6 of 17
24. A seaman assaults the Second Mate and injures him with a beer bottle while the ship is at sea. The incident is logged in the Official Logbook. In subsequent suspension and revocation proceedings against the seaman, according to the regulations, which statement is TRUE? (A) The logbook entry is prima facie evidence of the facts if it complies with the law o (B) The case will be dismissed if the logbook entries are improperly made o (C) The Second Mate and the Master must testify as to the facts of the assault o (D) The logbook is inadmissible if the logbook entries do not conform to the law 25. Which defines the process of "Block stowage"? o (A) Separation cloths to separate different kinds of cargo o (B) To have the cargo on pallets (C) Stowing all the cargo for a port in the same area o (D) Using port marks on the cargo 26. How is forty-five fathoms marked on the anchor chain? o (A) One turn of wire on the first stud from each side of the detachable link o (B) Two turns of wire on the second stud from each side of the detachable link (C) Three turns of wire on the third stud from each side of the detachable link o (D) Four turns of wire on the fourth stud from each side of the detachable link 27. No hot work shall be performed on board a vessel with hazardous materials as cargo unless the work is approved by the. o (A) harbormaster o (B) American Bureau of Shipping (C) local U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port o (D) National Cargo Bureau 28. You are docking an oceangoing single-screw vessel under normal circumstances with a single tug. Which is the usual function of the tug? (A) To control the bow and is tied to the offshore bow o (B) To control the stern and is tied to the stern on the offshore side o (C) To push the ship bodily alongside and is tied to the offshore side on the stern o (D) To pull the vessel into the slip and is tied to the bow Page 7 of 17
29. Which space(s) is(are) deducted from gross tonnage to derive net tonnage? (A) Boatswain's stores o (B) Passenger spaces o (C) Companions and booby hatches o (D) All of the above 30. Your oceangoing vessel has medical waste to be disposed of ashore. How many hours advance notice must you give the port or terminal? o (A) 6 o (B) 12 (C) 24 o (D) 48 31. Which term applies to the angle between the flukes and the shank of an anchor? o (A) The holding angle o (B) A fleet angle o (C) A shank angle (D) The fluke angle 32. What can be used to prevent a flammable atmosphere from occurring in a tank container? o (A) a combustion stabilizer (B) inert gas o (C) an oxidizer o (D) a vortex eliminator 33. What is NOT a requirement of cargo piping installed in tank vessels carrying grade D or E cargo ONLY? o o (A) Flanged joints shall be used for pipe sizes exceeding 2 inches in diameter. (B) Connections at bulkheads must be made so that the plating does not form part of a flanged joint. (C) The cargo piping system shall be fixed. o (D) Piping through bunker spaces may be run through a pipe tunnel. Page 8 of 17
34. What is the period of validity of a Merchant Mariner Credential? (A) 5 years o (B) 1 year o (C) 3 years o (D) 2 years 35. If a tug equipped with flanking rudders is to be turned in a confined circle, when going astern, which is the best action to take to make the stern move to port? o (A) The rudder is hard to port and the flanking rudders are hard to starboard o (B) All of the rudders are hard to starboard o (C) The rudder is amidships and the flanking rudders are hard to port (D) The rudder is hard to port and the flanking rudders are hard to port 36. The Master must maintain the Oil Record Book on board for which duration? o (A) 1 month o (B) 12 months o (C) 24 months (D) 36 months 37. How can the Coast Guard determine that a crew member is "able to understand any order spoken by the officers"? (A) Require a demonstration by the officer and the crew member o (B) Require that an interpreter be provided o (C) Require a written test o (D) All of the above 38. A marine radar system for surface navigation must be fitted on all ocean or coastwise vessels of over which tonnage? o (A) 1,400 GT o (B) 1,500 GT (C) 1,600 GT o (D) 1,700 GT Page 9 of 17
39. What is required to be posted in the pilothouse of a vessel? o (A) Certificate of Inspection o (B) Officer's licenses o (C) Company Mission Statement (D) Muster List ("Station Bill") 40. A vessel to which Annex V to MARPOL 73/78 applies is located in a MARPOL designated special area, 14 nautical miles from nearest land. What type of garbage is permitted to be discharged? (A) Food waste ground to less than 1" o (B) Metal ground to less than 1" o (C) Glass ground to less than 1" o (D) Paper products ground to less than 1" 41. What is NOT considered maritime property in a salvage claim? o (A) Sea plane o (B) Cargo o (C) Semi-submerged shipwreck (D) Buoys 42. Which statement about entry into a water ballast tank that has been sealed for a long time is TRUE? o (A) Sea water acts on the ship's metal and generates chlorine gas which may accumulate in poisonous quantities. (B) After ventilation and testing, and the tank is found safe for entry, someone should standby at the tank entrance while you are inside. o (C) A "buddy system" should be used where someone enters the tank with you. o (D) You should always wear a gas mask. 43. What is the period of validity of a Safety Management Certificate? (A) 60 months o (B) 48 months o (C) 42 months o (D) 36 months Page 10 of 17
44. Under normal weather and sea conditions when securing a stack of containers with non-locking fittings, lashings are required when the tier exceeds what height? (A) Lashings are always required o (B) One container o (C) Two containers o (D) Three containers 45. You are underway in heavy weather and your bow is into the seas. Which action should you take to prevent pounding? o (A) Increase the speed of the vessel o (B) Secure all loose gear on your vessel (C) Decrease the speed of the vessel o (D) Put the seas on a 85 degree angle from the bow 46. To determine the number of portable fire extinguishers required on an inspected vessel, you should check which document? o (A) The Muster List ("Station Bill") (B) The Certificate of Inspection o (C) The Safety of Life at Sea Certificate o (D) The hot work permit 47. Your vessel is being assisted by an icebreaker. How should you indicate that you are ready to cast off the towline? o (A) Sound one prolonged blast on the whistle o (B) Sound five short blasts on his whistle o (C) Display code numeral "5" (D) Display code letter "Y" (Yankee) 48. The load chart of a crane enables the operator to combine the load radius with boom length to determine the. (A) allowable load o (B) minimum horsepower required o (C) hoist rope strength o (D) maximum counter weight required Page 11 of 17
49. When taking a Pilot from a pilot vessel in a seaway, which way should you head your vessel if the ladder is on the leeward side? o (A) Bow to the sea and no way on your vessel (B) Sea on the weather bow and ship moving ahead slowly o (C) Sea on the quarter with sternway on the ship o (D) Sea on the lee quarter with ship moving ahead slowly 50. Grade E liquids are those having a flash point of. o (A) below 150 F and above 80 F o (B) 150 F and below (C) 150 F and above o (D) below 80 F 51. You are the credentialed Master of a 199 GT uninspected towing vessel making a 500 mile coastwise trip. You carry a deck crew of six (6). Which statement is TRUE? o (A) Only the able seamen require Merchant Mariner Credentials. o (B) There must be 3 separate watches stood. o (C) There must be at least 5 able seamen among the deck crew. (D) None of the above 52. A vessel has been surveyed in a foreign port and found unseaworthy as a result of neglect. A seaman on this vessel is entitled to discharge and which of the following? o (A) One month's pay only o (B) Transportation to the port of engagement o (C) One month's pay or transportation to the nearest U.S. port, whichever is the least amount (D) One month's pay or transportation to the nearest U.S. port, whichever is the greater amount 53. Your vessel is broken down and rolling in heavy seas. How can you reduce the danger of capsizing? (A) Rigging a sea anchor o (B) Constantly shifting the rudder o (C) Move all passengers to the stern o (D) Move all passengers to one side of the boat Page 12 of 17
54. The tankship Northland is loaded as shown in table BL-0027 below. Use the salmon colored pages in the Stability Data Reference Book to determine the sagging numeral. o (A) 58.33 numeral o (B) 49.82 numeral o (C) 33.63 numeral (D) 29.70 numeral Page 13 of 17
55. You are on watch and the Pilot has the conn. The Master has temporarily gone below. The Pilot orders a course change which you are certain will put the vessel into imminent danger. Which should be your initial response? (A) Countermand the order and immediately notify the Master o (B) Make an appropriate entry in the deck log concerning the Pilot's order o (C) Immediately sound a short ring on the general alarm o (D) Immediately call the Master and await further orders from him 56. According to the regulations, what fire safety control feature is required in quick-closing shut off valves? o (A) Electrical cut off switch o (B) A water spray actuator (C) A fusible link o (D) Manual cut off switch 57. Which describes how flanking rudders effect a vessel's heading when going astern? o (A) The tunnel affect of the water flow past opposing rudders o (B) The discharge current being channeled to impinge on the vessel's deadwood o (C) The water flow due to the vessel's movement through the water (D) The effect of the propeller flow on the rudders 58. If a Master must jettison a container loaded with hazardous material, he must, as soon as possible, notify the. o (A) National Hazardous Chemical Response Center o (B) National Cargo Bureau (C) nearest Captain of the Port o (D) Environmental Protection Agency 59. All U.S. Flag vessels engaged in foreign trade are required to be which of the following? o (A) Class Endorsed (B) Registry Endorsed o (C) Licensed o (D) Enrolled Page 14 of 17
60. A ballasted vessel sinks enroute to a dry dock. Under these circumstances, the vessel's owner can claim which loss? (A) Actual total loss o (B) Particular average o (C) General average o (D) Constructive total loss 61. The possibility of wake damage can be reduced by following which action? o (A) Passing close aboard to the moored vessel (B) Slow down when passing moored vessels o (C) Apply rudder in both port and starboard directions o (D) Alternate engine speeds 62. Which term describes damage to cargo caused by fumes or vapors from liquids, gases, or solids? o (A) Vaporization o (B) Oxidation o (C) Contamination (D) Tainting 63. Using the available references, if the dry bulb temperature is 76 F and the wet bulb temperature is 58 F, what is the relative humidity in a cargo hold? (A) 31% o (B) 47% o (C) 61% o (D) 76% 64. Every entry required to be made in the Official Logbook shall be signed. Who is required to sign the this logbook? (A) Master and Chief Mate or other member of the crew o (B) Purser, one of the Mates, and some other member of the crew o (C) Master only o (D) Mate on watch Page 15 of 17
65. Which type of carrier accepts without discrimination all legal cargoes of a shipper? o (A) Private (B) Common o (C) Tramp o (D) Industrial 66. Where should an application for a waiver of any requirements of the regulations for oil transfer operations be submitted? o (A) To the nearest Coast Guard office o (B) To the District Commander o (C) To the Commandant (D) To the Captain of the Port 67. While assigned to a 150 GRT vessel, you are required to sign "foreign" articles on a voyage from New Orleans to which port? o (A) Houston, Texas o (B) Veracruz, Mexico (C) Cristobal Colon, Panama o (D) Kingston, Jamaica 68. What is the minimum number of fire pumps required on a cargo vessel of 2,000 GT? o (A) 1 (B) 2 o (C) 3 o (D) 4 69. Which term(s) are in the category of "oil" as used in the Oil Pollution Regulations? o (A) Oil refuse o (B) Fuel oil o (C) Sludge (D) All of the above Page 16 of 17
70. You are docking a vessel. Which statement is TRUE? o (A) You should approach the dock at a 90 angle o (B) You should go in with the current (C) You should go in against the current o (D) You should pass a mooring line to the dock and let the crew pull the vessel to Page 17 of 17