GSK MCQ Set 4 – Comprehensive Review for DG Shipping Exams
General Ship Knowledge (GSK) is a cornerstone of the Merchant Navy curriculum, particularly for GP Rating candidates and deck cadets. Mastering this subject is not only crucial for passing the DG Shipping Exit Exam but also for ensuring safety and efficiency on board. GSK MCQ Set 4 is designed to challenge your understanding of navigation, seamanship, and ship operations.
This practice set focuses on a wide array of topics ranging from the Rules of the Road (ROR) and compass work to practical shipboard operations like mooring and cargo handling. Below, we break down the key concepts covered in this set to help you strengthen your theoretical foundation before your oral or written examinations.
Exam Tip: In the DG Shipping online exit exam, reading the question carefully is half the battle. Words like "reciprocal," "vertical," or "relative" change the meaning entirely. Use this set to practice reading with precision.
1. Navigational Compass and Direction
A fundamental skill for any seafarer is understanding direction. In GSK MCQ Set 4, we encounter questions regarding compass points and their angular equivalents.
Cardinal & Inter-cardinal Points: You must know the degrees for every point. For instance, SE (South East) is 135°, while the reciprocal of 050° involves adding 180° to get 230°.
Relative Bearings: Understanding where an object lies relative to the ship's head is vital. If a ship steers NE (045°) and an object is SE (135°), it is 90° on the Starboard Beam.
Compass Maintenance: Regular checks are mandatory. Comparing the Gyro heading with the Magnetic compass is a routine task, typically done once every watch to ensure accuracy and detect gyro error early.
2. Rules of the Road (ROR) and Signals
The COLREGs (International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea) are strictly enforced. This set tests your memory of specific rules and light signals.
Rule Numbers: Memorizing the rule numbers is often required. Rule 5 dictates the requirement for a proper Look-out at all times, while Rule 15 governs Crossing Situations.
Light Signals: Recognizing vessel status at night is critical. A vessel "Not Under Command" (NUC) shows two all-round red lights in a vertical line. If the vessel is making way, side lights are also shown.
Day Shapes: You must identify day signals instantly. For example, three black balls in a vertical line indicate a vessel aground, while the 'A' flag (Alpha) signifies divers down operations.
3. Cargo Handling Gear and Construction
GSK also covers the hardware used to move cargo and the structural integrity of the ship.
Derricks and Cranes: The "Union Purchase" system involves coupling two derricks to work together, increasing speed but reducing the safe working load (SWL). You should also be familiar with terms like "gooseneck" and "spider band."
Watertight Integrity: Questions about hatch covers (steel, folding, pontoon) and their maintenance are common. The Load Line marks (Plimsoll line) painted on the ship's side dictate the maximum draft to ensure sufficient reserve buoyancy (Freeboard).
4. Shipboard Safety and Security
Modern shipping places a heavy emphasis on safety culture and security protocols under conventions like SOLAS and ISPS.
ISPS Code: Security levels (1, 2, and 3) dictate the protective measures on board. Level 1 is normal, while Level 3 indicates an imminent threat.
Permit to Work: Entering enclosed spaces like chain lockers or ballast tanks requires strict adherence to safety checklists, ventilation, and atmosphere testing to prevent asphyxiation.
Pollution Prevention (MARPOL): Every crew member must understand their role in preventing oil, sewage, and garbage pollution. Knowing which documents (like the Oil Record Book) are required is part of the GSK syllabus.
5. Practical Seamanship and Mooring
Seamanship involves the practical handling of ropes, wires, and ladders.
Mooring Safety: When securing a tanker to a Single Point Mooring (SPM), specific arrangements involving chafing chains and pick-up ropes are used. The "bitter end" of the anchor chain is the final link secured inside the chain locker, designed for quick release in emergencies.
Pilot Ladders: Rigging a pilot ladder is a precise task. Features like the "anti-twist spreader" (long battens) prevent the ladder from spinning, ensuring the pilot's safety during embarkation and disembarkation.
6. Buoyage System
The IALA buoyage system guides vessels safely into port. GSK MCQ Set 4 tests your ability to identify marks based on top marks and colors.
Cardinal Marks: Used to indicate the direction of safe water. A North Cardinal mark has two cones pointing up.
Isolated Danger Mark: Placed over a hazard of limited extent, it has two black spheres as a top mark and is red and black in color.