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Key Facts: VPDSD Exam
3 levels
MARSEC Security Levels
ISPS Code
A-VI/6-2
STCW Competence Table
STCW Code as amended
SOLAS XI-2
Maritime Security Chapter
SOLAS 1974 as amended
8-10 hours
Typical Course Length
IMO Model Course 3.26
70%
Common Pass Mark
Approved training centres
One-time
No Mandatory Refresher
STCW Regulation VI/6
VPDSD is the STCW A-VI/6-2 qualification for seafarers assigned security duties under the Ship Security Plan, sitting between Security Awareness (A-VI/6-1) and the Ship Security Officer (VI/5) in the Regulation VI/6 progression. The course, based on SOLAS XI-2, the ISPS Code and IMO Model Course 3.26, covers maintaining the SSP across the three MARSEC security levels; recognizing weapons, explosives, threat patterns and circumvention techniques; conducting restricted-area security rounds; operating and testing security equipment including metal detectors, CCTV and the covert Ship Security Alert System (SSAS); physical and non-intrusive search of persons, baggage, stores, cargo and vehicles; access control with ID verification, visitor escort and the Declaration of Security; crowd management and security communications; and contingency response to bomb threats, suspicious packages and piracy. Training is usually 8-10 hours with a short multiple-choice assessment (commonly 70% to pass); it is a one-time requirement with no STCW refresher cycle.
Sample VPDSD Practice Questions
Try these sample questions to review concepts for the VPDSD exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.
1Under STCW Table A-VI/6-2, which document sets out the specific duties a vessel crew member with designated security duties must carry out on board?
2How many maritime security levels are defined under the ISPS Code, and what does the lowest level represent?
3Security Level 2 under the ISPS Code is set when:
4Who is normally responsible for setting the maritime security level that applies to a ship?
5When the security level is raised from Level 1 to Level 2, what should personnel with designated security duties do regarding access control at the gangway?
6At Security Level 3, the SSP and government may require which of the following?
7The ISPS Code requirements for ships are derived from which SOLAS chapter?
8Under STCW A-VI/6-2, a crew member with designated security duties is expected to understand the SSP in order to:
9Which onboard role has overall responsibility for the implementation and maintenance of the Ship Security Plan and to whom designated-duty crew report on security matters?
10A Declaration of Security (DoS) is an agreement reached between:
About the VPDSD Exam
Proficiency in Designated Security Duties (VPDSD) is the STCW Table A-VI/6-2 training required for seafarers who are assigned specific security duties under a ship's Ship Security Plan (SSP). It builds on basic security awareness (A-VI/6-1) and equips crew to actively maintain SSP measures, control access, conduct searches and security rounds, operate security equipment, and respond to security incidents and piracy. The competence is grounded in SOLAS Chapter XI-2, the ISPS Code, and IMO Model Course 3.26. Most centres deliver an 8-10 hour course ending in a short multiple-choice assessment.
Exam sponsor: Flag-State / Administration-approved maritime training centres under STCW. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.
Assessment
Question count not published by the exam provider
Time Limit
Course typically 8-10 hours; short end-of-course assessment
Passing Score
Typically 70% (set by the approved training centre)
Exam / Certification Fees
Varies by training centre (often USD 50-200 for course and assessment)
Exam sponsor websiteFees, 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.
Maintain Ship Security Plan & Security Levels
The Ship Security Plan (SSP) and how to maintain its conditions, the ISPS Code and SOLAS Chapter XI-2 framework, the three MARSEC security levels (Level 1 normal, Level 2 heightened, Level 3 imminent) and the access and protective measures required at each, the roles of the SSO, CSO and PFSO, and the International Ship Security Certificate
Recognition of Security Risks & Threats
Recognizing weapons (including disguised and concealed items), explosives and dangerous devices and their components, behavioural threat indicators, hostile surveillance and threat patterns, techniques used to circumvent security such as tailgating and social engineering, and protecting sensitive security information on a need-to-know basis
Security Inspections of the Ship
Conducting regular security rounds of decks, access points and the waterline, securing and inspecting restricted areas such as the bridge, machinery and steering-gear spaces, checking seals for tamper evidence, detecting and reporting breaches, maintaining security records, and increasing inspection frequency as the security level rises
Security Equipment & Systems
Operating, testing and calibrating security equipment including hand-held metal detectors, CCTV, the covert Ship Security Alert System (SSAS), security lighting and tamper-evident seals, understanding the limitations of each (false alarms, blind spots, non-metallic threats), and applying compensating measures when equipment fails
Physical Search Techniques
Systematic head-to-toe search of persons (same-gender searcher and witness), and search of baggage, ship's stores, cargo, containers and vehicles, non-intrusive inspection by X-ray, layered screening, handling unattended or unclaimed baggage, detecting stowaways, and preserving contraband as evidence
Access Control, Communications & Contingencies
Gangway watch with identity verification and visitor escort, the Declaration of Security at the ship/port interface, crowd management and de-escalation, discreet security communications and watch handovers, and contingency procedures for bomb threats, suspicious packages, intruders, and anti-piracy response including citadel use and the SSAS
Preparing for the VPDSD Exam
What You Need to Know
- Passing score: Typically 70% (set by the approved training centre)
- Assessment: Question count not published by the exam provider
- Time limit: Course typically 8-10 hours; short end-of-course assessment
- Exam / certification fees: Varies by training centre (often USD 50-200 for course and assessment) 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
VPDSD: Suggested Study Strategy
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the STCW Designated Security Duties (VPDSD) qualification?
It is the STCW Table A-VI/6-2 training for seafarers assigned specific security duties under a ship's Ship Security Plan. It gives the competence to maintain SSP measures, control access, conduct searches and security rounds, operate security equipment, and respond to security incidents, based on SOLAS XI-2 and the ISPS Code.
How is VPDSD different from Security Awareness (A-VI/6-1)?
Security Awareness (A-VI/6-1) is the baseline for all seafarers, enabling them to recognize and report threats. Designated Security Duties (A-VI/6-2) is a higher competence for crew who actively perform assigned security tasks such as searches, access control, and security inspections under the SSP.
How many maritime security levels are there and what do they mean?
The ISPS Code defines three security levels. Level 1 is normal operation with minimum measures, Level 2 is a heightened risk requiring additional measures for a period, and Level 3 is set when a security incident is probable or imminent, requiring the most stringent measures. Contracting Governments set the level.
What is the Ship Security Alert System (SSAS)?
The SSAS, required by SOLAS XI-2/6, lets a ship covertly transmit a security alert with its identity and position to a competent authority ashore, without sounding any onboard alarm or alerting other ships, so attackers such as pirates are not warned of the alert.
Is the VPDSD assessment multiple choice and what is the pass mark?
Yes. Approved training centres typically deliver an 8-10 hour course ending in a short multiple-choice and true/false assessment, with a pass mark commonly set at 70%. There is no fixed STCW-mandated question count; each centre sets its own assessment.
Do I need to renew or refresh my designated security duties training?
Under STCW Regulation VI/6, security training (both awareness and designated duties) is a one-time requirement with no mandatory refresher cycle, unlike basic safety training, which must be revalidated every five years. Companies may still require periodic familiarisation.