GMDSS Study Guide 2026
Everything you need to pass the GMDSS exam in one place: the exam format, every topic to study, real practice questions with explanations, flashcards, and full-length practice tests. Free, no sign-up needed.
📋 GMDSS Exam Format at a Glance
📚 GMDSS Topics to Study (20)
✍️ Sample GMDSS Questions & Answers
1. What does a Category I EPIRB do that a Category II EPIRB does not?
A Category I EPIRB is mounted in a float-free bracket and automatically activates and floats free when the vessel sinks to 1-4 meters depth.
2. In Global Maritime Distress and Safety System, what is the most effective approach to active listening during professional interactions?
Active listening involves fully concentrating on the speaker, demonstrating engagement through eye contact and body language, paraphrasing to confirm understanding, and asking relevant questions.
3. What is the consequence of non-compliance with regulations in Global Maritime Distress and Safety System?
Non-compliance can result in serious consequences including financial penalties, loss of professional licensure, legal liability, reputational damage, and in some cases criminal prosecution.
4. In GMDSS, what frequency must all vessels in sea areas A1 continuously guard for DSC alerts?
Vessels operating in GMDSS Sea Area A1 must maintain a continuous DSC watch on VHF Channel 70 (156.525 MHz).
5. What is a Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC) responsible for in a GMDSS emergency?
An RCC is responsible for coordinating SAR operations, alerting SAR resources, and managing communications during a maritime emergency.
6. What is the primary objective of digital selective calling in Global Maritime Distress and Safety System?
The primary objective of digital selective calling knowledge is to ensure practitioners have the competence and proficiency needed to perform effectively and safely in their professional roles.
🎯 Free GMDSS Practice Tests
📖 GMDSS Guides & Articles
What Practice Test Geeks adds beyond an AI chat for GMDSS
An AI chatbot can quiz you, but it can't reproduce the exam conditions or keep your record. Here you get:
- A timed, full-length GMDSS mock exam — 100 questions in 120 minutes with a 75% pass mark, modeled on the official exam's question count and time limit, followed by a score report broken down by exam domain.
- A fixed GMDSS question bank: the same test every attempt, so your score is comparable from one try to the next instead of changing with every regenerated quiz.
- Progress saved on your device: completed tests, scores and missed questions stay in My Progress, so you can retake only what you got wrong.
- A printable GMDSS cheat sheet you can print or save as a PDF.
- GMDSS flashcards built from the same question bank.
- Free GMDSS practice tests with the correct answer shown after each question.
How this page was made: written with AI tools and published by Nathan Beja, founder of Practice Test Geeks, who is responsible for its content. Exam facts are checked against the official sources listed below. Not reviewed by a subject-matter expert. Editorial policy
Sources & references
Exam facts on this page (fees, format, dates, passing scores) are checked against these official sources; the date is our last check. Editorial policy