What the examiner is really probing
The examiner wants to see that you think and act as the person in command — not as someone who calls for help and waits. At command standard you must demonstrate: immediate hazard control, crew and public safety, statutory notification, and management of the vessel's stability and structural integrity, all running concurrently. A vague answer about "calling the authorities" will not pass.
The landscape of port emergencies
Port emergencies differ from sea emergencies in two critical ways: you have far more external resources available, and you also have far more external obligations — to the port, neighbouring vessels, shore installations, and the public. The emergencies most likely to be tested are fire, flooding/sinking at berth, toxic/flammable cargo release, collision with another vessel or structure, and man overboard into harbour water.
Your immediate command framework (applicable across all port emergencies)
ASSESS — CONTROL — NOTIFY — MANAGE
Assess: Identify the nature, location, and rate of development of the hazard. Send eyes to the scene; do not rely on a single report.
Control: Muster crew. Apply your SMS emergency procedures immediately. For fire — isolate fuel and ventilation, attack with first-response equipment. For flooding — identify and stem the source, counter-flood if necessary, assess trim and list. Never assume the situation is static.
Notify (simultaneously, delegate if you have crew):
- Port authority / harbour master — this is both a legal and a practical obligation. They control traffic, tugs, emergency berths, and shore response.
- MRCC if there is risk to life or the situation may develop.
- Ship's agent.
- Flag state/insurer as appropriate.
- Under MARPOL, any pollution discharge must be reported via the port state's national reporting scheme and logged.
Manage: If evacuation of crew or nearby vessels becomes necessary, you direct it. Preserve evidence for investigation (ORB entries, log entries, photographs). Maintain a continuous log of decisions and times — this protects you legally and is an MCA expectation.
Specific hazards worth knowing
- Flooding at berth: consider whether emergency towing off to a safer bight or allowing controlled sinking in a shallow area is preferable to sinking alongside and causing pollution or damaging port infrastructure.
- Fire below in port: shore fire brigade responds, but you retain command of your vessel. Coordinate — do not surrender command.
- Man overboard in harbour: harbour water is often cold, dark, and congested. Deploy lifebuoy immediately; assign lookout; inform harbour master of position; consider bow thruster hazard if manoeuvring.
How to structure your spoken answer
Open with your immediate priority (make the vessel safe and account for personnel). State who you notify and why. Explain what you log and what evidence you preserve. Finish with how you hand over to shore authorities without relinquishing command responsibility until formally relieved or the vessel is abandoned. This arc — control, notify, document, manage handover — signals command-level thinking to the examiner.