STCW Marine Engineering 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What action should be taken if the lube oil pressure drops to the low-pressure alarm level on a running main engine?
- Increase engine speed to raise oil pressure
- Acknowledge the alarm and continue monitoring for 10 minutes
- Reduce speed immediately and investigate; be prepared to shut down (Correct answer)
- Switch to the standby lube oil pump and ignore the alarm
Correct answer: Reduce speed immediately and investigate; be prepared to shut down
Low lube oil pressure risks catastrophic bearing damage; the immediate response is to reduce load and investigate the cause, with readiness to perform an emergency shutdown.
Question 2: What is the purpose of a soot blower on a marine boiler?
- To remove scale from waterside tube surfaces
- To blow steam or air across fire-side tube surfaces to remove soot and ash deposits (Correct answer)
- To vent steam from the drum safely
- To circulate flue gases for preheating feedwater
Correct answer: To blow steam or air across fire-side tube surfaces to remove soot and ash deposits
Soot blowers direct high-velocity steam or air jets across the fire-side surfaces of boiler tubes to dislodge soot and ash that reduce heat transfer efficiency.
Question 3: Which STCW amendment introduced the Manila Amendments that significantly updated engineering officer requirements?
- 1995 Amendments
- 2006 Amendments (MLC)
- 2010 Manila Amendments (Correct answer)
- 2014 Cape Town Amendments
Correct answer: 2010 Manila Amendments
The 2010 Manila Amendments to STCW substantially revised competence standards, including new requirements for engineering officers covering modern propulsion and control technologies.
Question 4: What is the function of the air cooler (charge air cooler) located after the turbocharger and before the engine intake manifold?
- To heat the air to prevent moisture condensation in the manifold
- To reduce compressed air temperature, increasing its density and oxygen content (Correct answer)
- To filter particulates from the turbocharger outlet
- To control air flow rate using variable vanes
Correct answer: To reduce compressed air temperature, increasing its density and oxygen content
Cooling compressed charge air increases its density, delivering more oxygen per charge and reducing thermal loading on pistons and liners.
Question 5: When transferring fuel oil from a storage tank to a settling tank, which parameter is most important to monitor?
- Tank pressure differential
- Transfer pump discharge temperature
- Level in both tanks to prevent overflow or running dry (Correct answer)
- Viscosity of the fuel at ambient temperature
Correct answer: Level in both tanks to prevent overflow or running dry
Monitoring both tank levels prevents overfilling the settling tank (causing overflow pollution) and running the storage tank dry (air-locking the transfer pump).
Question 6: What is the purpose of the turning gear on a large marine diesel engine?
- To start the engine using electrical power during emergencies
- To rotate the engine slowly for warming, inspection, or maintenance without starting it (Correct answer)
- To drive the engine at reduced speed during maneuvering
- To engage a mechanical brake when the engine must stop quickly
Correct answer: To rotate the engine slowly for warming, inspection, or maintenance without starting it
The turning gear slowly rotates the engine for pre-start checks, uniform warming, indicator card taking, and maintenance without the risk of a full engine start.
Question 7: Under STCW, an engineer officer who has not performed sea service in the relevant capacity for more than five years must, before resuming duties, complete which requirement?
- A new medical examination only
- A full STCW Basic Safety Training refresher course
- Revalidation through approved sea service, approved training, or examination (Correct answer)
- Submission of a written application to the flag Administration
Correct answer: Revalidation through approved sea service, approved training, or examination
STCW Regulation I/11 requires seafarers who have not served in the relevant capacity for more than five years to demonstrate continued professional competence through sea service, approved training, or an approved examination.
STCW Marine Engineering 5
What action should be taken if the lube oil pressure drops to the low-pressure alarm level on a running main engine?