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PSF exit exam questions and answers — Set 12 — Passenger Ship Familiarization

Set 12 of the Passenger Ship Familiarization (PSF) exit exam bank — 20 of 350 questions, with the correct option marked and a one-line explanation for every one. Read it end to end, jump to a single set, or search it — then sit the same bank as a timed paper. The real DG Shipping exit exam is 30 marks with 15 to pass.

These are the bank's original groupings. Practising deals the whole bank out again every time you reshuffle, so a practice “Set 3” is a different 30 questions each time — the set numbers below are the source file's, and are only used here so the key stays navigable. Options are listed in their original order with fixed letters; when you practise, those move too.

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20 of 20 shown · Set 12

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Set 12 — 20 PSF exit exam questions with answers

1. When making an emergency announcement to passengers on the public address system, the officer should:

  • A. Speak quickly to save time and avoid repetition
  • B. Announce only in the ship's working language
  • C. Give full technical details of the casualty
  • D. Speak calmly and clearly, give brief instructions and repeat them, in the appropriate languages
Answer: D — Speak calmly and clearly, give brief instructions and repeat them, in the appropriate languages
Model Course 1.28 and 1.29 teach that announcements must be calm, short, clear and repeated, in languages suited to the passengers on board, so that everyone hears and understands what to do without causing alarm.

2. Which statement about the public address system on passenger ships is correct?

  • A. It must be clearly audible above ambient noise in all spaces and have an override so emergency messages are broadcast regardless of volume settings
  • B. It is used only for entertainment announcements
  • C. It is required only on the bridge and engine room
  • D. It may be switched off in cabins at night
Answer: A — It must be clearly audible above ambient noise in all spaces and have an override so emergency messages are broadcast regardless of volume settings
SOLAS III/6.5 requires the public address system on passenger ships to be clearly audible above ambient noise in all spaces and to have an override function so emergency messages are broadcast even if loudspeakers have been switched off or turned down.

3. Passenger safety, cargo safety and hull integrity training under STCW A-V/2 is required on ro-ro passenger ships for senior officers and any person assigned immediate responsibility for:

  • A. Embarking and disembarking passengers, loading, discharging or securing cargo, or closing hull openings
  • B. Entertainment and shore excursions
  • C. Navigational watchkeeping only
  • D. Catering and housekeeping services
Answer: A — Embarking and disembarking passengers, loading, discharging or securing cargo, or closing hull openings
STCW A-V/2 requires masters, chief mates, chief engineer officers, second engineer officers and any person assigned immediate responsibility for embarking and disembarking passengers, loading, discharging or securing cargo, or closing hull openings on ro-ro passenger ships to complete this training.

4. Vehicles and cargo units on a ro-ro passenger ship shall be stowed and secured throughout the voyage in accordance with:

  • A. The passenger safety briefing
  • B. The Cargo Securing Manual approved by the Administration
  • C. The bridge procedures manual
  • D. The ship's fire control plan
Answer: B — The Cargo Securing Manual approved by the Administration
SOLAS VI/5 and VII/5 require cargo units, including vehicles, to be loaded, stowed and secured throughout the voyage in accordance with the Cargo Securing Manual approved by the Administration, drawn up to a standard at least equivalent to IMO guidelines.

5. A 'special category space' on a passenger ship is an enclosed vehicle space above or below the bulkhead deck into and from which vehicles can be driven and:

  • A. To which passengers have access
  • B. Which carries only empty containers
  • C. Which is used only for dangerous goods
  • D. Which is permanently unmanned
Answer: A — To which passengers have access
SOLAS II-2/3 defines special category spaces as enclosed vehicle spaces above and below the bulkhead deck into and from which vehicles can be driven and to which passengers have access, and applies stricter fire protection to them.

6. In special category spaces on passenger ships, SOLAS II-2/20 requires, in addition to fire detection arrangements:

  • A. An efficient patrol system to be maintained
  • B. The space to be kept locked and unvisited at sea
  • C. Passengers to remain in their vehicles
  • D. Ventilation to be stopped throughout the voyage
Answer: A — An efficient patrol system to be maintained
SOLAS II-2/20 requires an efficient patrol system to be maintained in special category spaces, so that fire, shifting cargo or leakage is detected early, in addition to the fixed fire detection or continuous monitoring arrangements.

7. A ro-ro passenger ship carrying dangerous goods must have on board a detailed stowage plan or a special list or manifest that:

  • A. Lists only the passengers' names
  • B. Shows only the deck cargo lashings
  • C. Contains the cargo invoices
  • D. Identifies by class the dangerous goods on board and their location
Answer: D — Identifies by class the dangerous goods on board and their location
SOLAS VII/4 requires every ship carrying dangerous goods to have a special list, manifest or detailed stowage plan setting out the dangerous goods on board by class and their location, with a copy available ashore before departure.

8. Before a ship may carry dangerous goods in packaged form in ro-ro and vehicle spaces, it must hold:

  • A. An International Tonnage Certificate
  • B. A Ship Sanitation Control Certificate
  • C. A Safety Management Certificate only
  • D. A Document of Compliance with the special requirements for ships carrying dangerous goods
Answer: D — A Document of Compliance with the special requirements for ships carrying dangerous goods
SOLAS II-2/19.4 requires the Administration to issue an appropriate document of compliance as evidence that the construction and equipment of the ship meet the special requirements for carrying dangerous goods in the spaces concerned.

9. Once a private car has been parked in position on a ro-ro deck for the voyage, which action is correct?

  • A. Driver remains in the vehicle throughout the voyage
  • B. Engine switched off, parking brake applied, vehicle left in gear and lashed as required
  • C. Parking brake released so the car can move with the ship
  • D. Engine left idling to keep the battery charged
Answer: B — Engine switched off, parking brake applied, vehicle left in gear and lashed as required
Safe ro-ro practice under IMO guidelines on securing road vehicles requires vehicles to have engines stopped, parking brakes applied and gear engaged, then lashed as required by the Cargo Securing Manual, to prevent movement, fire and exhaust fumes during the voyage.

10. During loading of a ro-ro passenger ship, shear forces and bending moments are kept within permissible limits by:

  • A. Loading all heavy vehicles at the bow first
  • B. Relying on the draft readings after sailing
  • C. Stowing heavy vehicles on the upper decks
  • D. Checking the loading condition with the approved loading manual or loading instrument
Answer: D — Checking the loading condition with the approved loading manual or loading instrument
Stability, trim and stress calculations form part of STCW A-V/2 cargo safety training; the planned and actual condition is checked against the approved loading manual or instrument so stability, trim, shear forces and bending moments remain within limits.

11. On ro-ro passenger ships, indicators on the navigation bridge for bow, stern and shell doors whose opening could flood a ro-ro space must be designed on which principle?

  • A. Audible alarm only after the ship has sailed
  • B. Indication only in the engine control room
  • C. Fail-safe, giving an alarm if a door is not fully closed or its securing arrangements are not in place
  • D. Manual check only by the deck patrol
Answer: C — Fail-safe, giving an alarm if a door is not fully closed or its securing arrangements are not in place
SOLAS II-1/23 requires bridge indicators for all shell doors, loading doors and closing appliances that could lead to flooding of special category or ro-ro spaces, designed on the fail-safe principle with visual alarms if not fully closed or not secured.

12. The bridge indicator panel for shell doors on a ro-ro passenger ship is provided with a mode selection function so that an audible alarm sounds if the ship leaves harbour with any shell door not closed. The modes are:

  • A. Day and night
  • B. Manual and automatic steering
  • C. Harbour and sea voyage
  • D. Loading and discharging
Answer: C — Harbour and sea voyage
SOLAS II-1/23 requires the indicator panel to have a 'harbour/sea voyage' mode selection, arranged so that an audible alarm is given on the bridge if the ship leaves harbour with bow doors, inner doors, stern ramp or any other side shell doors not closed or not secured.

13. Leakage through inner and outer bow doors, stern doors or other shell doors of a ro-ro passenger ship must be indicated on the bridge and in the engine control station by:

  • A. Television surveillance and a water leakage detection system
  • B. A sounding pipe checked once a day
  • C. The voyage data recorder
  • D. The fire detection system
Answer: A — Television surveillance and a water leakage detection system
SOLAS II-1/23 requires television surveillance and a water leakage detection system to give indication on the navigation bridge and at the engine control station of any leakage through inner and outer bow doors, stern doors or any other shell doors.

14. Documented operating procedures for closing and securing the bow, stern and side shell doors of a ro-ro passenger ship shall be:

  • A. Kept with the port agent
  • B. Kept on board and posted at an appropriate place
  • C. Issued to passengers on embarkation
  • D. Kept only in the company office
Answer: B — Kept on board and posted at an appropriate place
SOLAS II-1/23 requires documented operating procedures for the closing and securing of all shell doors and closing appliances to be kept on board and posted at an appropriate place, so the responsible crew follow a fixed sequence every time.

15. The ro-ro passenger ferry Herald of Free Enterprise capsized off Zeebrugge in 1987 mainly because:

  • A. She grounded on a sandbank
  • B. Her bow visor was torn off in heavy weather
  • C. She sailed with her inner and outer bow doors open, flooding the vehicle deck
  • D. A fire started on the vehicle deck
Answer: C — She sailed with her inner and outer bow doors open, flooding the vehicle deck
The Herald of Free Enterprise left Zeebrugge with her bow doors open; water entered the open vehicle deck and the free surface caused rapid capsize. The disaster led to bridge door indicators, CCTV and ISM Code requirements.

16. Closed ro-ro and vehicle spaces of passenger ships carrying more than 36 passengers shall have a ventilation system capable of at least how many air changes per hour?

  • A. 4
  • B. 6
  • C. 10
  • D. 20
Answer: C — 10
SOLAS II-2/20.3 requires an effective power ventilation system giving at least 10 air changes per hour in closed vehicle, ro-ro and special category spaces of passenger ships carrying more than 36 passengers, and 6 for other ships, to remove flammable vapours and exhaust gas.

17. In closed vehicle and ro-ro spaces, electrical equipment that is not of a certified safe type must be installed at least what height above the deck?

  • A. 2 m
  • B. 150 mm
  • C. 1 m
  • D. 450 mm
Answer: D — 450 mm
SOLAS II-2/20.3.2 permits non-certified-safe electrical equipment in closed vehicle spaces only at a height of at least 450 mm above the deck, because petrol vapours are heavier than air and accumulate near deck level.

18. Which atmospheric hazard is particularly associated with vehicles running their engines on an enclosed ro-ro deck during loading and discharging?

  • A. Build-up of carbon monoxide from exhaust gases
  • B. Release of nitrogen from inert gas systems
  • C. Build-up of hydrogen sulphide from cargo tanks
  • D. Oxygen enrichment from ventilation fans
Answer: A — Build-up of carbon monoxide from exhaust gases
Vehicle exhausts produce carbon monoxide, a toxic, colourless and odourless gas. Ventilation must be running during loading and discharging and crew and passengers should not linger on enclosed decks while engines are running.

19. Under SOLAS II-1/23, special category spaces and ro-ro spaces of ro-ro passenger ships shall be:

  • A. Visited only at the start and end of the voyage
  • B. Continuously patrolled or monitored by effective means such as television surveillance during the voyage
  • C. Monitored only from the engine room by temperature readings
  • D. Left unattended to avoid disturbing passengers
Answer: B — Continuously patrolled or monitored by effective means such as television surveillance during the voyage
SOLAS II-1/23 requires special category and ro-ro spaces to be continuously patrolled or monitored by effective means, such as television surveillance, so that movement of vehicles in adverse weather and unauthorised access by passengers can be detected while the ship is under way.

20. The times of closing of shell doors and loading doors of a passenger ship before the voyage commences shall be:

  • A. Recorded only if a door fails to close
  • B. Reported only to the port agent
  • C. Recorded only on the first voyage of the year
  • D. Entered in the log-book as prescribed by the Administration
Answer: D — Entered in the log-book as prescribed by the Administration
SOLAS II-1/22 requires the time of opening and closing of watertight doors, shell doors and loading doors to be recorded in such log-book as may be prescribed by the Administration, providing evidence that hull integrity was secured before sailing.

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