Question 59 GLI05 - Master or Mate of LT 200 GRT

The Correct Answer is D **Explanation for Option D (12 hours):** Regulations governing the safety and operation of vessels mandate specific testing procedures for critical equipment prior to departure. The requirement that the steering gear, whistle, and communications system between the bridge and engine room be tested prior to departure, no earlier than **12 hours** before the voyage begins, is stipulated under the International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), Chapter V (Safety of Navigation), Regulation 26 (Steering gear operational test). This specific regulation applies to all ships and ensures that these vital systems, particularly the main and auxiliary steering gear, are functioning correctly in the immediate period leading up to the voyage commencement. **Why other options are incorrect:** * **A) 1 hour:** While some very minor pre-departure checks might occur within this timeframe, 1 hour is too close to departure to allow for sufficient time to correct potential serious defects found in the steering gear, which must be tested well in advance according to SOLAS. * **B) 4 hours:** Four hours does not satisfy the specific regulatory requirement set forth by SOLAS V/26 for the testing of steering gear and related systems (whistle and communications). * **C) 8 hours:** Eight hours is closer to the required timeframe but still falls short of the minimum regulatory standard of 12 hours prior to departure for the mandatory steering gear operational test.