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CHL practice questions

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Question 1Leadership and Management

Under the ISM Code, which party holds ultimate responsibility for the safety management system of a ship, even when daily implementation is delegated to the Master?

  1. The flag State administration
  2. The Master
  3. The company Correct answer.
  4. The designated person ashore

Explanation

The ISM Code places the overarching safety-management responsibility on the company, which must provide resources, define authority and verify the system. The Master is delegated authority to run the ship, and the DPA monitors the system, but neither displaces the company's duty.

Question 2Leadership and Management

A Master must exercise overriding authority under the ISM Code when which situation arises?

  1. A safety or pollution risk requires immediate action the Master judges necessary Correct answer.
  2. The company schedules an internal audit
  3. The charterer requests a minor change to the stowage plan
  4. The DPA asks for routine corrective action follow-up

Explanation

The Master's overriding authority exists so that he or she can act decisively when safety or pollution prevention demands it, even if that means departing from normal procedures. It is not a general licence to ignore the company but a safeguard for genuine risk situations.

Question 3Leadership and Management

In the context of managing a ship's crew, what does 'situational leadership' require a senior officer to do?

  1. Apply one consistent leadership style to all subordinates regardless of task
  2. Delegate all decisions to the most experienced ratings
  3. Match leadership behaviour to the competence and commitment of the individual for a given task Correct answer.
  4. Rely on rank alone to secure compliance

Explanation

Situational leadership adjusts the degree of direction and support to the follower's readiness for a specific task. A competent, motivated seafarer needs less supervision than a new rating facing an unfamiliar task.

Question 4Leadership and Management

During a toolbox talk, a junior rating raises a concern about a planned task. Which response best demonstrates effective safety leadership?

  1. Acknowledge the concern and reassess the task before starting Correct answer.
  2. Record the concern after the task is finished
  3. Refer the rating to the safety officer at the end of the watch
  4. Tell the rating the plan is already approved and to proceed

Explanation

Effective safety leadership encourages challenge and stops work when a genuine concern is raised so it can be reassessed. This reinforces a reporting culture and prevents incidents that a rushed start could cause.

Question 5Leadership and Management

A Master notices that two officers consistently clash over watch handovers, causing delays. Which approach reflects the most appropriate conflict-management step?

  1. Address the underlying handover process and facilitate a joint discussion Correct answer.
  2. Ignore the friction because handovers are eventually completed
  3. Report both officers for disciplinary action
  4. Reassign one officer immediately without discussion

Explanation

Managing conflict begins by identifying the root cause and facilitating dialogue between the parties, particularly when a process weakness contributes. This addresses the problem rather than merely the symptoms or the people.

Question 6Leadership and Management

Which document, required by the ISM Code, names the person ashore with direct access to the highest level of management?

  1. The Minimum Safe Manning Document
  2. The Designated Person Ashore designation Correct answer.
  3. The Safety Management Certificate
  4. The Document of Compliance

Explanation

The ISM Code requires the company to designate a person ashore with direct access to top management to monitor safety and pollution-prevention aspects. That designation is the DPA, not the certificates that evidence compliance.

Question 7Leadership and Management

A company's internal audit finds that a corrective action from a previous audit was never closed out. What does this most directly indicate about the safety management system?

  1. The corrective-action loop is not effective and requires management attention Correct answer.
  2. The system is functioning as intended because audits detect gaps
  3. The audit scope was too broad
  4. The DPA has no role in follow-up

Explanation

An open corrective action shows that the loop from identification to verification of closure has broken down. Effective management requires tracking actions to completion, not merely recording findings.

Question 8Leadership and Management

Which behaviour best illustrates a 'just culture' in accident investigation on board?

  1. Distinguishing honest error from reckless or intentional violation Correct answer.
  2. Punishing any crew member involved in an incident to deter others
  3. Suppressing findings to protect the company's reputation
  4. Blaming the most junior person present

Explanation

A just culture separates unintentional human error, which should be reported and learned from, from reckless or deliberate breaches that warrant sanction. This balance encourages reporting while preserving accountability.

Question 9Leadership and Management

During a fire drill, the Master observes that the muster list was not followed and two crew went to the wrong station. What is the most appropriate leadership action?

  1. Cancel future drills to save time
  2. Debrief the drill, correct the muster list understanding and re-run the drill Correct answer.
  3. Note the drill as satisfactory to avoid paperwork
  4. Discipline the two crew and close the matter

Explanation

Drills exist to reveal weaknesses, and the correct response is to debrief, correct the misunderstanding and repeat the exercise to confirm improvement. This closes the loop and builds genuine readiness.

Question 10Leadership and Management

A new second officer is competent at navigation but hesitant to challenge the Master's decisions. Which leadership need is most relevant?

  1. A reduction in watchkeeping duties
  2. Closer supervision of every decision
  3. More technical navigation training
  4. Development of assertiveness and a speak-up culture Correct answer.

Explanation

When technical competence is adequate but the officer will not voice concerns, the gap is in assertiveness and psychological safety. Leaders should encourage challenge and make it clear that raising concerns is expected.

Question 11Leadership and Management

Which management tool best helps a Master plan and control the many parallel tasks in a port call with limited time?

  1. Delegating all planning to the agent
  2. A written plan with assigned responsibilities, deadlines and checkpoints Correct answer.
  3. A verbal list agreed at the morning meeting
  4. Relying on the chief officer's memory

Explanation

A written plan with clear ownership, timing and checkpoints allows tasks to be tracked, prioritised and verified. Verbal or memory-based approaches are vulnerable to interruption and omission during busy port calls.

Question 12Leadership and Management

What is the primary purpose of a permit-to-work system for enclosed-space entry?

  1. To ensure hazards are assessed and controls agreed before entry Correct answer.
  2. To replace the need for a standby person
  3. To record who is on board at any time
  4. To satisfy the port agent's paperwork

Explanation

A permit-to-work formalises the assessment of hazards and the agreement of controls, such as atmosphere testing and standby arrangements, before high-risk work starts. It supports safe execution rather than replacing key controls.

Question 13Leadership and Management

A chief engineer notices repeated minor machinery alarms that the duty ratings reset without investigation. What management response is most appropriate?

  1. Increase the alarm reset frequency
  2. Instruct ratings to stop resetting alarms and investigate the recurring cause Correct answer.
  3. Remove the alarms to reduce workload
  4. Take no action because the alarms are minor

Explanation

Repeated alarms that are simply reset may mask a developing fault, so the leader should require investigation of the root cause. This reflects a proactive maintenance and reporting culture.

Question 14Leadership and Management

Which action by a Master best supports effective delegation to the chief officer?

  1. Giving the task without any deadline
  2. Assigning the task with clear authority, resources and a reporting expectation Correct answer.
  3. Retaining every decision to ensure control
  4. Delegating and then checking every small step personally

Explanation

Effective delegation transfers authority along with the task, provides the necessary resources and sets out how and when progress will be reported. This builds ownership while keeping the Master informed.

Question 15Leadership and Management

Which statement best describes the role of the safety committee on board?

  1. It provides a forum where crew and officers review safety matters and recommend improvements Correct answer.
  2. It replaces the Master's authority in safety decisions
  3. It is optional on all ships regardless of flag requirements
  4. It handles only disciplinary matters

Explanation

A safety committee brings together crew and officers to review hazards, incidents and improvement ideas, supporting a participative safety culture. It advises and recommends but does not override the Master's authority.

Question 16Leadership and Management

A crew member repeatedly arrives late for watch and shows declining performance. Which leadership approach is most appropriate first?

  1. Immediate dismissal from the vessel
  2. A private conversation to identify causes and agree expectations Correct answer.
  3. Ignoring the behaviour until it causes an incident
  4. Public criticism at the next safety meeting

Explanation

Declining performance should first be explored privately to find contributing factors such as fatigue or personal issues and to agree clear expectations. This is proportionate and preserves dignity while addressing the problem.

Question 17Leadership and Management

Which element is central to effective fatigue management under the leadership of senior officers?

  1. Allowing overtime whenever tasks are unfinished
  2. Relying on individuals to self-manage fatigue without oversight
  3. Planning work and rest hours so that limits are respected and monitored Correct answer.
  4. Scheduling watches without regard to rest periods

Explanation

Fatigue management requires active planning of work and rest, monitoring of hours and intervention when limits are approached. It is a management responsibility, not solely an individual one.

Question 18Leadership and Management

A Master must decide whether to delay departure for a suspected machinery defect that the chief engineer cannot fully diagnose. Which decision-making approach is best?

  1. Depart on schedule and investigate at sea
  2. Leave the decision entirely to the charterer
  3. Weigh the risk of failure against commercial pressure and resolve the defect before departure Correct answer.
  4. Ignore the defect because it is only suspected

Explanation

Safety-critical decisions should weigh the probability and consequence of failure against commercial pressure, with the precautionary approach favouring resolution before departure. This reflects the Master's responsibility for the safety of the ship.

Question 19Leadership and Management

Which practice best demonstrates a positive reporting culture on board?

  1. Restricting reports to the safety officer
  2. Discouraging reports to avoid paperwork
  3. Encouraging near-miss reporting and acting on the reports Correct answer.
  4. Reporting only incidents that cause injury

Explanation

A positive reporting culture captures near misses as well as incidents and visibly acts on the information received. This shows the crew that reporting leads to improvement, which sustains participation.

Question 20Leadership and Management

During an emergency, the Master gives an order that a junior officer believes is based on a misheard radio message. What is the most appropriate action by the officer?

  1. Wait until the emergency is over to mention it
  2. Discuss it with other crew instead of the Master
  3. Carry out the order silently to avoid delay
  4. Respectfully state the concern and confirm the information immediately Correct answer.

Explanation

In an emergency, timely, respectful challenge and confirmation of information can prevent a serious error. Assertiveness combined with closed-loop communication supports safe command.

Question 21Leadership and Management

Which factor most directly supports good teamwork during a complex mooring operation?

  1. Minimising communication to reduce noise
  2. Relying on the most experienced person to direct everything
  3. Clear briefing, defined roles and standard communication Correct answer.
  4. Assigning tasks as the operation unfolds without a plan

Explanation

Complex operations benefit from a briefing that defines roles, communication methods and contingencies before work starts. This reduces confusion and allows the team to coordinate under pressure.

Question 22Leadership and Management

What is the main management purpose of a vessel's familiarisation and training programme for new crew?

  1. To reduce the number of officers required
  2. To replace the need for drills
  3. To satisfy the agent's paperwork before departure
  4. To ensure new crew understand ship-specific procedures and hazards before working unsupervised Correct answer.

Explanation

Familiarisation ensures that new crew learn the ship's specific equipment, procedures and hazards so they can work safely. It supplements rather than replaces drills and statutory training.

Question 23Leadership and Management

A senior officer consistently gives vague instructions and then criticises crew when tasks go wrong. Which leadership deficiency does this most clearly reflect?

  1. Poor communication and unclear task specification Correct answer.
  2. Insufficient technical knowledge
  3. Excessive delegation of authority
  4. Over-reliance on written procedures

Explanation

Vague instructions followed by criticism indicate a failure to specify tasks, expectations and standards clearly. Effective leaders give clear direction and provide feedback that supports improvement rather than blame.

Question 24Leadership and Management

Which action best demonstrates management commitment to continuous improvement of the safety management system?

  1. Waiting for the flag State to identify problems
  2. Reviewing incidents, audit findings and near misses to identify trends and act on them Correct answer.
  3. Filing reports without review
  4. Restricting improvement activity to annual audits only

Explanation

Continuous improvement relies on regularly reviewing incidents, audit findings and near misses to detect trends and take action. This turns data into corrective and preventive measures.

Question 25Leadership and Management

A Master wishes to build a more resilient bridge team. Which measure contributes most directly?

  1. Removing checklists to speed up operations
  2. Reducing the number of people on the bridge
  3. Encouraging closed-loop communication and cross-checking of decisions Correct answer.
  4. Discouraging junior officers from questioning decisions

Explanation

Resilient teams use closed-loop communication and cross-checking so that errors are caught before they propagate. These practices strengthen shared situational awareness and error detection.

Question 26Leadership and Management

Under the ISM Code, which person is responsible for ensuring that adequate resources and shore-based support are provided to the vessel's safety management system?

  1. The company's top management Correct answer.
  2. The safety officer on board
  3. The designated person ashore
  4. The Master personally

Explanation

The ISM Code places the duty to provide resources and shore-based support on the company at the highest level of management. The DPAs and on-board officers support the system but do not hold this resourcing obligation.

Question 27Leadership and Management

A Master wants to strengthen the shipboard safety culture. Which action by the Master has the strongest direct influence on crew behaviour?

  1. Displaying the safety policy in the mess room
  2. Delegating all safety matters to the safety officer
  3. Personally following and enforcing safety procedures Correct answer.
  4. Distributing safety circulars at each port call

Explanation

Leadership by example is the most powerful lever a Master has over safety culture; crew imitate what senior officers actually do. Posters and paperwork only reinforce behaviour that leaders already demonstrate.

Question 28Leadership and Management

In a safety management system, what does the term 'near miss' describe?

  1. A defect found during a statutory survey
  2. A planned drill conducted to test emergency response
  3. An accident causing minor injury only
  4. An incident with potential for harm that did not cause damage or injury Correct answer.

Explanation

A near miss is an undesired event that, under slightly different circumstances, could have resulted in harm or damage. Reporting near misses gives management early warning of latent hazards.

Question 29Leadership and Management

Which statement best describes the Master's overriding authority under the ISM Code?

  1. The Master may override company instructions when safety or pollution prevention requires it Correct answer.
  2. The Master shares final decision authority equally with the chief engineer
  3. The Master's authority is limited to navigation and cargo operations
  4. The Master must obtain company approval before deviating from any procedure

Explanation

The ISM Code explicitly gives the Master overriding authority and responsibility to make decisions on safety and pollution prevention. The company should support the Master in exercising that authority.

Question 30Leadership and Management

A Master is briefing officers on the difference between leadership and management. Which description best fits leadership at sea?

  1. Recording compliance with checklists
  2. Setting direction and influencing people to achieve it Correct answer.
  3. Enforcing statutory certification requirements
  4. Allocating resources and maintaining schedules

Explanation

Leadership concerns direction-setting, motivation and influencing people, whereas management focuses on organising resources, planning and control. Both are needed on board, but they are distinct functions.

Question 31Leadership and Management

Which behaviour by a senior officer most clearly undermines a 'speak-up' culture on the bridge?

  1. Thanking a lookout for reporting an anomaly
  2. Dismissing a junior officer's concern in front of others Correct answer.
  3. Recording a challenge to a decision in the log
  4. Asking junior officers to justify their concerns

Explanation

Publicly dismissing a concern humiliates the reporter and teaches others that speaking up is risky. Welcoming and recording challenges reinforces a healthy challenge culture.

Question 32Leadership and Management

What is the primary purpose of a toolbox talk before a routine deck maintenance task?

  1. To satisfy the hours-of-work recordkeeping requirement
  2. To brief the team on hazards, controls and roles before starting Correct answer.
  3. To replace the need for a written risk assessment
  4. To test the crew's knowledge of the safety management system

Explanation

A toolbox talk is a short pre-task briefing that confirms hazards, control measures, roles and any changes before work begins. It complements, and never replaces, the formal risk assessment.

Question 33Leadership and Management

A Master delegates a task to the chief officer but retains accountability to the company for the outcome. Which principle does this illustrate?

  1. Responsibility and accountability are identical concepts
  2. Delegation transfers all legal responsibility to the subordinate
  3. Authority should match responsibility, but accountability stays with the delegator Correct answer.
  4. Accountability can be delegated with the task

Explanation

Effective delegation gives sufficient authority to complete the task, but the delegator remains accountable for the result. Confusing accountability with delegated authority is a common leadership error.

Question 34Leadership and Management

A Master notices that the same junior officer has made three small procedural errors in a week. Which response best reflects a coaching approach?

  1. Discuss the errors privately to find the underlying cause and agree corrective steps Correct answer.
  2. Report the officer to the flag administration
  3. Reassign the officer to non-safety tasks indefinitely
  4. Issue a formal warning immediately to deter repetition

Explanation

Coaching seeks the root cause of repeated errors through private discussion and agreed actions. Formal sanctions or removal should follow only if coaching fails or risk is unacceptable.

Question 35Leadership and Management

During a management review under the ISM Code, which input is most directly relevant to judging whether safety objectives are being met?

  1. Crew satisfaction with catering arrangements
  2. Analysis of reported non-conformities, incidents and near misses Correct answer.
  3. The number of certificates held by officers
  4. The vessel's fuel consumption trend

Explanation

Management review should evaluate safety performance data, including non-conformities, incidents and near misses. This evidence shows whether the SMS is effective and where improvement is needed.

Question 36Leadership and Management

A chief officer is planning a complex cargo operation with limited experienced crew. Which planning approach best balances safety and efficiency?

  1. Rely on the crew's prior experience without a written plan
  2. Plan the operation alone to avoid conflicting opinions
  3. Assign the most experienced crew to the highest-risk steps and brief the rest on their roles Correct answer.
  4. Rotate all crew through every task equally to build experience

Explanation

Risk-based allocation places experienced personnel where the consequences are greatest while briefing others on their roles. This protects safety without paralysing the operation.

Question 37Leadership and Management

An officer is asked to take on a task for which they lack the required competence. What is the most appropriate leadership response from the supervisor?

  1. Tell the officer to learn by trial and error
  2. Delay the task indefinitely without informing anyone
  3. Assign the task anyway and monitor closely
  4. Provide training or supervision, or reassign the task to a competent person Correct answer.

Explanation

Competence should be established before assigning safety-critical tasks. Training, supervision or reassignment are all acceptable, whereas trial and error on safety-critical work is not.

Question 38Leadership and Management

A safety committee on board meets monthly but its minutes show only attendance and no actions. Which leadership intervention would most improve its effectiveness?

  1. Restrict attendance to senior officers only
  2. Reduce meetings to quarterly to save time
  3. Require each agenda item to produce an owner, action and deadline that is tracked Correct answer.
  4. Replace the committee with individual safety inspections

Explanation

A committee adds value only when discussion converts into tracked actions with clear owners and deadlines. Attendance records alone do not improve safety performance.

Question 39Leadership and Management

A Master receives a confidential complaint about bullying by a senior officer. Which first step best reflects sound management practice?

  1. Transfer the complainant to another vessel without inquiry
  2. Record the complaint and initiate a fair, confidential investigation Correct answer.
  3. Ignore it because no physical harm occurred
  4. Confront the complainant and the senior officer together in public

Explanation

Bullying complaints require confidential recording and a fair investigation that protects all parties. Public confrontation or ignoring the issue risks escalation and legal exposure.

Question 40Leadership and Management

Which practice best demonstrates a Master's commitment to continuous improvement rather than mere compliance?

  1. Following procedures exactly and never questioning them
  2. Filing audit reports without comment
  3. Repeating the same drills each month without review
  4. Encouraging crew suggestions and tracking their implementation Correct answer.

Explanation

Continuous improvement requires actively seeking and acting on feedback, then tracking whether changes produce results. Compliance alone maintains the status quo.

Question 41Leadership and Management

A Master must balance commercial pressure to sail against a safety concern raised by the chief engineer. Which decision-making approach is most defensible?

  1. Defer to the commercial department because they own the schedule
  2. Sail and address the concern at the next port
  3. Apply a documented risk assessment and let the outcome determine the decision Correct answer.
  4. Decide based on the chief engineer's seniority alone

Explanation

Safety-critical decisions should be based on documented risk assessment, which balances likelihood and consequence transparently. Commercial pressure must not override an unresolved safety concern.

Question 42Leadership and Management

Which action by a Master best develops the leadership capability of junior officers over time?

  1. Limiting their duties to routine paperwork
  2. Keeping all decision-making at the command level
  3. Giving them supervised responsibility for planning and running evolutions Correct answer.
  4. Sending them on generic online courses only

Explanation

Leadership grows through supervised practice with real responsibility and feedback. Retaining all decisions at command level starves officers of developmental experience.

Question 43Leadership and Management

A vessel's safety management system has been recently revised. What is the Master's most appropriate action to ensure the changes are effective on board?

  1. Assign the revision to the DPA alone
  2. File the revision and await the next external audit
  3. Brief the crew on the changes and verify understanding and application Correct answer.
  4. Let crew discover the changes during normal work

Explanation

Revised procedures must be communicated and their application verified on board, not simply filed. Verification through observation or questioning confirms the change has taken effect.

Question 44Leadership and Management

A senior officer consistently micromanages junior watchkeepers. What is the most likely effect on the bridge team?

  1. Faster decision-making and fewer errors
  2. Improved trust between officers and ratings
  3. Reduced initiative and reluctance to report concerns Correct answer.
  4. More consistent application of the SMS

Explanation

Micromanagement erodes confidence and discourages juniors from exercising judgement or raising concerns, which weakens the team's safety net. Trust and initiative require appropriate autonomy.

Question 45Leadership and Management

A Master is reviewing a risk assessment for a task that has never been performed on this vessel. Which limitation of the assessment is most important to address?

  1. The assessment was not signed by the safety officer
  2. The task is not listed in the vessel's planned maintenance system
  3. The document is too long for the crew to read
  4. The assessment may underestimate hazards because there is no operational experience to draw on Correct answer.

Explanation

Novel tasks lack historical incident data, so the team must deliberately consider unknown and worst-case hazards. Peer review and conservative controls compensate for this uncertainty.

Question 46Leadership and Management

A chief officer notices that a valued rating has started making uncharacteristic errors and seems withdrawn. The officer is aware of a recent family bereavement. Which management response best protects both the individual and the vessel?

  1. Inform the whole crew of the circumstances to gain sympathy
  2. Remove the rating from all duties until further notice
  3. Take no action because personal matters are outside the ship's responsibility
  4. Have a confidential supportive conversation and adjust duties and supervision to manage risk Correct answer.

Explanation

Leaders should respond to wellbeing signals with confidential support and temporary adjustments that manage safety risk. Ignoring the issue or publicising it both fail the individual and the team.

Question 47Leadership and Management

Two officers disagree strongly about a passage plan. The Master wants a decision that the team will genuinely support. Which approach best achieves this?

  1. Delay the decision until the disagreement resolves itself
  2. Put the decision to a vote among the bridge team
  3. Announce the Master's own plan without discussion
  4. Facilitate a structured discussion of the evidence, then decide and explain the rationale Correct answer.

Explanation

Structured discussion of evidence followed by a clear, explained decision builds commitment while preserving command authority. Voting or avoidance weakens accountability and can leave the plan unresolved.

Question 48Leadership and Management

An internal audit reveals that a corrective action was closed on paper but the underlying hazard remains. Which management failure does this most directly indicate?

  1. Insufficient training budget
  2. Poor catering and welfare arrangements
  3. Weak verification of corrective action effectiveness Correct answer.
  4. Excessive delegation to the safety officer

Explanation

Closing a corrective action without verifying that it removed the hazard reflects a failure of effectiveness verification. The SMS must confirm results, not merely record closure.

Question 49Leadership and Management

A Master wants to build organisational resilience so that the vessel can cope with unanticipated events. Which measure contributes most directly?

  1. Increasing the frequency of routine drills on the same scenario
  2. Restricting decision authority to the Master alone
  3. Adding more detailed checklists for known scenarios
  4. Encouraging crews to practise responding to unexpected, unfamiliar situations Correct answer.

Explanation

Resilience comes from practising adaptation to unfamiliar situations, not just repetition of known scenarios. This builds the capacity to notice, interpret and respond when procedures do not fit.

Question 50Leadership and Management

A Master is deciding how to allocate limited rest hours among officers during a demanding port call. Which principle best guides this decision?

  1. Let officers negotiate their own rest arrangements
  2. Reduce rest uniformly to complete the port call faster
  3. Distribute rest equally regardless of task criticality
  4. Protect rest for those performing the most safety-critical tasks and monitor cumulative fatigue Correct answer.

Explanation

Fatigue management should prioritise rest for safety-critical roles and track cumulative fatigue across the period. Equal or self-negotiated distribution can leave critical posts impaired.