Free Practice Questions for Portugal DGRM STCW II/2 Master

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Sample Portugal DGRM STCW II/2 Master Practice Questions

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1Under IMO Resolution A.893(21) guidelines for voyage planning, what are the four essential, sequential stages that the Master must ensure are completed for every passage?

A.Assessment, Routeing, Navigation, and Reporting

B.Appraisal, Planning, Execution, and Monitoring

C.Briefing, Charting, Waypoint Setting, and Debriefing

D.Inspection, Verification, Steering, and Watchkeeping

Explanation: IMO Resolution A.893(21) specifies that passage planning consists of four distinct and sequential stages: Appraisal (gathering all relevant nautical information), Planning (preparing the detailed berth-to-berth plan), Execution (briefing the bridge team and initiating the voyage), and Monitoring (continuously checking the vessel's progress against the charted track). Skipping or conflating these stages compromises navigational safety and violates SOLAS Chapter V Regulation 34.

2A vessel is steering 045° by magnetic compass. The chart shows a magnetic variation of 3° 00' W (2020), decreasing by 2' annually. The deviation card gives 2° E for this heading. What is the vessel's true course in 2026, to the nearest degree?

A.042° True

B.044° True

C.046° True

D.048° True

Explanation: Update the variation first: 6 years × 2' = 12', so the 2026 variation is 3° 00' W − 0° 12' = 2° 48' W. Total compass error = 2° 48' W + 2° 00' E = 0° 48' W (about 1° W). True course = 045° − 0° 48' = 044.2°, or 044° True, because a westerly error is subtracted when converting from compass to true.

3An officer sets the ECDIS safety contour to 14 m, but the ENCs in use contain only 10 m and 20 m depth contours. Which contour will the ECDIS display and use as the safety contour?

A.The 20 m contour, the next deeper contour available in the ENC data

B.The 10 m contour, the next shallower contour available in the ENC data

C.A 14 m contour interpolated by the ECDIS between the 10 m and 20 m contours

D.No safety contour, until the officer selects a value that exists in the ENC data

Explanation: The IMO ECDIS performance standards (now resolution MSC.530(106)) require that, when the safety contour specified by the mariner is not in the displayed chart data, the safety contour shown defaults to the next deeper contour, with an indication. The officer must therefore check that the displayed safety contour (here 20 m) may be deeper than the value entered, which affects route checking and the water shown as unsafe.

4On an Electronic Navigational Chart (ENC), what does the Category of Zone of Confidence (CATZOC) attribute A1 indicate regarding bathymetric survey quality?

A.Position accuracy within ±20 m and full sea floor search conducted with depth accuracy ±(1.0 m + 2% depth)

B.Position accuracy within ±5 m and full sea floor search conducted with depth accuracy ±(0.5 m + 1% depth)

C.Position accuracy within ±50 m and depth accuracy based on controlled lead-line surveys

D.Low accuracy data where significant uncharted depth anomalies and hazards may remain undetected

Explanation: CATZOC A1 represents the highest survey confidence level under IHO S-57 standards. It guarantees a horizontal position accuracy of better than ±5 meters, a rigorous depth accuracy of ±(0.50 m + 1% of depth), and verification by full seafloor coverage (such as multi-beam sonar or high-frequency sidescan) ensuring no uncharted features or shoals remain undetected within the surveyed area.

5At sunrise, a ship's gyro compass observes the sun bearing 088.0° Gyro. The calculated true azimuth of the sun at that exact time is 090.5° True. What is the gyro error, and what is the true course if the ship steers 225.0° Gyro?

A.Gyro error 2.5° Low (East); True course 222.5°

B.Gyro error 2.5° High (West); True course 227.5°

C.Gyro error 2.5° High (West); True course 222.5°

D.Gyro error 2.5° Low (East); True course 227.5°

Explanation: Gyro error = True bearing - Gyro bearing = 090.5° - 088.0° = +2.5° = 2.5° Low (or East). When gyro is Low (East), True is greater than Gyro ('Gyro is Low, error is East; Gyro is High, error is West'). Therefore, True course = Gyro course + Error = 225.0° + 2.5° = 227.5° True.

6During ocean passage planning, how should the Master navigate when approaching a Tropical Revolving Storm (TRS) in the Northern Hemisphere if the vessel is in the dangerous semi-circle?

A.Bring the wind onto the port bow and hold position until the eye has passed to the north

B.Bring the wind onto the starboard quarter and steam away at maximum safe speed

C.Wind fine on the starboard bow, best safe speed, altering to starboard as the wind veers

D.Run dead downwind with the stern to the storm center to maximize distance

Explanation: In the Northern Hemisphere dangerous semicircle (to the right of the storm's track), the wind veers and tends to set the ship toward the storm's path. The standard rule is to bring the wind fine on the starboard bow (about 10° to 45°), make as much headway as is safe, and alter course to starboard as the wind veers, keeping away from the track and the centre.

7A container ship consumes 54 metric tons of heavy fuel oil per day at a service speed of 18 knots. To conserve fuel on a voyage across the Atlantic, the Master is directed to reduce speed to 15 knots. Using the admiralty fuel-speed cubic law, what is the expected new daily fuel consumption?

A.45.0 metric tons/day

B.26.0 metric tons/day

C.37.5 metric tons/day

D.31.3 metric tons/day

Explanation: Daily fuel consumption is approximately proportional to the cube of the vessel's speed: Consumption_2 = Consumption_1 * (Speed_2 / Speed_1)^3. Here, Ratio = 15 / 18 = 5 / 6 ≈ 0.8333. (0.8333)^3 = 125 / 216 ≈ 0.5787. New consumption = 54 * (125 / 216) = 31.25 metric tons per day (rounded to 31.3 t/day).

8According to the IAMSAR Manual Volume III, which search pattern is most effective when searching for a missing person in the water (man overboard) whose position is known within relatively close limits and immediate search is initiated?

A.Creeping Line Search (Sierra Charlie)

B.Parallel Track Search (Papa Sierra)

C.Sector Search (Victor Sierra)

D.Track Line Search (Taylor Sierra)

Explanation: The Sector Search pattern (designated 'VS') is most suitable when the search datum position is reliable, the search area is small (typically radius of 2 to 5 nautical miles), and an immediate search is conducted for a small target like a person in the water. It ensures that the datum is repeatedly crossed from multiple angles, maximizing visual and radar sweep density at the center.

9Under STCW Section A-VIII/2 Part 4-1 (Watchkeeping at Sea), what is the Master's legal and operational responsibility regarding the composition of the navigation watch?

A.The Master must ensure the watch composition is adequate at all times, with a dedicated lookout who has no other conflicting duties during hours of darkness

B.The Officer in Charge of the Navigational Watch (OICNW) is solely legally liable for watchkeeping lapses when the Master is off the bridge

C.The Master may serve as the sole lookout at night provided the bridge is equipped with an operational BNWAS

D.The helmsman may be considered the sole lookout during day and night if steering on automatic pilot

Explanation: STCW Section A-VIII/2 requires the Master to ensure that the watch is adequately manned under all circumstances. During hours of darkness, restricted visibility, and heavy traffic, the lookout must be dedicated exclusively to lookout duties and have no other assigned tasks (such as chart plotting or log keeping). The helmsman steering the ship cannot be counted as the sole lookout, and BNWAS does not replace human lookout requirements.

10A vessel is proceeding towards a coastal port. High water is predicted as 5.2 m at 11:00, and low water is predicted as 1.0 m at 17:00 (duration of fall = 6 hours, range = 4.2 m). Using the standard Rule of Twelfths, what is the estimated height of tide at 13:00 (2 hours after high water)?

A.3.10 m

B.3.80 m

C.4.15 m

D.4.50 m

Explanation: Under the Rule of Twelfths for a 6-hour tidal duration: in the 1st hour the tide falls 1/12 of the range; in the 2nd hour it falls 2/12. Total fall after 2 hours = (1/12 + 2/12) = 3/12 = 1/4 of the tidal range. Range = 5.2 m - 1.0 m = 4.2 m. Fall = 4.2 m * (1/4) = 1.05 m. Height of tide at 13:00 = High Water - Fall = 5.20 m - 1.05 m = 4.15 m.

About the Portugal DGRM STCW II/2 Master Exam

DGRM examination for the STCW II/2 Certificado de Competência como Comandante (master) under Portaria n.º 468/2025/1 (art. 8.º for ships of 3000 GT or more, art. 10.º for 500 to 3000 GT), covering the management-level competences in STCW Code table A-II/2: navigation, cargo handling and stowage, and controlling the operation of the ship and care for persons on board. The Portuguese category of Capitão da Marinha Mercante is different: a Piloto de 1.ª classe reaches it after one year of embarque on non-local ships of 500 GT or more or fishing vessels of 45 m or more (Portaria n.º 235/2020 art. 3.º n.º 2), with no exam. This independent bank is an English-language MCQ study adaptation, not an official translation or a simulation of the written or practical exam.

Exam sponsor: DGRM (Direção-Geral de Recursos Naturais, Segurança e Serviços Marítimos); exams run by certified maritime training entities. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

A prova escrita plus a prova prática (DL 166/2019 art. 25.º n.º 2, as amended by DL 36/2025), run by certified training entities under a protocol with DGRM; written exams are taken on a DGRM-developed platform, and exam programmes are prepared jointly by DGRM and the training entities. The exam covers STCW Code table A-II/2 for the Certificado de Competência como Comandante (Portaria n.º 468/2025/1 arts. 8.º and 10.º); DGRM lists it as 'Secção de Convés - Cte e imediato (II/2)', the same exam type as for the chief mate certificates. The category of Capitão da Marinha Mercante itself is reached by sea time without an exam (Portaria n.º 235/2020 art. 3.º n.º 2).

Time Limit

Not published by DGRM

Passing Score

Pass (aprovação); no numeric pass mark published

Exam / Certification Fees

€129.50

Exam sponsor website

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

Official sources

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.

~41% of this local bank

Navigation at the Management Level

Passage planning, ECDIS and radar/ARPA, position fixing and compass error, watchkeeping, meteorology, search and rescue, navigational emergencies, and ship handling.

~18% of this local bank

Cargo Handling and Stowage

Safe loading and stowage of bulk, grain, container, liquid and dangerous goods cargoes under the IMSBC, Grain and IMDG Codes, tanker practice and draft surveys.

~41% of this local bank

Ship Operation and Care for Persons on Board

Transverse and longitudinal stability, trim and stress, SOLAS, MARPOL, ISM/ISPS, MLC 2006, load lines, life-saving and fire safety, damage control, leadership, and Portuguese maritime law (DL 166/2019, Portaria n.º 235/2020, Portaria n.º 468/2025/1).

Preparing for the Portugal DGRM STCW II/2 Master Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: Pass (aprovação); no numeric pass mark published
Assessment: A prova escrita plus a prova prática (DL 166/2019 art. 25.º n.º 2, as amended by DL 36/2025), run by certified training entities under a protocol with DGRM; written exams are taken on a DGRM-developed platform, and exam programmes are prepared jointly by DGRM and the training entities. The exam covers STCW Code table A-II/2 for the Certificado de Competência como Comandante (Portaria n.º 468/2025/1 arts. 8.º and 10.º); DGRM lists it as 'Secção de Convés - Cte e imediato (II/2)', the same exam type as for the chief mate certificates. The category of Capitão da Marinha Mercante itself is reached by sea time without an exam (Portaria n.º 235/2020 art. 3.º n.º 2).
Time limit: Not published by DGRM
Exam / certification fees: €129.50 Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

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Portugal DGRM STCW II/2 Master: Suggested Study Strategy

1Review STCW Code Table A-II/2 management-level competencies systematically across navigation, cargo, and vessel operations.

2Practice worked calculations thoroughly, including GM transverse stability, free surface corrections, trim by stern/head, change of trim with MCTC, and compass error reductions.

3Master the operational requirements of IMO safety conventions (SOLAS, MARPOL Annexes I-VI, Load Line 1966, ISM Code, ISPS Code, MLC 2006).

4Familiarize yourself with Portuguese maritime decrees, specifically DL 166/2019 (as amended by DL 36/2025), Portaria n.º 235/2020, Portaria n.º 231/2020 (manning), and Portaria n.º 468/2025/1.

5Review bridge resource management, pilot-master information exchange procedures, and IAMSAR Volume III search patterns.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the rank of Capitão da Marinha Mercante require an exam in Portugal?

No. Under Portaria n.º 235/2020 art. 3.º n.º 2, a Piloto de 1.ª classe reaches the category of Capitão da Marinha Mercante after one year of embarque on non-local ships of 500 GT or more or fishing vessels of 45 m or more. Commanding a ship still requires the STCW II/2 Certificado de Competência como Comandante, which Portaria n.º 468/2025/1 arts. 8.º and 10.º issue only after approval in the exam.

What is the structure of the DGRM STCW II/2 examination?

Under Decreto-Lei n.º 166/2019 art. 25.º (as amended by Decreto-Lei n.º 36/2025), the exam has a prova escrita and a prova prática, both run by certified training entities under a protocol with DGRM. Written exams are taken on a DGRM-developed platform, and the content follows STCW Code table A-II/2. DGRM does not publish the number of questions, the time limit or a numeric pass mark.

How much does the DGRM competency exam cost in 2026?

DGRM's 2026 fee table (Despacho n.º 12/DG/2026, Annex I, section XII-F-4) sets €129.50 for an 'exame para certificação de competência'. Issuing the STCW certificate of competency is a separate €60.40 fee (section XII-A-1).

What are the eligibility requirements for the Comandante (Master) STCW II/2 exam?

Under Portaria n.º 468/2025/1, candidates need either (1) the art. 6.º officer-of-the-watch certificate, 36 months of sea service in that capacity and the 1st curricular year of the mestrado em Pilotagem or equivalent, or (2) a chief mate certificate (art. 7.º for ships of 3000 GT or more; art. 7.º or 9.º for 500 to 3000 GT) and 24 months of sea service, at least 12 of them after obtaining it. Applications go to DGRM on form M-DSAM-93.

In which language is the exam taken?

Neither DGRM nor the legislation we reviewed states the exam's delivery language. DL 166/2019 art. 33.º n.º 2 only says that certificates are written in Portuguese and English. Our questions are in English, keeping official Portuguese names and terms.

Is this question bank an official DGRM exam simulation?

No. This is an independent English-language MCQ study adaptation by OpenExamPrep covering STCW table A-II/2 knowledge and judgment. It is not an official DGRM translation or exam paper and cannot assess or substitute for the prova prática.