Is this the CES test?

No. CES is a commercial test ordered by shipping companies from its provider; its question bank is confidential and its structure is not published. This is an independent practice test with original questions built on the STCW competence tables that such tests are based on. It shows you where your knowledge is weak, in the same multiple-choice form.

What score should I aim for?

Employers set their own thresholds for knowledge tests; 70 percent is often quoted as a default, with lower figures for ratings and higher for senior officers. Aim comfortably above the figure your agency quotes for your rank.

Why do the questions change every time?

Each sitting draws a new set from the bank, weighted by the knowledge areas that matter for your rank group. Sit it several times and the weak areas will show up consistently.

Knowledge test for seafarers

Before a contract, many companies check your professional knowledge with a multiple-choice test built on the STCW competence tables for your rank. The real tests are confidential and their banks are not public, so nobody can honestly sell you "the questions". What you can do is find your weak areas and fix them. This test draws 30 questions for your rank group from 540 original questions across 22 knowledge areas, weighted for that rank from the STCW competence tables. The weights are our own reading of those tables: STCW sets competences, not question quotas.

Choose your rank group

Deck officers Master, Chief Officer, 2nd and 3rd Officer STCW A-II/1 and A-II/2 Deck ratings Bosun, AB, OS STCW A-II/4 and A-II/5 Engine officers Chief Engineer, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Engineer STCW A-III/1 and A-III/2 Engine ratings Oiler, Motorman, Fitter, Wiper STCW A-III/4 and A-III/5 Electro-technical officers and ratings ETO, electro-technical rating, electrician STCW A-III/6 and A-III/7 Catering Chief Cook, Cook, Steward, Messman MLC 2006 Regulation 3.2 and STCW A-VI/1

Ship type (optional): adds up to 8 questions on that ship

30 questions, 30 minutes, no feedback until the end, then a score by knowledge area with links to revise. Keys 1 to 4 answer, Enter goes on. Your result stays in your browser only.

What the test covers for your group, with sample questions: Deck officers · Deck ratings · Engine officers · Engine ratings · Electro-technical officers and ratings · Catering.

What the test covers

The 22 knowledge areas follow the STCW Code tables A-II (deck), A-III (engine and ETO), A-VI (safety) and, for catering, MLC 2006. Every rank group gets more questions from the areas its table makes central. Questions with a card behind them link to it in the review.

Knowledge area	Questions in bank
Passage planning and position	13
Watchkeeping and COLREG	24
Radar, ARPA and ECDIS	13
Meteorology	12
Ship handling, mooring and anchoring	19
Communications, SMCP and GMDSS	47
Cargo work	27
Stability and seaworthiness	21
Conventions and regulations	16
Emergencies, fire and life-saving	70
Pollution prevention (MARPOL)	17
Leadership, teamwork and fatigue	22
Ship security (ISPS)	14
Main and auxiliary machinery	15
Fuel, lubrication, ballast and pumps	12
Electrical, electronic and control systems	12
Maintenance, tools and repair	14
Occupational safety and permits	21
Deck work and equipment	11
Galley, food hygiene and catering	13
Vessel types and their cargoes	112
MLC: rest hours, contracts and welfare	15

Independent practice with original questions. Not affiliated with any test provider; names of commercial tests appear only to explain what they are. Read our guide to the CES test for what to expect and what to study, rank by rank.