MCA Certificate of Competency Marine Environmental Protection Questions and Answers

Question 1

A UK-flagged vessel is transiting the North Sea, a designated MARPOL Special Area for garbage.
The vessel is 15 nautical miles from the nearest land.
Under MARPOL Annex V, which of the following actions is permissible regarding the discharge of food waste?

Accepted Answer

Discharge is permitted only if the food waste is passed through a comminuter or grinder.

Answer

All food waste discharges are strictly prohibited in the North Sea.

Answer

Discharge of any food waste is permitted as the vessel is more than 12 nm from land.

Answer

Discharge is only permitted when alongside in port, using approved reception facilities.

Question 2

The Chief Engineer on a UK-flagged vessel has just completed the transfer of 1.5 cubic metres of oil residue (sludge) from the purifier sludge tank to the main sludge tank. Which code must be used to accurately record this operation in the Oil Record Book Part I?

Accepted Answer

Code C (Collection, transfer and disposal of oil residues (sludge))

Answer

Code D (Non-automatic discharge overboard or disposal otherwise of bilge water)

Answer

Code H (Bunkering of fuel or bulk lubricating oil)

Answer

Code F (Condition of oil filtering equipment)

Question 3

Under the latest amendments to MARPOL Annex VI, which came into force in the UK, what is the primary purpose of the mandatory Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP) Part III?

Accepted Answer

To provide a three-year implementation plan describing how the ship will achieve the required annual Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII).

Answer

To document the ship's Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) at the time of build.

Answer

To record the procedures for bunkering low-sulphur fuels.

Answer

To list all ozone-depleting substances used in the ship's refrigeration systems.

Question 4

A vessel without a type-approved Ballast Water Treatment System (BWTS) arrives in a UK port from a non-UK port. The vessel needs to discharge ballast water to load cargo. According to the Ballast Water Management Convention as enforced in the UK, which of the following is the most appropriate course of action for the vessel?

Accepted Answer

Provide evidence from the Ballast Water Record Book that a ballast water exchange (D-1 standard) was conducted at least 200 nm from land in water at least 200m deep.

Answer

Discharge the ballast water directly as the port authority is responsible for treatment.

Answer

Refuse to discharge ballast water under any circumstances.

Answer

Retrofit a treatment system immediately upon arrival before any discharge.

Question 5

A UK-flagged passenger ship is equipped with an MCA-approved sewage treatment plant that comminutes and disinfects the sewage. What is the minimum distance from the nearest land that the vessel must be before the treated effluent can be discharged into the sea?

Accepted Answer

More than 3 nautical miles.

Answer

More than 12 nautical miles.

Answer

More than 1 nautical mile.

Answer

Discharge is only permitted outside of UK territorial waters (12 nm).

Question 6

A vessel is on a voyage from Bristol to Hamburg. While transiting through the English Channel, which is a designated Emission Control Area (ECA), what is the maximum permissible sulphur content of the fuel oil being used onboard, according to MARPOL Annex VI?

Accepted Answer

0.10% m/m

Answer

0.50% m/m

Answer

1.00% m/m

Answer

3.50% m/m