VTS Communication Procedures & Protocols 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does the proword 'WILCO' mean in maritime radio communications?
- Message received and understood
- Will comply with instructions received (Correct answer)
- Waiting for confirmation
- Transmission is complete
Correct answer: Will comply with instructions received
'WILCO' (Will Comply) indicates the operator has received, understood, and will act on the instructions.
Question 2: A VTS operator needs to relay a message to a vessel that cannot hear the originating station. Which proword introduces the relayed message?
- RELAY TO
- PASS TO
- I RELAY (Correct answer)
- FORWARD
Correct answer: I RELAY
The proword 'I RELAY' is used to indicate that the following message is being relayed on behalf of another station.
Question 3: Under IMO guidelines, what minimum information must be included in a VTS Vessel Traffic Report (VTR)?
- Vessel name, position, course, speed, and destination (Correct answer)
- MMSI, flag state, tonnage, and cargo manifest
- Call sign, draft, crew count, and port agent
- AIS target ID, owner, and last port of call
Correct answer: Vessel name, position, course, speed, and destination
IMO Resolution A.857(20) specifies vessel name, position, course, speed, and destination as the minimum VTR content.
Question 4: What action should a VTS operator take when a vessel fails to acknowledge a mandatory report obligation?
- Wait 30 minutes and try again
- Initiate contact attempts on the designated working channel and log all attempts (Correct answer)
- Immediately notify the Coast Guard
- Issue a broadcast warning to all vessels in the area
Correct answer: Initiate contact attempts on the designated working channel and log all attempts
The operator should attempt contact on the designated channel and document all attempts before escalating.
Question 5: In GMDSS terminology, what does 'DSC' stand for?
- Digital Selective Calling (Correct answer)
- Distress Signal Code
- Direct Ship Communication
- Dynamic Safety Channel
Correct answer: Digital Selective Calling
DSC stands for Digital Selective Calling, a system that allows automated distress and safety calls.
Question 6: A vessel reports its ETA as '1430 local.' How should the VTS operator record this to avoid ambiguity?
- 1430 LST
- 1430 UTC
- 1430L or convert to UTC and note the zone (Correct answer)
- 1430 EST
Correct answer: 1430L or convert to UTC and note the zone
VTS logs should record times as either suffixed local (1430L) or converted to UTC to prevent time-zone ambiguity in official records.
Question 7: What is the correct use of the proword 'BREAK' in a radio message?
- To signal the end of the transmission
- To indicate a pause between the address and the message text (Correct answer)
- To interrupt an ongoing transmission
- To request a channel change
Correct answer: To indicate a pause between the address and the message text
'BREAK' is used to separate the address portion of a message from the message text itself.
VTS Communication Procedures & Protocols 3
What does the proword 'WILCO' mean in maritime radio communications?