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Free Practice Questions for Russia MKK Captain & Deck Officer Testing

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Key Facts: Russia MKK Captain & Deck Officer Testing Exam

70%

Minimum share of correct answers on the written or computer test before a Russian maritime qualification commission.

Ministry of Transport Order No. 378, para. 16

90%

Test score at which the oral interview before the Russian maritime qualification commission is not held.

Ministry of Transport Order No. 378, para. 16

10 working days

Longest time allowed between the application and the qualification testing before the maritime qualification commission.

Ministry of Transport Order No. 378, para. 16

36 months

Sea service as officer of the watch in the last five years required for a Russian master's diploma for ships of 3,000 GT or more.

Ministry of Transport Order No. 378, para. 41

1 March 2028

Date until which Ministry of Transport Order No. 378 on certification of seagoing ship crews remains in force.

Ministry of Transport Order No. 378 of 08.11.2021

RUB 2,000

State duty for issuing a seafarer qualification document under Tax Code Article 333.33(1)(72) since 1 January 2025.

Tax Code of the Russian Federation

Candidates for Russian officer-of-the-watch, chief mate and master diplomas take qualification testing before a harbour master's maritime qualification commission (МКК): a written or computer test with a 70% pass mark, then an oral interview unless they score 90% or more (Order No. 378, para. 16). It covers STCW navigation, cargo and ship-operation competences and Russian maritime law. This independent OpenExamPrep bank offers free English-language MCQ practice; the official procedure is conducted in Russian.

Sample Russia MKK Captain & Deck Officer Testing Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the Russia MKK Captain & Deck Officer Testing exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1On a Mercator chart, why does a rhumb line (локсодромия) plot as a straight line, and where should distances be measured?
A.Great circles plot as straight lines, so the longitude scale may be used anywhere
B.The scale is uniform everywhere, so any scale bar on the chart may be used
C.Meridians are parallel; measure on the latitude scale level with the track
D.Parallels converge toward the equator, so distance must be read on a diagonal scale
Explanation: On a Mercator chart meridians and parallels are straight lines at right angles, so a line of constant course crosses every meridian at the same angle and plots straight. Because the latitude scale expands toward the poles, one minute of latitude equals one nautical mile only at that latitude, so distances are measured on the latitude scale level with the track.
2A vessel must make good a true course of 124°. Variation is 7° W and the deviation card gives 3° E for this heading. What compass course should be steered?
A.114°
B.120°
C.134°
D.128°
Explanation: From true to compass, apply the errors with the opposite sign: magnetic = 124° + 7° (variation W) = 131°; compass = 131° − 3° (deviation E) = 128°. Check: 128° + 3° E − 7° W = 124° true.
3At 1400 a lighthouse bears 045° T. The ship steers 090° T at 12 knots through the water, with a current setting 180° T at 2 knots. At 1430 the same light bears 335° T. How is the 1430 position found?
A.A running fix, advancing the first bearing by the ground track made good
B.Doubling the angle on the bow, taking distance run through the water as distance off
C.A horizontal sextant angle fix between the light and the direction of the current
D.An astronomical position line from an intercept and azimuth
Explanation: Two bearings of one object at different times give a running fix (крюйс-пеленг). The first position line is moved along the ground track made good, which combines 6 miles at 090° through the water with 1 mile of drift at 180°, and its intersection with the second bearing is the fix.
4At sunrise the gyro bearing of the Sun is 088.5° and its true azimuth from the tables is 087.0°. What is the gyro error (ΔГК)?
A.1.5° low (+1.5°)
B.1.5° high (−1.5°)
C.0.5° east (+0.5°)
D.3.0° west (−3.0°)
Explanation: Gyro error = true − gyro = 087.0° − 088.5° = −1.5°. The gyro reads more than true, so the error is 1.5° high, and 1.5° must be subtracted from gyro readings to obtain true bearings.
5When setting the ECDIS safety depth or safety contour, which approach do company safety procedures typically use?
A.Mean draught plus a fixed 0.5 m margin, whatever the conditions
B.The charted depth equal to twice the ship's beam at the waterline
C.Maximum draught + squat + required UKC, less any tide relied on
D.Dynamic draught multiplied by a fixed safety factor of 1.5
Explanation: The safety depth or contour should mark water that is too shallow for the ship. It is usually built up from the deepest draught, the squat expected at the planned speed and the company's minimum under-keel clearance, less any height of tide the plan relies on.
6With ARPA set to true vectors, what does the vector drawn from a tracked target show?
A.The target's true course and speed
B.The target's relative motion and its CPA
C.The set and drift of the current at the target
D.The evasive manoeuvre ARPA recommends
Explanation: In true-vector mode each vector shows a target's true course and speed, over the ground or through the water depending on the speed input. Relative vectors show the target's motion relative to own ship, which points directly to the closest point of approach (CPA).
7How is a parallel index line set up on the radar for monitoring cross-track error?
A.As a bearing line from the screen centre along the reciprocal of the course
B.As a range ring set to the maximum range scale
C.As a variable range marker that grows with speed
D.Parallel to the track, at the planned abeam distance of a radar target
Explanation: A parallel index line is drawn parallel to the planned ground track at a perpendicular distance equal to the planned distance at which a radar-conspicuous object will pass abeam. While the object's echo moves along the line, the ship is on track; drift off it shows cross-track error at once.
8What is the main practical difference between great circle sailing (ортодромия) and rhumb line sailing (локсодромия)?
A.A rhumb line is the shortest route, while a great circle keeps a constant course
B.A great circle is shorter but changes course; a rhumb line holds one course
C.A great circle plots as a straight line on a Mercator chart
D.Great circle sailing is used only in high latitudes, where meridians converge
Explanation: A great circle is the shortest path between two points on the Earth, but it crosses each meridian at a different angle, so the course must be altered along the way. A rhumb line crosses all meridians at the same angle, giving a single course over a longer distance.
9At noon the Sun crosses the meridian bearing south. The observed altitude corrected to true altitude is 58°24.0' and the declination is 18°16.0' N. What is the latitude?
A.13°20.0' N
B.31°36.0' N
C.49°52.0' N
D.66°40.0' N
Explanation: Zenith distance = 90° − 58°24.0' = 31°36.0', named north because the Sun bears south. With zenith distance and declination of the same name, latitude = 31°36.0' + 18°16.0' = 49°52.0' N.
10A ship steers 000° T at 15 knots. The apparent wind is 25 knots from 40° on the starboard bow. What is the true wind?
A.From 040° at 25 knots
B.From 020° at about 40 knots
C.From 255° at about 16.6 knots
D.From 075° at about 16.6 knots
Explanation: Add own ship's velocity to the apparent wind velocity. The apparent wind blows toward 220°: east −16.1 kn, north −19.2 kn. Adding the ship's 15 kn north gives east −16.1, north −4.2. The true wind therefore blows toward about 255°, which means it comes from about 075°, at √(16.1² + 4.2²) ≈ 16.6 knots.

About the Russia MKK Captain & Deck Officer Testing Exam

Qualification testing before a maritime qualification commission (МКК) is the assessment Russian deck officers take to obtain or upgrade STCW certificates of competency (дипломы) as officer of the watch, chief mate or master of seagoing ships. It is governed by the Regulation on the Certification of Crew Members of Seagoing Ships approved by Ministry of Transport Order No. 378 of 8 November 2021, in force from 1 March 2022 until 1 March 2028.

Exam sponsor: Federal Agency for Maritime and River Transport (Rosmorrechflot), Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation; testing by maritime qualification commissions (МКК) of harbour master services. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

Qualification testing (квалификационные испытания) is held by a maritime qualification commission (МКК) chaired by the harbour master, within 10 working days of the application. It consists of (1) a written or computer test on question databases agreed by Rosmorrechflot and (2) an oral interview on the test results, which is not held if the candidate answers 90% or more correctly. Testing is required for a first qualification document, for exchanging a document for a higher level (for example chief mate to master), and for extending one without enough sea service. Graduates of Russian maritime education institutions are exempt when obtaining their first document within one year of graduating. A testing protocol is issued on the day of testing.

Time Limit

Not set in Order No. 378

Passing Score

70% on the written or computer test; 90% or more waives the oral interview; otherwise at least 70% on the oral interview

Exam / Certification Fees

2,000 RUB state duty to issue a diploma; 650 RUB to extend one

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.

STCW function: navigation (not officially weighted)

Terrestrial, Celestial and Electronic Navigation

Chartwork, compass and gyro error, running fixes, celestial sights, passage planning and wheel-over points, radar and ARPA, parallel indexing, ECDIS, GNSS and AIS.

STCW function: navigation (not officially weighted)

COLREGs and Navigational Watchkeeping

Steering and sailing rules, lights, shapes and sound signals, restricted visibility, STCW watchkeeping, rest hours and calling the master, bridge resource management, and SOLAS chapter V bridge requirements.

STCW function: navigation (not officially weighted)

Ship Handling and Manoeuvring

Pivot point, transverse thrust, turning circles, squat and shallow-water effects, interaction, anchoring and mooring, tug work, heavy-weather rolling, and ice navigation.

STCW functions: cargo handling and stowage; ship operation (not officially weighted)

Stability, Construction and Cargo Operations

GM and free surface, angle of loll, IS Code and Grain Code criteria, load lines and fresh water allowance, draught surveys, IMSBC, IMDG and CSS Codes, ventilation, enclosed-space entry and inert gas.

STCW function: controlling the operation of the ship and care for persons on board (not officially weighted)

Maritime Law, Safety and Emergencies

Merchant Shipping Code of the Russian Federation, SOLAS life-saving appliances, MARPOL Annexes I, V and VI, ISM and ISPS Codes, GMDSS, search and rescue, and medical advice at sea.

Preparing for the Russia MKK Captain & Deck Officer Testing Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: 70% on the written or computer test; 90% or more waives the oral interview; otherwise at least 70% on the oral interview
  • Assessment: Qualification testing (квалификационные испытания) is held by a maritime qualification commission (МКК) chaired by the harbour master, within 10 working days of the application. It consists of (1) a written or computer test on question databases agreed by Rosmorrechflot and (2) an oral interview on the test results, which is not held if the candidate answers 90% or more correctly. Testing is required for a first qualification document, for exchanging a document for a higher level (for example chief mate to master), and for extending one without enough sea service. Graduates of Russian maritime education institutions are exempt when obtaining their first document within one year of graduating. A testing protocol is issued on the day of testing.
  • Time limit: Not set in Order No. 378
  • Exam / certification fees: 2,000 RUB state duty to issue a diploma; 650 RUB to extend one Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

  • Work through all 100 available questions
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Russia MKK Captain & Deck Officer Testing: Suggested Study Strategy

1Practise the calculations by hand: compass and gyro error, true wind, distance off by vertical sextant angle, geographical range, squat, rise of G after a weight shift, and fresh water allowance.
2Know COLREGs lights, shapes and sound signals exactly, especially Rules 24 to 29 for special vessels and Rule 35 for fog signals, since recognition questions turn on small details.
3Check that your study material is current: GMDSS sea area A3 was redefined on 1 January 2024 (MSC.496(105)), and the IMO enclosed-space recommendations were replaced by MSC.581(110) in 2025.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who holds qualification testing for Russian deck officers and masters?

Under Order No. 378, Rosmorrechflot organises seafarer certification, and each harbour master (капитан морского порта) on Rosmorrechflot's list forms a maritime qualification commission (МКК) under their own chairmanship, made up of the diploma department and, where needed, specialists from maritime education institutions, shipowners and other organisations. Diplomas are issued by the harbour master.

How is MKK qualification testing structured?

Paragraph 16 of the Order No. 378 Regulation provides for written or computer testing on question databases or lists agreed by Rosmorrechflot, followed by an oral interview on the results. A candidate passes the test with at least 70% correct answers; at 90% or more the interview is not held; otherwise the interview requires at least 70% correct answers. The result is recorded in a testing protocol issued the same day.

When is qualification testing required?

Testing is required for a first qualification document, for exchanging a document for one of a higher level (for example chief mate to master), and for extending a document when the holder lacks the required sea service. Graduates of Russian maritime education institutions are exempt when they obtain their first document within one year of graduating.

What sea service does a master's diploma for ships of 3,000 GT or more require?

Paragraph 41 of the Regulation requires at least 36 months of sea service in the last five years as officer of the watch on ships of 500 GT or more, or at least 24 months in the last five years of which at least 12 were as chief mate. The candidate also needs a GMDSS operator diploma, management-level training at a maritime education institution, and the required STCW training certificates. The state duty for issuing a diploma is 2,000 RUB.

How should I use this English-language practice bank?

The MKK test and interview are conducted in Russian. This independent OpenExamPrep bank is an English-language multiple-choice study adaptation, not an official translation or a simulation of the MKK test. It covers the STCW navigation, cargo and ship-operation knowledge behind the deck officer diplomas, including COLREGs, stability, MARPOL, SOLAS and the Merchant Shipping Code. Prepare with the Rosmorrechflot-agreed question database for your diploma as well.