What will be in the SQA Stability and Operations exam?

The upcoming dates for the SQA stability and operations exams are:

• 9th October 2025
• 27th November 2025
• 5th February 2026
• 1st April 2026
• 21st May 2026
• 9th July 2026

The link to the syllabus can be found here.

The stability and operations syllabus is made up of questions from:

– Stability

– Marine Cargo Operations

– Marine Law and Management

This blog post is designed for guidance only and is designed to help you understand what the examiner is looking for.

The first thing you’ll notice is the different verbs: Define, explain and describe as some of them.

If the question asks you to explain something – it will want you to say what is happening and why it is happening, and may also want you to compare and contrast. So an example question could be “Explain the difference between angle of list and angle of loll.” The examiner will want you to say the angle of loll happens in this state, however, an angle of list happens when these conditions are met. Describe is along the same lines, so an example question could be “describe the actions you take when you are undertaking a deck watch” so you should be telling the examiner what you are doing and why. For example, part of my answer would state that I would complete regular rounds of the vessel to check for safety and security and ensure that the gangway is manned in accordance with the ISPS level being observed (note: this isn’t a full answer, you would put a lot more here!). With the descriptive questions, one thing to bear in mind is the marks. If you’ve a question that is worth 15 marks – aim to put down 15 actions. Think 1 mark per sentence.

State, identify and list are all shorter form questions, so you are just giving short answers and not having to justify them!

I have listed the stability and operations syllabus below, questions will come from this syallbus, so this is your bible to study from! If it does not appear it this list, it should not be assessed.

I have put down some links to the SafeSeas Training learning platform, for ease of use for our subscribers and this blog post can act as your study plan, however, these can also be mapped to your college notes to create your own study guide. Want to subscribe? Click here. If you print and combine your notes for this section, it will make your study a lot easier if using your college notes and you won’t be trying to study for something that won’t come up.

A lot of candidates think of it as a stability exam, but it’s not! You have the marine cargo operations and law elements in there. Don’t just focus on practicing your calculations – you can pick up those all important marks from your descriptive questions as well, so don’t neglect your study on these aspects too. It’s assessing your all round ability – think of it as testing your ability to load and discharge the ship in accordance with legal requirements – so that isn’t just the calculations but ensuring that you do your deck watches, know about pollution prevention, your SMS etc!

1. Flotation, buoyancy and loadlines

a. Defines displacement, mass, volume, density, and relative density

I would suggest you write all these definitions down and keep them handy. Writing them down in your own words.

b. Explains Archimedes’ principle and the law of flotation

Archimedes’ principle has always been in the syllabus but the law of floatation is a new addition – although the questions are likely to be the same as the previous syllabus.

c. Defines fresh water allowance (FWA), dock water allowance (DWA)
and tonnes per centimetre immersion (TPC)

So what the examiner is looking for you to do is tell them what this is! So your answer should be something like “The fresh water allowance (FWA) is the amount the ship’s mean draft changes when the ship moves from salt water to fresh water.” This would probably be an answer worth one mark. I am not required to state why it happens, or list the formula to calculate it. For time on your exam, just put down the answer, don’t go into any further depth that is not asked for as you will just be wasting time.

d. Uses hydrostatic data to determine displacement and TPC for
varying draughts and water densities

This was previously “Determines TPC and displacement at varying draughts using hydrostatic tables.” This question does not specifically state that it will be from the hydrostatics, so be prepared to use a hydrostatic table and to do the calculation method also.

e. Uses hydrostatic data to calculate small and large changes in displacement and draught, making appropriate use of either TPC or displacement values

For this question, you should be comfortable with using the displacement tables and calculating the change in displacement through the TPC formula. The formula sheet will be given to you in the exam.

4. Defines forward perpendicular (FP), aft perpendicular (AP), length between perpendiculars (LBP), amidships, length overall (LOA), waterline length (LWL), draught and freeboard

Again this is a definition question – the examiner wants you to tell them what each of these things mean. Write yourself your own definitions list and keep it with the list I wrote about in point b.

For our subscribers, this month we will be adding the definitions list to our stability page for you to download and use.

g. Defines waterplane area, coefficient of fineness of the waterplane area
(CW) and block coefficient (CB)

This is new for the 2025 syllabus, add this into your definitions list, or download it from the stability page.

h. Calculates the weight to load or discharge to obtain given small changes in draught or freeboard.

This will be a single weight load question, usually it will be determining the amount of weight you can load to bring you to set load line. So make sure you know how far each of the lines are and you can draw a load line. The 25mm line makes a big difference to how much you can load if loading to the line so you need to remember to account for this. I have a free diagram on the SafeSeas Training stability page.

For subscribers, I’ve a fully worked video example and a how to guide here.

i. Calculates the weight loaded or discharged given small changes in draught or freeboard.

This is new for the 2025 syllabus. This is a simple loading question and will be a longitudinal stability question. A loadline worked example and ‘how to guide’ can be found here.

j. Explains the reasons for loadlines and loadline zones.

So the examiner wants you to know that there are different load line zones and know that they relate to the load line on your ship’s side and that these are there for safety under the international load line convention to prevent overloading.

7. Calculates weight to load or discharge in relation to loadline dimensions and appropriate marks using FWA, DWA and TPC.

This could be combined within the calculation listed in point e. You may need to draw a load line, work out the distance between the marks (e.g. how many mm the white line is, plus the distance between for example the summer and winter load line marks). We have a free diagram on our stability page to help you with this, including the formulae.

2. Transverse stability

a. Defines centre of gravity (G), centre of buoyancy (B), initial transverse
metacentre (M), height of the initial transverse metacentre (KM), initial
transverse metacentric height (GM) and righting lever (GZ)

This was originally “Defines centre of gravity, centre of buoyancy, initial transverse metacentre and initial metacentric height (GM).” KM and GZ have been added to this list for 2025.

You may be asked to draw a diagram for this, so know how to draw the diagrams for a ship that has a positive, neutral and negative GM showing the points for B, G and M.

b. Calculates moment of statical stability (MSS) using displacement and GZ

This is new for 2025. This is essentially the righting moment. This could be combined as part of a question, or you could be asked to draw a GZ curve.

c. Explains stable, neutral, unstable and listed conditions

d. Explains the relationship between equilibrium and the angle of loll

You will have to write out a definition and possibly draw a diagram for each of these conditions. Explanations and diagrams can be found here.

The explanation of the relationship is new for 2025.

c. Explains stable, neutral and unstable equilibrium.

Basically the examiner wants you to tell them exactly what a positive, negative and neutral GM is caused by.

These are explained for our subscribers here.

d. Explains the relationship between equilibrium and the angle of loll.

This is new for 2025. Make sure you know the difference between a vessel that has an angle of loll and an angle of list.

e. Identifies from a given curve of statical stability; condition of stability, range of stability, initial GM, maximum GZ, angle of maximum GZ, angle of vanishing stability, angle of deck edge immersion, angle of loll or angle of list

You should be familiar with GZ curves and how to interpret them. You could be asked to either draw a GZ curve with the figures given to you, or you could be given a ship’s GZ curves and be asked to label where the points listed above start.

We explain about GZ curves in a video here.

f. Explains stiff and tender conditions of loading making reference to the vessel
roll period and hazards associated with each condition
g. Sketches typical curves of statical stability for stiff/tender vessels

h. Sketches typical curves of statical stability indicating the items in 2e.

You should be able identify the differences between a stiff (high GM) and a tender vessel (low GM) and how they appear in the curves. You should be able to draw a GZ curve.

i. Calculates the shift of G vertically and horizontally after loading/discharging/shifting weight, including the use of ship’s gear

This is very near to the previous syllabus, however, the use of ship’s gear is new for 2025. You may be asked to calculate this in two parts, where G is when the weight using a ship’s crane is lifted and after the weight is on board.

We show you how to do these calculations with the following videos:

Single weight shift problem

Single weight loading problem

Multiple weight loading problem

j. Explains the shift of G vertically and horizontally after loading/discharging/shifting weight, including the use of ship’s gear

This is new for 2025. You need to be able to explain, and possibly sketch, what happens to the ship’s centre of gravity as the weight is moved around the ship.

k. Calculates the final effective KG or GM after loading/discharging/shifting weight, including the use of ship’s gear.

l. Explains the change in effective KG or GM after loading/discharging/shifting weight, including the use of ship’s gear

You will probably find that 2 i – l are combination question and assesses all these outcomes in one go.

m. Calculates the angle of list resulting from 3i) and 3k)

This will probably be in combination and you may be asked to calculate the ship’s list, both during the operation and after the weight has been loaded / shifted or discharged. Again, nothing to be afraid of but remember that G moves to the top of the crane when you take the weight! So the examiner will be wanting to see that you check that the ship has a positive GM when the ship takes the initial weight from the dock.

n. Calculates weights to load/discharge/shift to sail upright

This is a new outcome for 2025, however, it has been previously asked in other papers.

o. Explains the difference between the angle of list and the angle of loll, and the methods of correction

This is where people go wrong! They say what the difference is, but forget to tell the examiner how to correct both these conditions safely. The biggest thing to remember is that an angle of loll can be corrected only by lowering the centre of gravity, not by moving loads transversely, or by filling ballast tanks on the higher side.

p. Explains that free surface effect can be expressed as a virtual rise of G or as a free surface moment
q. Explains the consequences and dangers of a free surface
r. Describes the effects of density and/or longitudinal subdivision on free surface effects

Note that these are all descriptive questions, there is no calculation of free surface effect for the 2025 syllabus, this has been removed from previous syllabuses.

This is a written question, so you need to to be able to describe:

– Why free surface is dangerous

– What happens to the GM of the vessel when free surface effect happens

The examiner wants you to show that you know that the more longitudinal subdivisions of a tank, the effect of free surface is lessened.

Explanations of free surface can be found here.

3. Longitudinal stability

a. Defines arithmetic mean draught (AMD), true mean draught (TMD), longitudinal centre of flotation (LCF), longitudinal centre of gravity (LCG), longitudinal centre of buoyancy (LCB), trim, trimming moment, and moment to change trim a centimetre (MCTC)

Again, write out your definitions list our use our definitions list.

b. Calculates TMD

This will probably feature as part of a change of trim question, where you will calculate the A.M.D before correcting the forward and aft draughts.

How to do this is featured below:

Change of Draught for a single weight shift

Change of Draught for a single weight loading

Change of Draught for a single weight discharge

Multiple weights problem

c. Calculates final draughts after loading/discharging/shifting weight, for
a vessel initially on an even keel
d. Calculates final draughts after loading/discharging/shifting weight, for
a vessel initially trimmed

This could be a single or multiple weight shift, discharge or loading question. It doesn’t matter if the ship is on an even keel or trimmed for your method, the only change is how you assign the change of trim if the ship is not on an even keel. Remember that all assignments of trim are from the AP.

e. Calculates weight to transfer for a vessel to sail with a required trim and/or under keel clearance.

This is a weight shift question, which can be solved in the following way.

4. Maintaining a Deck Watch in port, at anchor and at sea

So this now moves into our cargo operations section of the exam.

a. Explains the duties of the officer of the watch on deck with respect to
security, safety, moorings, cargo operations, ballast water operations and
hull stress monitoring

Basically the examiner wants to see you know what needs to be checked and when, when the ship is in port and working cargo. Ballast water and hull stress monitoring is new for 2025.

We have written a model answer for our subscribers here. We also have additional information on safety and security rounds here.

b. Explains the procedures for entry to enclosed spaces and permit to work systems

You need to know the procedures according to COSWOP and the examiner will also expect to see you explain you would consult your ship’s own SMS.

c. Describes the emergency procedures and contingency plans in the event of marine casualties (fire, accident and pollution)

The easiest way to approach this question is just think how your drills started on ship. The first parts of the answer are always the same – Sound the alarm, inform the master, muster the crew – then you go into the details!

We have written about emergency procedures here.

Pollution is a new topic for 2025 but think about your SOPEP drills.

d. Describes the preparation of a vessel for sea and adverse weather with respect to watertight and weathertight integrity

Basically the examiner wants you to show you know that cargo should be secured, plus any heavy objects and then the lashings checked before you go to sea / encounter heavy weather.

e. Describes how safe means of access to a vessel is achieved (including for pilots)

The examiner wants you to show you know how a safe gangway and accommodation ladder should be rigged and maintained.

Pilot access is new for 2025 – so know your regulations for pilot ladders and combination ladders.

f. Describes the methods available to ensure safe movement onboard ship.

5. Pollution prevention

a. Describes the precautions and procedures required to ensure vessel
operations (including bunkering and garbage disposal) do not pollute the environment

The examiner will want you to know what MARPOL is, and what ship types it applies to. We have broken the annexes down by ship type here.

Garbage regulations can be found here under MARPOL Annex V.

b. Explains the procedures for handling dangerous, hazardous and
harmful substances onboard ship

The examiner will want you to know about:

– The IMDG Code

– The IMSBC Code

6. Legislation

a. Outlines the operational requirements of the annexes to MARPOL and liability for non-conformance.

The examiner will want you to know about MARPOL, including the main annexes for oil, garbage, sewage and air pollution.

One tip for when your orals come around, see what is being discussed at IMO and recently been implemented and coming into force – these questions can and will come up!

b. Outlines the principles and purpose of the ISM Code.

You need to show the examiner that you know that the company needs to have a SMS, as well as the ship and describe what should the contained within the SMS.

Also remember the ISM is for the safety of the ship, its crew and protection of the marine environment.

c. Describes the legal status and purpose of COSWP, MGNs, MINs, MSNs and Merchant Navy Code of Conduct

You need to show the examiner that you know what the purpose of each of these documents are, including what the ship needs to legally comply with. We describe this here and here for COSWOP (hint: it’s a legal carriage requirement on British flagged vessels).

The Merchant Navy Code of Conduct is new for 2025.

d. Identifies the requirements of the MLC (hours of work and rest,
working and living conditions, and onboard complaint procedures)

This is new for 2025. We have updated our law section and covered the MLC here.

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