STCW Basic Training practice questions — PST, FPFF, PSSR, and Elementary First Aid in one adaptive course

STCW Basic Training — also called BST, or the "four basic modules" — is the foundation credential that every seafarer joining a vessel subject to SOLAS must hold. The requirement lives in Regulation VI/1 of the STCW Convention, and the competence standards are set in Section A-VI/1 of the STCW Code. Whether you are stepping onto your first offshore supply vessel, upgrading to Able Seaman, or revalidating after five years, STCW Basic Training is the gate you must pass.

MMCE.app covers all four Basic Training modules with adaptive practice questions, flashcards, and AI-tutor explanations that cite the exact STCW table of competence.

What the exam actually tests

STCW Basic Training is evaluated at approved training centers using a combination of practical demonstration and written knowledge assessment. The written portion varies by flag state but typically includes 25-50 questions per module under time pressure of roughly one minute per question. The four modules are:

• Personal Survival Techniques (PST) — STCW Table A-VI/1-1
• Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting (FPFF) — Table A-VI/1-2
• Elementary First Aid (EFA) — Table A-VI/1-3
• Personal Safety and Social Responsibilities (PSSR) — Table A-VI/1-4

A-VI/1-1 and A-VI/1-2 must be revalidated every five years with refresher training. Candidates consistently report that PST and FPFF feel heavy with equipment-specific detail — launching appliances, SCBA donning procedure, EEBD use — while PSSR and EFA feel more conceptual but trip candidates on legal/contractual content like ILO MLC hours of rest.

Which credentials test this

• USCG — required for any STCW endorsement: RFPNW, AB-STCW, Third Mate, Second Mate, Chief Mate, Master, OICEW, Second Engineer, Chief Engineer.
• MCA (UK) — STCW 95/2010 Basic Safety Training certificate, prerequisite for every CoC.
• Transport Canada — MED A1 (Basic Safety) is the Canadian implementation.
• AMSA (Australia) — Certificate of Safety Training, prerequisite for Integrated Rating and deck/engineer CoCs.
• Maritime NZ — STCW Basic Training, part of the Basic Seafarer Safety package.
• DG Shipping India — STCW Pre-Sea BST, mandatory before joining any SOLAS vessel.
• MARINA (Philippines) — Basic Training Certificate, issued against Reg VI/1.
• RMI (Marshall Islands) — Basic Training STCW endorsement accepted based on originating flag certificate.

Core subject-matter breakdown

• PST — immersion suits and lifejackets. Donning time, correct fit, retroreflective tape placement. Candidates miss that SOLAS immersion suits must be donned within 2 minutes.
• PST — survival craft. Release mechanisms (on-load vs off-load), painter connections, sea-anchor use, rations, water discipline.
• PST — SAR and helicopter pickup. Hi-line technique, static discharge, strop configurations.
• FPFF — fire theory. Fire tetrahedron, classes A/B/C/D/F, extinguishing agents and where each is appropriate.
• FPFF — shipboard firefighting. Fixed CO2, water mist, foam systems, international shore connection dimensions (Reg II-2), EEBD 10-minute capacity.
• FPFF — SCBA. Donning sequence, cylinder checks, positive-pressure test, buddy communication.
• EFA — primary survey. DRABC, recovery position, CPR compression rate 100-120/min and depth 5-6cm.
• EFA — shipboard casualties. Burns, hypothermia, drowning, electric shock, and the MFAG (Medical First Aid Guide).
• PSSR — shipboard organization. Master's authority, chain of command, muster list duties under SOLAS Reg III/8.
• PSSR — human element. Fatigue, MLC 2006 hours of rest (77 hrs/week max work, 10 hrs/day min rest), harassment/bullying policy, drugs and alcohol.

Common pitfalls & traps

• Memorizing the fire classes but forgetting which agents are prohibited on Class D (metal) or Class F (cooking oil) fires.
• Confusing EEBD and SCBA — EEBD is escape-only, 10-15 minutes, and may not be used for firefighting entry.
• Getting MLC hours of rest wrong — it is 10 hours per 24 AND 77 hours per seven days, both must be satisfied.
• Forgetting that PST and FPFF refresher training is required every five years; PSSR and EFA are generally one-time (subject to flag state).
• Mixing up international shore connection flange dimensions — they are standardized under SOLAS Reg II-2 Reg 10.

How MMCE.app prepares you

The adaptive engine tracks separate theta values for PST, FPFF, PSSR, and EFA so you always know which of the four you are weakest on. The AI tutor cites the exact STCW table row — e.g., "Column 2 of Table A-VI/1-2, KUP on extinguishing media" — so you are learning against the real assessment standard, not a paraphrase.

Spaced repetition queues every missed question back into your review deck. Full-length Basic Training mock exams simulate the combined module assessment format most training centers use, and the readiness score tells you when you are ready to sit the evaluation.

Related credentials on MMCE.app

STCW Basic Training practice is bundled with Able Seaman (AB-STCW), RFPNW, QMED / RFPEW, Third Mate and above, OICEW, and every deck or engine STCW-level credential. If your endorsement path touches SOLAS, Basic Training is on your study plan.