Cruise Ship Cruise Ship Emergency Procedures and Drills 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A cruise ship's EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) activates automatically when:
- The ship's speed exceeds 20 knots
- It is submerged in water to a depth of 1-4 meters (Correct answer)
- A crew member manually switches it on
- The ship enters international waters
Correct answer: It is submerged in water to a depth of 1-4 meters
Category 1 EPIRBs are designed to automatically activate and float free when submerged to a depth of 1-4 meters, transmitting a distress signal on 406 MHz to rescue coordination centers.
Question 2: What is the purpose of a 'search and rescue transponder' (SART) on a survival craft?
- To navigate the lifeboat to the nearest port
- To create a radar response that helps rescuers locate the survival craft (Correct answer)
- To communicate via satellite with coast guard
- To provide GPS coordinates on a chart plotter
Correct answer: To create a radar response that helps rescuers locate the survival craft
A SART responds to radar pulses from searching aircraft or ships by generating a series of blips on the rescuer's radar screen, making the survival craft's position visible.
Question 3: Under US regulations, a lifeboat on a cruise ship must be capable of launching within how many minutes?
- 3 minutes
- 5 minutes (Correct answer)
- 10 minutes
- 15 minutes
Correct answer: 5 minutes
SOLAS requires all lifeboats to be capable of being launched, with all persons on board, within 10 minutes of the abandon ship signal, though 5 minutes is the operational standard practiced in drills.
Question 4: What does 'GMDSS' stand for and what is its primary function aboard a cruise ship?
- Global Maritime Distress and Safety System — integrated communication system for distress alerting and safety information (Correct answer)
- General Maritime Data and Satellite System — for passenger internet access
- Global Marine Detection and Surveillance System — for piracy monitoring
- General Maritime Documentation and Safety Standard — for ISM compliance
Correct answer: Global Maritime Distress and Safety System — integrated communication system for distress alerting and safety information
GMDSS is the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System, an internationally mandated suite of equipment and procedures ensuring rapid distress alerting, SAR coordination, and maritime safety information broadcasts.
Question 5: Man Overboard (MOB) — which maneuver turns the vessel back toward the MOB position most quickly?
- Anderson Turn (Correct answer)
- Scharnow Turn
- Williamson Turn
- Racetrack Turn
Correct answer: Anderson Turn
The Anderson Turn (single turn) is the fastest MOB recovery maneuver, returning the ship to the victim's position most rapidly, though visibility of the person must be maintained throughout.
Question 6: What is the function of a vessel's watertight integrity during a flooding emergency?
- To slow the spread of water by sealing bulkheads and doors, limiting flooding to one compartment (Correct answer)
- To vent water through drainage pumps automatically
- To deploy air bags that re-float the vessel
- To alert passengers through the PA system
Correct answer: To slow the spread of water by sealing bulkheads and doors, limiting flooding to one compartment
Watertight integrity — maintained by closing all watertight doors and hatches — confines flooding to one or a limited number of compartments, preserving the ship's buoyancy and stability.
Cruise Ship Cruise Ship Emergency Procedures and Drills 2
A cruise ship's EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) activates automatically when: