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Exam Review

Key Facts: STCW Advanced Gas Tanker Exam

5 days

Typical Course Length

IMO Model Course 1.05

3 months

Gas-Tanker Service Prerequisite

STCW Reg V/1-2 para 4

FL 98%

IGC Maximum Filling Limit

IGC Code

About 10 C/hour

Typical LNG Cool-Down Rate

Cargo operations practice

-162 C

LNG Carriage Temperature

Methane boiling point

5-15%

Methane Flammable Range in Air

Gas properties

30 changes/hour

Compressor Room Ventilation

IGC Code

This advanced certificate, required by STCW Regulation V/1-2 and built on Table A-V/1-2-2 and IMO Model Course 1.05, qualifies officers with immediate cargo responsibility on liquefied gas tankers (LNG, LPG, ammonia, ethylene). The roughly five-day course ends in a written assessment, commonly multiple choice. Content spans gas carrier types (fully pressurised, semi-pressurised, fully refrigerated) and IGC Type A/B/C, membrane and Moss containment with primary and secondary barriers; cargo handling plant - submerged pumps, oil-free compressors, reliquefaction plants and boil-off gas/LNG-as-fuel management; the IGC Code, including the Certificate of Fitness, filling/loading limits, MARVS and venting; the cargo-operation sequence of drying, inerting, gassing-up, cool-down (about 10 C/hour), loading, custody transfer, and discharge with or without vapour return; ESD systems and the ship-shore link; and emergencies such as cryogenic spills, brittle fracture, water curtains and dry chemical powder firefighting. Prerequisites are basic gas tanker training plus three months gas-tanker service or one month approved onboard training (minimum three loadings and three unloadings).

Sample STCW Advanced Gas Tanker Practice Questions

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

1A fully refrigerated LPG carrier of 80,000 m3 carries propane near its atmospheric boiling point. Which IGC tank type is normally fitted on such a vessel?
A.Type C pressure-vessel tanks
B.Membrane tanks with no secondary barrier
C.Type A independent prismatic tanks
D.Type B Moss spheres only
Explanation: Large fully refrigerated LPG/ammonia carriers (20,000-100,000 m3) carry cargo near atmospheric pressure and use Type A independent prismatic tanks, which require a complete secondary barrier because their material can fracture at cryogenic temperature.
2Under the IGC Code, what is the maximum allowable design vapour pressure for an independent Type A cargo tank?
A.0.25 barg
B.0.7 barg
C.2.0 barg
D.18 barg
Explanation: Type A tanks are designed using classical ship-structural methods and the IGC Code limits their maximum allowable design vapour-space pressure to 0.7 barg; above this a full secondary barrier and refrigerated carriage are required.
3A fully pressurised LPG carrier of 5,000 m3 carries propane at ambient temperature. Why does this ship require no thermal insulation or reliquefaction plant?
A.The cargo is carried as a non-volatile liquid
B.Inert gas keeps the cargo below its boiling point
C.Deck water sprays continuously cool the tanks
D.Type C tanks are designed for the saturated vapour pressure of the cargo at ambient temperature
Explanation: Fully pressurised carriers use Type C pressure vessels (typically ~18 barg) able to contain the saturated vapour pressure of LPG at ambient temperature, so the cargo stays liquid without refrigeration or insulation.
4On a membrane LNG carrier using the GTT Mark III system, what is the primary function of the secondary membrane behind the insulation?
A.To carry the static load of the cargo
B.To contain any cargo leakage through the primary membrane for a defined period
C.To act as the vapour line during loading
D.To provide structural strength to the ship's hull
Explanation: In a membrane system the inner hull provides structural strength; the thin primary membrane contains the cargo while the secondary membrane is a partial/secondary barrier required by the IGC Code to contain any leakage temporarily and protect the hull from cryogenic damage.
5Which statement correctly distinguishes a Type B independent tank (such as a Moss sphere) from a Type A tank under the IGC Code?
A.Type B requires a full secondary barrier; Type A requires only a partial barrier
B.Type B uses detailed fatigue and crack-propagation analysis and needs only a partial secondary barrier (drip tray)
C.Type B may not be used for LNG
D.Type B has a lower allowable design pressure than Type A
Explanation: Type B tanks are designed using refined analytical methods (fatigue life and crack-propagation/leak-before-failure analysis), which under the IGC Code permits only a partial secondary barrier such as a drip tray rather than the full secondary barrier required for Type A.
6At what temperature is LNG (predominantly methane) carried at approximately atmospheric pressure?
A.-42 degrees C
B.-104 degrees C
C.-162 degrees C
D.-196 degrees C
Explanation: LNG is carried as a boiling liquid at about -162 degrees C, the atmospheric boiling point of methane, in membrane or spherical (Moss) containment systems.
7During the tank preparation sequence on a gas carrier, what is the correct order of operations after a tank has been opened to air for inspection?
A.Inerting, drying, gassing-up, cool-down, loading
B.Drying, inerting, gassing-up, cool-down, loading
C.Gassing-up, inerting, cool-down, drying, loading
D.Cool-down, drying, inerting, gassing-up, loading
Explanation: The standard sequence is drying (remove moisture to prevent ice/hydrate formation), inerting (reduce oxygen to a safe level), gassing-up (displace inert gas with cargo vapour), cool-down (gradually chill the tank), then loading.
8Why is a tank dried before inerting and cool-down when loading LNG or LPG?
A.To increase the cargo's calorific value
B.To raise the oxygen content for safe entry
C.To prevent formation of ice and gas hydrates that could block valves and lines
D.To reduce the cargo's vapour pressure
Explanation: Residual moisture can freeze or form solid gas hydrates at cargo temperatures, blocking valves, gauges and lines; drying with dry inert gas removes water vapour before cool-down to prevent this.
9During inerting of cargo tanks before gassing-up, what is the typical target maximum oxygen content to be reached?
A.Below 8% by volume
B.Below 11% by volume
C.Below 21% by volume
D.Below 5% by volume
Explanation: Inerting reduces the oxygen content (typically from 21% in air) to a low value, commonly a maximum of about 5% by volume, so that when cargo vapour is later introduced the mixture cannot pass through the flammable range.
10What is the purpose of the gassing-up operation on a gas carrier?
A.To remove liquid cargo heel before dry-docking
B.To pressurise the tank above the relief valve setting
C.To displace inert gas in the tank with cargo vapour in preparation for loading
D.To warm the tank from cargo temperature to ambient
Explanation: Gassing-up introduces cargo vapour (often vaporised from a liquid heel or shore supply) to displace the inert gas/nitrogen from the tank, so the atmosphere becomes pure cargo vapour before cool-down and loading.

About the STCW Advanced Gas Tanker Exam

STCW Advanced Training for Liquefied Gas Tanker Cargo Operations is the specialised certificate required under STCW Regulation V/1-2 for masters, chief and second engineers, chief mates and any person with immediate responsibility for cargo on LNG, LPG and other gas tankers. The course follows Table A-V/1-2-2 and IMO Model Course 1.05, covering gas carrier design and containment, cargo handling plant, the IGC Code, cargo operations and emergency response. It is normally a five-day course with a written end-of-course assessment. Candidates must already hold basic gas tanker training plus qualifying gas-tanker service or approved onboard training.

Exam sponsor: Flag-state-approved maritime training centres under STCW Regulation V/1-2 and IMO Model Course 1.05. 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 5 days (per IMO Model Course 1.05); written exam at the end

Passing Score

Pass the centre's written assessment (commonly around 70%, or per flag state)

Exam / Certification Fees

Varies by training centre (typically several hundred to about USD 1,000)

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.

20%

Containment Systems & Gas Carrier Types

Fully pressurised (Type C ~18 barg), semi-pressurised (~5-7 barg) and fully refrigerated (Type A, 0.7 barg) carriers; IGC Type A/B/C tanks and secondary-barrier requirements; membrane systems (GTT Mark III corrugated stainless, NO96 Invar) and Moss spheres; insulation, interbarrier spaces and nitrogen blanketing

20%

Cargo Handling Equipment

Submerged electric main cargo pumps and spray/booster pumps, NPSH limits, oil-free reciprocating and screw cargo compressors, heat exchangers, direct and cascade (indirect) reliquefaction plants, removal of non-condensables, boil-off gas management, forcing vaporisers and LNG as propulsion fuel

15%

IGC Code & Regulatory Requirements

Certificate of Fitness, filling limit (FL 98%) and loading limit with reference temperature, MARVS and pressure relief valves, pressure/vacuum protection, vent mast location, certified-safe electrical equipment in hazardous zones, cofferdam segregation and 30 air-changes/hour compressor-room ventilation

20%

Cargo Operations

Sequence of drying, inerting (O2 below ~5%), gassing-up, controlled cool-down (about 10 C/hour), loading and line cooling, custody transfer measurement (CTMS) by energy, discharge with and without shore vapour return using vaporisers and the HD compressor, ballast passage with a cold heel, warming-up and gas-freeing before docking

10%

Instrumentation, Monitoring & ESD

Closed level gauging with independent high and overfill alarms, distributed temperature sensors for cool-down and stratification, tank pressure monitoring, fixed gas detection in hold and interbarrier spaces, emergency shutdown valves with timed closure to limit surge, and the interconnected ship-shore ESD link

15%

Safety, Emergencies & Cargo Properties

Flammable limits (methane about 5-15%) and toxicity, ammonia/CO2 carbamate and copper-alloy reactions, cryogenic brittle fracture and drip trays, rapid phase transition on water, rollover, deck leaks and spills, water curtains, dry chemical powder firefighting, cold-burn first aid and reactive-cargo inhibitors

Preparing for the STCW Advanced Gas Tanker Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: Pass the centre's written assessment (commonly around 70%, or per flag state)
  • Assessment: Question count not published by the exam provider
  • Time limit: Course typically 5 days (per IMO Model Course 1.05); written exam at the end
  • Exam / certification fees: Varies by training centre (typically several hundred to about USD 1,000) 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

STCW Advanced Gas Tanker: Suggested Study Strategy

1Learn the cargo-operation sequence cold: drying, inerting (oxygen below about 5%), gassing-up, cool-down at about 10 C/hour, loading, then discharge - and know why drying must precede inerting and cool-down
2Distinguish the IGC tank types by design pressure and barrier: Type A 0.7 barg with a full secondary barrier, Type B up to ~2 barg with a partial barrier (drip tray), and Type C above 2 barg with no secondary barrier
3Understand the filling limit (FL 98%) and reference temperature: the loading limit is set so the tank cannot become liquid-full as the cargo warms, preventing hydraulic overpressure
4Know why ammonia cannot be inerted with CO2-bearing combustion inert gas (it forms solid ammonium carbamate) and why copper, brass and zinc must be excluded from ammonia service
5Be able to explain reliquefaction: direct cycle uses the cargo vapour as refrigerant, cascade uses a separate refrigerant for low-temperature cargoes like ethylene (-104 C), and non-condensables must be purged from the condenser
6Memorise the safety responses: on a deck leak, activate ESD first, then start the water curtain and control ignition sources; cryogenic spills threaten brittle fracture of mild steel, so drip trays protect the deck

Frequently Asked Questions

Who needs the STCW advanced liquefied gas tanker certificate?

STCW Regulation V/1-2 requires masters, chief engineer officers, chief mates, second engineer officers and any person with immediate responsibility for loading, discharging, care in transit or cargo equipment on liquefied gas tankers to hold the advanced certificate.

What are the prerequisites for the advanced gas tanker course?

Candidates must first complete basic training for gas tanker cargo operations and then have either at least three months of approved seagoing service on gas tankers, or at least one month of approved onboard training including a minimum of three loadings and three unloadings.

Is the end-of-course exam multiple choice?

The course (about five days, following IMO Model Course 1.05) ends in a written assessment that is commonly multiple choice. The exact number of questions and pass mark are set by the flag-state-approved training centre rather than fixed by STCW.

What does the IGC Code filling limit protect against?

The filling/loading limit (generally FL 98% at the reference temperature) ensures a cargo tank cannot become liquid-full as the cargo warms and expands. A liquid-full tank has no vapour space to absorb expansion and could be hydraulically over-pressurised.

Why is LNG tank cool-down controlled to about 10 C per hour?

Rapid temperature change induces high thermal stress in thin membranes and insulation. Cool-down is performed by spraying small controlled amounts of LNG and is limited (commonly to about 10 C per hour) to prevent cracking and containment damage.

How is boil-off gas managed on an LNG carrier?

Most LNG carriers burn boil-off gas as fuel in their propulsion and power plant, which controls tank pressure and reduces SOx and particulate emissions. Some ships reliquefy the boil-off, and forcing vaporisers add fuel gas when natural boil-off is insufficient.

What firefighting medium is used for a gas fire at the manifold?

Gas carriers use fixed dry chemical powder (DCP) systems to tackle gas fires at the manifold, because powder interrupts the combustion chain reaction. Water curtains cool and protect the deck, hull and accommodation and help disperse vapour rather than extinguishing the fire.