How to Respond in an Emergency on a Ship

You will learn about the legislation surrounding marine emergencies that applies to UK all vessels.

You will learn about how to react in different emergencies such as a man overboard situation, understand how to conduct different search patterns.

There is also tools to help you practice for the morse code and signals exams.

This online training for Deck Cadets is aligned with the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) and the UK MCA / Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) Level 7 Marine Emergency Response and Communication unit.

This learning can be used to study and prepare for:

  • Marine Emergency Response and Communication assessment
  • UK MCA signals exam
  • UK MCA Orals assessment
  • Crew Evaluation System (Safety) questions
  • Interview preparation.

You can see the contents of what is contained in this unit in the contents list below, and subscribe here.

  1. Radio communications
  2. Mayday messages
    1. Subscriber Content
  3. International Conventions
  4. Preparations before Proceeding to a Distress
  5. Search Patterns
  6. Action in the Event of a Man Overboard
  7. Williamson Turn
  8. Scharnov Turn
  9. Anderson (Single) Turn
  10. Double Turn
  11. International Code of Signals
  12. Morse Code
  13. Signals exam
  14. Morse code light practice tool
    1. Subscribe to get access

Radio communications

There are 3 different types of messages that we can transmit over the radio, to send messages of importance.

These are:

  • Mayday
  • Pan Pan
  • Securite

Mayday messages

Mayday is the international radio telephony distress signal.

Mayday is the international signal to notify life-threatening distress.

A Mayday call is only to be used in the case of “grave and imminent danger to a vessel or persons, such as fire, sinking, man overboard.”

Ship aground, with lifeboat on a beach. A mayday would have been called in this question.

Sending a distress message

In the distress signal stage, the DSC (Digital Selective Calling), which is a red button on your VHF. It is the first signal to the coastguard that you are in distress. It will send your vessel’s MMSI number and your location.

The second stage is to send a Mayday message via voice, over channel 16. This should be formatted as follows:

Mayday, Mayday, Mayday

This is (Ship’s Name) x 3

International Call Sign

MMSI

Mayday

Ship’s name

Position in Latitude and Longitude

Nature of Distress

I require immediate assistance

Total number of persons onboard

An other important information

Over

Click here to see an example Mayday message

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