Free Practice Questions for STCW Advanced Oil Tanker
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Key Facts: STCW Advanced Oil Tanker Exam
A-V/1-1-2
STCW Competence Table
STCW Convention and Code
8% or less
Tank Oxygen for Crude Oil Washing
COW / inert gas requirement
20,000 dwt
MARPOL COW Fitting Threshold
MARPOL Annex I
30 L/nm
Annex I Oil Discharge Rate Limit
MARPOL Annex I cargo area
1/30,000
Max Cargo Fraction Discharged (new tankers)
MARPOL Annex I
90 days
USCG Oil Tanker Sea Service
46 CFR 13.603
20.9%
Safe Entry Oxygen Level
Enclosed-space entry standard
STCW advanced oil tanker cargo operations (Table A-V/1-1-2) is the officer-level certificate for crew with immediate responsibility for cargo on oil tankers, delivered worldwide by flag-state-approved centers (about a five-day course using IMO Model Course 1.02) and assessed by a written/MCQ test plus practical demonstration. Prerequisites are the basic oil and chemical tanker certificate (A-V/1-1-1) plus three months approved oil tanker sea service or one month approved onboard training; the USCG endorsement under 46 CFR 13.603 requires the Tank Vessel-PIC (Dangerous Liquids) endorsement and 90 days of oil tanker service. Content spans tanker systems (pump room, centrifugal and stripping pumps, P/V valves, closed gauging); cargo operations (loading plans, topping off, discharge sequence, stress and stability); crude oil washing (8% oxygen limit, MARPOL 20,000 dwt requirement, COW Manual); inert gas systems (5% delivery, 8% in tank, deck water seal, alarms); tank cleaning and gas-freeing (purging, 20.9% entry oxygen); cargo calculations (API, VCF, VEF, OBQ/ROB); and pollution prevention under MARPOL Annex I with ODME, slop tanks, the Oil Record Book and SOPEP.
Sample STCW Advanced Oil Tanker Practice Questions
Try these sample questions to review concepts for the STCW Advanced Oil Tanker exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.
1Under STCW Regulation V/1-1, a candidate for certification in advanced training for oil tanker cargo operations must, in addition to meeting the standard of competence in Table A-V/1-1-2, normally hold which prior qualification?
2Which STCW table sets out the standard of competence specifically for advanced training in oil tanker cargo operations?
3IMO Model Course 1.02 provides the recommended syllabus for which training programme?
4To qualify for a USCG STCW endorsement for advanced oil tanker cargo operations under 46 CFR 13.603, an applicant must hold the national Tank Vessel-PIC (Dangerous Liquids) endorsement, meet Table A-V/1-1-2, and provide evidence of how much sea service on oil tankers?
5On a crude oil tanker the cargo pumps are typically located in which space?
6Centrifugal cargo pumps lose suction near the end of discharge because they cannot handle vapour. What pump type is therefore used to drain the last cargo from the tank bottoms (stripping)?
7A pressure/vacuum (P/V) valve fitted on a cargo tank venting system primarily serves to:
8Closed (or restricted) gauging is preferred on inerted crude tankers chiefly because it:
9The Ship/Shore Safety Checklist used before and during a cargo transfer is principally based on guidance from:
10When loading a static-accumulator oil into a non-inerted tank, the initial loading rate should be restricted until the fill pipe outlet is submerged. The commonly recommended initial linear velocity at the inlet is about:
About the STCW Advanced Oil Tanker Exam
STCW Advanced Training for Oil Tanker Cargo Operations is the officer-level tanker qualification under STCW Regulation V/1-1 and Table A-V/1-1-2 for masters, chief engineers, chief mates, second engineers and any person with immediate responsibility for loading, discharging, care in transit, handling, tank cleaning or other cargo operations on oil tankers. It builds on the basic oil and chemical tanker certificate (A-V/1-1-1) and is delivered by flag-state-approved centers using IMO Model Course 1.02 (about a five-day course). Candidates must hold the basic certificate and have at least three months of approved oil tanker sea service or one month of approved onboard training. The course covers tanker systems, cargo operations, crude oil washing, inert gas, tank cleaning and gas-freeing, cargo calculations, and MARPOL Annex I compliance, and ends with a written/MCQ and practical assessment.
Exam sponsor: Flag-state-approved maritime training centers under the STCW Convention and Code. 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
Set by the training center (end-of-course assessment after a ~5 day course)
Passing Score
Pass mark set by the approved training center, demonstrating Table A-V/1-1-2 competence
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.
Tanker Systems & Equipment
Crude and product tanker construction, the pump room and cargo pumps (centrifugal main pumps and positive-displacement stripping pumps/eductors), pipelines and crossovers, venting and pressure/vacuum valves, closed and restricted gauging, segregated ballast tanks and double-hull design, and the STCW V/1-1-2 and 46 CFR Part 13 certification framework
Cargo Operations
Preparing and following an approved loading plan and sequence, restricting loading rate (about 1 m/s initially) and topping off at reduced rate, discharge sequence and line-pressure control, care in transit with positive inert gas pressure, grade segregation, surge prevention, and shear-force/bending-moment awareness using the loading instrument and ISGOTT ship/shore checklist
Inert Gas Systems
Inert gas delivered at 5% oxygen or less and the cargo tank kept at 8% or less, the scrubber and blowers, the deck water seal and mechanical non-return valve as two backflow barriers, the pressure/vacuum breaker, the high-oxygen alarm above 8%, and the low-pressure alarm below 50 mm water gauge that provides for stopping the main cargo pumps
Crude Oil Washing (COW)
How COW uses jets of the crude cargo to remove clingage, the MARPOL Annex I requirement for crude tankers of 20,000 dwt and above, the approved COW Manual and ISGOTT, the 8% oxygen limit that must be met before and during washing (suspend if exceeded), staged top/bottom washing with continuous stripping, leak testing, and dry-wash precautions against electrostatic charge
Tank Cleaning & Gas-Freeing
Purging an inerted tank with inert gas to lower hydrocarbon before admitting air so the atmosphere avoids the flammable range, gas-freeing with air to 20.9% oxygen for entry, the atmosphere test order (oxygen, then flammable gas, then toxic gases such as H2S and benzene), explosimeter limitations in oxygen-deficient tanks, breathing apparatus, and entry permits with a standby person
Cargo Calculations & Measurement
Reading ullage and using calibrated tank tables with trim and list corrections, API gravity (141.5/SG minus 131.5), the volume correction factor and standard volumes (TOV, GSV, NSV), measuring free water with water-finding paste, on-board quantity (OBQ) and remaining-on-board (ROB), and using the Vessel Experience Factor for outturn reconciliation and early shortage warning
Pollution Prevention & Emergencies
MARPOL Annex I discharge criteria (30 litres per nautical mile, 1/30,000 of cargo, more than 50 nautical miles from land, prohibition inside special areas), the ODME and slop tanks with load-on-top, the Oil Record Book Part II, SOPEP reporting without delay, the emergency shutdown system, cargo-leak and inert-gas-failure response, and deck foam and boundary cooling for tanker fires
Preparing for the STCW Advanced Oil Tanker Exam
What You Need to Know
- Passing score: Pass mark set by the approved training center, demonstrating Table A-V/1-1-2 competence
- Assessment: Question count not published by the exam provider
- Time limit: Set by the training center (end-of-course assessment after a ~5 day course)
- Exam / certification fees: Varies by training center (course fee) 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 Oil Tanker: Suggested Study Strategy
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between basic and advanced oil tanker training?
Basic training (Table A-V/1-1-1) is the combined oil-and-chemical tanker familiarization for anyone with cargo duties. Advanced training (Table A-V/1-1-2) is the officer-level standard for those with immediate responsibility for oil cargo operations, covering loading/discharge planning, crude oil washing, inert gas, cargo calculations and MARPOL Annex I in much greater depth.
Who needs the advanced oil tanker cargo operations certificate?
Masters, chief engineers, chief mates, second engineers and any other person with immediate responsibility for the loading, discharging, care in transit, handling, tank cleaning or other cargo operations on oil tankers must hold the advanced certificate under STCW Regulation V/1-1.
What are the prerequisites for the advanced oil course?
You must first hold the basic oil and chemical tanker cargo operations certificate (A-V/1-1-1) and have at least three months of approved seagoing service on oil tankers, or one month of approved onboard training including at least three loading and three unloading operations, before advanced certification.
What oxygen level is required for crude oil washing?
The oxygen content in the tank must be 8% by volume or less before and throughout crude oil washing. If the oxygen content of the inert gas being supplied exceeds 8% the washing must be suspended immediately and only resumed once a safe level is restored.
How does the inert gas system keep cargo tanks safe?
Inert gas is delivered at about 5% oxygen and the cargo tank is kept at 8% oxygen or less, below the level that supports combustion. A deck water seal and a mechanical non-return valve prevent backflow to the machinery space, and a low IG pressure below about 50 mm water gauge alarms and provides for stopping the main cargo pumps.
What does MARPOL Annex I require for crude oil washing?
MARPOL Annex I requires crude oil tankers of 20,000 tonnes deadweight and above to be fitted with a crude oil washing system and to carry an approved COW Operations and Equipment Manual, together with ISGOTT, to reduce oil residues and operational pollution.
What is the Vessel Experience Factor (VEF)?
The VEF compiles the ship's history of measured loaded/discharged quantities (adjusted for OBQ and ROB) compared with shore figures. The chief officer uses it to judge bill-of-lading reliability and to get early warning of a potential cargo shortage at the discharge port.
How does this relate to a USCG STCW endorsement?
Under 46 CFR 13.603 the US advanced oil endorsement requires the national Tank Vessel-PIC (Dangerous Liquids) endorsement, demonstration of the Table A-V/1-1-2 competences, and 90 days of sea service on oil tankers.