ENSH Access Contest case studies
ENSH Access Contest · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The ENSH Access Contest is an assessment used by some maritime training providers and employers to gauge whether a candidate has the foundational knowledge expected before entering an ENSH-related course or role. It is not a statutory certificate and does not replace any STCW endorsement; think of it as a readiness check. The exam samples broadly across the eight domains listed for this exam: regulations and legal framework, radio communication procedures, navigation and chart work, meteorology, seamanship and vessel handling, safety of life at sea and emergency procedures, maritime English, and environmental protection and pollution prevention. Questions are multiple choice and tend to test applied judgment as much as recall, so memorising isolated facts is less useful than practising short scenario decisions. The ENSH Access Contest case studies are 5 cases and about 4,341 words.
1The Expired Medical Certificate and the 12-Mile Licence
You are the skipper of a 16.8 m pot-fishing vessel with six crew, planning a 36-hour trip to grounds 28 nm offshore. At 04:20, before departure, you find that one deckhand's medical fitness certificate expired 11 days ago; he is otherwise experienced and asymptomatic.
938 words, about 5 min2Mayday Relay on Channel 16
At 02:15 you are officer of the watch on a 22 m standby vessel, 8 nm from a yacht in distress. You hear on VHF Ch 16: 'Mayday, Mayday, Mayday, this is yacht Silverbird, Silverbird, Silverbird.
898 words, about 4 min3The Bar, the Falling Glass and the Squat Allowance
You are master of a 24 m workboat drawing 4.20 m, inbound over a shallow bar. The chart shows a least depth of 4.80 m over the bar at chart datum.
804 words, about 4 min4Cold Front Before the Coastal Race
You are skipper of a 12 m production sailing yacht entered in a coastal race. The start is at 18:00.
835 words, about 4 min5Fire in the Lithium-Ion Battery Space
You are master of an 18 m motor yacht on passage 12 nm south-west of a harbour, with four persons on board. At 14:10 the smoke detector in the engine space sounds.
866 words, about 4 min