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Exam Review

Key Facts: Maskinbefal Exam

4

Certificate classes (klasse 4 up to klasse 1, chief engineer)

FOR-2011-12-22-1523 §§ 38–41

120

Credits in the 2-year fagskole programme Maskinoffiser på ledelsesnivå

Norwegian maritime fagskoler

NOK 1,059

Certificate issuance fee to Sjøfartsdirektoratet

Sjøfartsdirektoratet fee regulation

Up to 5 years

Certificate validity

Kvalifikasjonsforskriften § 19

15 ppm

Maximum oil content for machinery-space bilge discharge

MARPOL Annex I Regulation 15

0.10%

Fuel sulphur limit in MARPOL Emission Control Areas (ECA)

MARPOL Annex VI Regulation 14

Grade E

Lowest pass on the A–F scale

Norwegian fagskoler and universities

750 kW

Propulsion power threshold for STCW III/1 certification

STCW Regulation III/1

Sjøfartsdirektoratet issues the Norwegian engineer officer certificate (maskinoffisersertifikat, informally maskinbefal) in four classes under STCW III/1 and III/2. Candidates complete approved education such as the 2-year fagskole programme Maskinoffiser på ledelsesnivå, earn the seatime in kvalifikasjonsforskriften §§ 38–41, hold safety and health certificates, and pay a NOK 1,059 issuance fee. This independent OpenExamPrep bank offers 100 English-language multiple-choice practice questions on core operational and management-level engineering topics.

Sample Maskinbefal Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the Maskinbefal exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1In a modern low-speed two-stroke marine diesel engine utilizing uniflow scavenging, the scavenging air enters through:
A.Poppet valves in the cylinder cover, opened by the camshaft as the piston descends
B.Liner ports near the bottom, uncovered by the piston near BDC
C.Rotary disc valves in the exhaust receiver
D.An inlet manifold that opens during the compression stroke
Explanation: In a uniflow-scavenged two-stroke engine, scavenge air enters through ports around the lower part of the cylinder liner when the piston uncovers them near bottom dead centre. The air swirls upward and pushes the exhaust gas out through the exhaust valve in the cylinder cover, so the flow is in one direction only.
2What is the main function of the piston rod stuffing box in a two-stroke crosshead diesel engine?
A.To seal the rod, keeping scavenge residues out of the crankcase
B.To guide the piston and take the side thrust of the connecting rod
C.To supply pressurised oil to the crosshead bearing
D.To inject cylinder oil onto the lower liner skirt
Explanation: The stuffing box, fitted in the diaphragm between the scavenge space and the crankcase, seals around the piston rod. Its upper rings keep scavenge air, soot and used cylinder oil out of the crankcase, and its lower scraper rings scrape system oil off the rod and return it to the crankcase.
3What is the main diagnostic purpose of an out-of-phase (draw) indicator card taken from a diesel engine cylinder?
A.To read compression, ignition point and peak pressure around TDC
B.To calculate brake power without knowing the engine speed
C.To measure the volume of scavenge air delivered by the auxiliary blower
D.To measure the width of the exhaust valve seat contact
Explanation: A draw card is taken with the indicator drum about 90° out of phase with the crank, which spreads out the region around top dead centre. This makes it easy to read the compression pressure, the start of ignition, the rate of pressure rise and the peak pressure, and so to judge injection timing and combustion.
4A 6-cylinder, two-stroke marine diesel engine has a cylinder bore of 0.60 m and a piston stroke of 2.0 m. At a running speed of 100 rpm, the mean indicated pressure (MIP) is measured at 18.0 bar. What is the total indicated power (Pi) developed by the engine?
A.5,089 kW
B.12,960 kW
C.20,358 kW
D.10,179 kW
Explanation: For a two-stroke engine each cylinder fires once per revolution. Per cylinder: Pi = p × L × A × n = 1,800 kPa × 2.0 m × (π/4 × 0.60²) m² × (100/60) rev/s = 1,800 × 2.0 × 0.2827 × 1.667 ≈ 1,696 kW. For six cylinders: 6 × 1,696 ≈ 10,179 kW.
5In a large marine two-stroke diesel engine cylinder liner, maximum radial wear is consistently found:
A.Near the top of the liner, where the top ring stops at TDC
B.At mid-stroke, where piston speed is highest
C.Opposite the scavenge ports near the bottom of the liner, where air enters
D.Evenly along the whole length of the liner
Explanation: Liner wear is greatest near the top, where the top piston ring reverses at TDC. There the gas pressure behind the ring and the temperature are highest, the piston momentarily stops so the oil film is thin, and acid corrosion can occur if the liner is below the acid dew point.
6What is the key operating advantage of an electronically controlled common rail fuel injection system compared to a conventional jerk-pump camshaft system?
A.Injection timing, duration and pressure set independently of speed
B.It prevents NOx formation without any after-treatment
C.It removes the need for high-pressure fuel pumps and for fuel heating
D.It allows the engine to run without cylinder oil at low load
Explanation: In an electronically controlled common rail system, fuel is kept at high pressure in a rail by separate pumps, and electronically controlled valves decide when and how fuel is injected. Timing, quantity and rate of injection can therefore be optimised for each load and speed, improving combustion, especially at low load.
7What is the primary cause of a scavenge air space fire (spyleluftbrann) in a two-stroke crosshead propulsion engine?
A.Oil and carbon residues ignited by gas blowing past the rings
B.Water condensing in an over-cooled scavenge receiver and air box
C.Running at full load in tropical waters
D.Sparks from a faulty auxiliary blower motor
Explanation: Scavenge fires occur when cylinder oil, unburnt fuel and carbon collect in the scavenge spaces and are ignited by hot gases blowing past worn, broken or sticking piston rings, or by sparks from the piston. Regular draining and inspection of scavenge spaces and good ring condition prevent them.
8An indicator diagram taken from a four-stroke auxiliary diesel engine has an enclosed card area of 540 mm^2 and an overall base length of 72 mm. If the indicator spring rating is 2.5 bar per mm of deflection, what is the indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP)?
A.15.00 bar
B.18.75 bar
C.7.50 bar
D.22.50 bar
Explanation: Mean height of the diagram = area ÷ length = 540 ÷ 72 = 7.5 mm. Indicated mean effective pressure = mean height × spring scale = 7.5 × 2.5 = 18.75 bar.
9What aerodynamic phenomenon causes turbocharger compressor surging (pumping) during engine operation?
A.Exhaust gas bypassing the turbine through an open wastegate at high load
B.Flow breakdown and reversal when delivery pressure is too high
C.Excessive lube oil pressure at the turbocharger bearings
D.Cavitation in the turbine casing cooling water
Explanation: A compressor surges when the pressure it must deliver is too high for the flow through it, for example because of a fouled air cooler or scavenge ports, a sudden load change or a fouled turbine. The flow separates from the blades and briefly reverses, giving a characteristic banging noise and pressure fluctuation.
10When operating a marine two-stroke diesel engine on Very Low Sulfur Fuel Oil (VLSFO, max 0.50% sulfur) instead of High Sulfur Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO, up to 3.5% sulfur), which cylinder lubricant strategy is standard practice?
A.Raise the feed rate and use a 100 BN cylinder oil
B.Use a lower-BN cylinder oil matched to the fuel sulphur
C.Use plain turbine oil without alkaline additives
D.Stop cylinder lubrication and rely on the fuel's lubricity
Explanation: The base number (BN) of cylinder oil neutralises sulphuric acid formed from fuel sulphur. Low-sulphur fuel produces much less acid, so a lower-BN oil (often about 40 BN or less) is used. Too high a BN leaves unused calcium additive that forms hard deposits on the piston crown and rings, leading to bore polishing and scuffing.

About the Maskinbefal Exam

Independent Maskinbefal practice by OpenExamPrep. The Norwegian engineer officer certificate of competency (maskinoffisersertifikat) is issued by Sjøfartsdirektoratet under kvalifikasjonsforskriften §§ 36–41 and STCW Chapter III. There are four classes. Maskinoffiser klasse 4 (STCW III/1) allows engineering watchkeeping at any propulsion power, plus second and chief engineer posts on smaller ships. Klasse 3, 2 and 1 (STCW III/2) build on the same management-level education with more seatime as engineer officer, up to chief engineer (maskinsjef) at any propulsion power with klasse 1. There is no single national exam. Candidates pass the school assessments in a programme covering STCW tables A-III/1 and A-III/2, such as the 2-year fagskole programme Maskinoffiser på ledelsesnivå. They also need the required seatime, a seafarer health certificate, basic and advanced safety courses, and an assessor evaluation. This practice bank is an independent English-language multiple-choice study adaptation. It covers two-stroke and four-stroke diesel propulsion, auxiliary boilers and fluid systems, marine electrical systems and automation, engine-room resource management and UMS watchkeeping, and Norwegian and international safety and environmental rules, including skipssikkerhetsloven, MARPOL Annexes I, IV and VI, and SOLAS. The official assessments are in Norwegian and are not multiple choice.

Exam sponsor: Sjøfartsdirektoratet (Norwegian Maritime Authority). The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

Each subject (diesel engines, auxiliary machinery, electrical and automation systems, ship stability, safety and environmental law) is assessed by the school through written exams and practical simulator or workshop assessments. The same education, with the required seatime, leads to classes 4, 3, 2 and 1.

Time Limit

Set by each school; varies by subject

Passing Score

Set by each school's exam regulations; fagskole and university exams use the A–F grading scale with E as the lowest pass, and some assessments are pass/fail

Exam / Certification Fees

NOK 1,059 certificate issuance fee to Sjøfartsdirektoratet; the exams are part of the school programme

Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

Not published

Marine Diesel Engines and Propulsion

Two-stroke and four-stroke engines, indicator cards, mean effective pressure and power calculations, fuel injection, common rail, turbocharging and charge air cooling, scavenge fires, cylinder lubrication, starting air, and controllable pitch propellers.

Not published

Auxiliary Machinery, Boilers, and Fluid Systems

Auxiliary boilers and feed water treatment, centrifugal pump performance and NPSH, positive displacement pumps, fuel and lube oil separators, electro-hydraulic steering gear, vapour compression refrigeration, and fresh water generators.

Not published

Electrical Engineering, Electronics, and Automation

Three-phase synchronous generators, voltage regulators, synchronising, active (kW) and reactive (kVAr) load sharing, switchboard protection, insulated (IT) distribution and earth fault detection, motor starters (star-delta, soft starters, VFDs), PID control loops, PLCs, and UMS alarm systems.

Not published

Engine Room Resource Management and Maintenance

Engineering watchkeeping under STCW Code A-VIII/2, periodically unmanned machinery spaces, dead-man alarms, planned maintenance, condition monitoring by vibration and lube oil analysis, crankcase explosion relief valves, oil mist detectors, and blackout recovery.

Not published

Maritime Safety, Environmental Law, and Regulations

Machinery-space fire detection and fixed fire-extinguishing systems (CO2, local water mist, foam), MARPOL Annex I oily water separators and the Oil Record Book, MARPOL Annex VI (Tier III NOx, 0.50% global and 0.10% ECA sulphur limits, scrubbers, EEXI/CII), MARPOL Annex IV sewage, skipssikkerhetsloven, kvalifikasjonsforskriften §§ 36–41, and enclosed space entry.

Preparing for the Maskinbefal Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: Set by each school's exam regulations; fagskole and university exams use the A–F grading scale with E as the lowest pass, and some assessments are pass/fail
  • Assessment: Each subject (diesel engines, auxiliary machinery, electrical and automation systems, ship stability, safety and environmental law) is assessed by the school through written exams and practical simulator or workshop assessments. The same education, with the required seatime, leads to classes 4, 3, 2 and 1.
  • Time limit: Set by each school; varies by subject
  • Exam / certification fees: NOK 1,059 certificate issuance fee to Sjøfartsdirektoratet; the exams are part of the school programme Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

  • Work through all 100 available questions
  • Review every answer and explanation
  • Track weak areas and revisit them
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

Maskinbefal: Suggested Study Strategy

1Master indicator diagrams: tell power cards, out-of-phase (draw) cards, and light-spring cards apart, and use them to find injection timing faults, late combustion, leaking valves, and blocked scavenge ports.
2Practise engine calculations: drill indicated power (P = pLAN × number of cylinders), brake power, mechanical efficiency, and specific fuel oil consumption (g/kWh) until the unit conversions between bar, pascal, and kW are automatic.
3Understand boiler water treatment: keep the water alkaline to limit corrosion, use phosphate to turn hardness salts into soft sludge that blowdown can remove, treat rising chlorides as a sign of seawater contamination, and use an oxygen scavenger to remove dissolved oxygen.
4Review three-phase distribution: on an insulated (IT) system, a single earth fault does not trip supply, but a second earth fault on another phase causes a short circuit. Know how earth lamps and insulation monitors show the fault.
5Memorise the conditions for paralleling generators: equal voltage, the same phase sequence, nearly equal frequency with the incoming machine slightly fast so the synchroscope turns slowly in the fast direction, and breaker closure just before the 12 o'clock position.
6Learn the key MARPOL machinery limits: 15 ppm oil content for oily water separator discharge with automatic stopping, 0.50% m/m sulphur globally and 0.10% m/m inside ECAs, and the NOx Tier limits under the NOx Technical Code.
7Study the Norwegian rules: skipssikkerhetsloven and kvalifikasjonsforskriften §§ 36–41, which set engineer officer ranks, certificate privileges, and seatime requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Norwegian Maskinoffisersertifikat (Maskinbefal)?

It is the engineer officer certificate of competency issued by Sjøfartsdirektoratet under the STCW Convention and kvalifikasjonsforskriften (FOR-2011-12-22-1523). There are four classes: class 4 (operational level, STCW III/1) and classes 3, 2 and 1 (management level, STCW III/2), with class 1 allowing service as chief engineer (maskinsjef) at any propulsion power.

How do seafarers qualify for a Norwegian engineer officer certificate?

Candidates complete approved education covering STCW table A-III/1 (and A-III/2 for the higher classes), such as the 2-year fagskole programme Maskinoffiser på ledelsesnivå. For class 4 they also need one of the seatime routes in kvalifikasjonsforskriften § 38(3): 36 months of combined workshop training and seatime, 12 months in an approved programme documented in a cadet book, or 6 months with a trade certificate as ship's engine mechanic. Classes 3 and 2 need 12 months as engineer officer, and class 1 needs 36 months (or 24 with 12 as second engineer). A health certificate, basic and advanced safety courses, and an assessor evaluation are also required.

What is the passing standard for the school exams?

Each school's exam regulations apply. Norwegian fagskoler and universities use the A–F grading scale, where E is the lowest pass, and some practical or simulator assessments are graded pass/fail.

What fees are associated with the Maskinoffisersertifikat?

Sjøfartsdirektoratet charges NOK 1,059 to issue or renew a deck or engine officer certificate under the 2026 fee regulation. Public fagskole programmes have no tuition, but students pay semester fees, textbooks, and any safety courses that an employer does not cover.

How long is a Norwegian Maskinoffisersertifikat valid?

Up to 5 years under kvalifikasjonsforskriften § 19, with the same expiry date as your safety-course certificate. To renew, you need a valid health certificate, a refresher in advanced safety training, and proof of maintained competence: for example 12 months of seatime with a valid certificate in the last 5 years, 3 months in the last 6 months, a re-training course, or a certificate test.

Is this practice exam bank an official test from Sjøfartsdirektoratet?

No. It is an independent English-language multiple-choice practice bank by OpenExamPrep for candidates preparing for school assessments on Norwegian maritime engineering topics and STCW Chapter III requirements. The official assessments are in Norwegian and are not multiple choice.

What is the difference between Maskinoffiser klasse 4 and klasse 1?

Klasse 4 (STCW III/1, § 38) allows engineering watchkeeping at any propulsion power, plus second and chief engineer posts on ships up to 750 kW. Klasse 1 (STCW III/2, § 41) allows service as chief engineer and second engineer on ships of any propulsion power, after the management-level exam and 36 months as engineer officer (24 if 12 were served as second engineer).