🔍 Key Concepts

• Voyage duration requirements in 46 CFR and SOLAS for pre-departure checks • Differences between routine drills (like lifeboat drills and fire drills) and equipment tests done right before sailing • Specific pre-departure test requirements for steering gear on longer voyages

💭 Think About

• Which systems must function continuously and reliably for safe navigation on a long voyage, and would logically need verification right before departure? • Which of the listed items are normally done on a fixed schedule (weekly/monthly) rather than specifically tied to the start of a voyage? • Think about which failure, shortly after departure on a long voyage, would most directly endanger the ship’s ability to maneuver and avoid collisions or groundings.

✅ Before You Answer

• Check which item in the choices is explicitly linked in regulations to voyages exceeding 48 hours and a test within 12 hours before departure. • Verify in current regulations whether lifeboat drills and fire pump tests are tied to a specific time before each departure or to a general interval (e.g., weekly/monthly). • Confirm which system’s entire arrangement (including main and auxiliary components) is required to be tested prior to departure on long voyages.