Safety Procedures Flashcards
7 cards from real VTS practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Safety Procedures flashcards as text
A vessel informs VTS that it has a fire in the engine room but the crew believes it is under control. What should the VTS operator do?
Answer: Continue monitoring, advise the vessel of nearby assistance, and alert fire response resources as a precaution
Even when a crew reports a fire as controlled, precautionary alerting of fire and emergency services and close monitoring is required.
Which radio channel is the international distress, safety, and calling channel for VHF maritime communications?
Answer: Channel 16
VHF Channel 16 (156.800 MHz) is the international distress, safety, and calling frequency required to be monitored by all vessels.
What is 'traffic separation' as managed by a VTS operator?
Answer: Organizing vessel traffic into designated lanes to reduce the risk of head-on encounters
Traffic separation schemes divide vessel traffic into inbound and outbound lanes to minimize head-on collision risk in congested or confined waters.
A VTS operator notices on radar that a vessel is deviating significantly from the established traffic lane without communication. What is the correct response?
Answer: Immediately call the vessel on VHF to determine the reason and provide traffic information
Contacting the vessel immediately determines if there is an emergency and allows the operator to provide traffic information or assistance.
Under what condition should a VTS operator escalate a situation to an URGENCY (PAN-PAN) call?
Answer: When there is a serious but not immediately life-threatening situation requiring assistance
PAN-PAN is used when a vessel or person is in urgent need of assistance but the situation is not yet an immediate threat to life.
In the context of VTS safety procedures, what is a 'vessel traffic image' (VTI)?
Answer: A compiled picture of all vessel movements and positions in a VTS area at a given time
The vessel traffic image is the operator's synthesized situational picture combining radar, AIS, and voice reports to track all vessels in the service area.
What action should a VTS operator take when a vessel's EPIRB signal is detected in the service area?
Answer: Treat it as a real distress, immediately notify the Coast Guard RCC, and attempt to contact the vessel
EPIRB activations must be treated as real distress events and immediately reported to the Rescue Coordination Center until proven otherwise.