What type of distress communication must always be logged?

The correct response highlights that all distress communications, regardless of whether your own ship originated them, must be logged. This is crucial in maritime operations to maintain a comprehensive record of distress situations, which can facilitate coordination during emergencies, aid in rescue efforts, and provide important data for post-incident analysis.

Logging all incidents ensures that there is transparency and accountability in maritime communications, allowing authorities to track patterns or incidents that may require further investigation or awareness. Additionally, even if a vessel is not directly involved in the distress communication, having a record could be vital for understanding the context of the incident, including potential impact on navigation and safety for nearby vessels.

The other choices do not emphasize the required comprehensive logging of all distress communications, which is vital in ensuring safety at sea. Limiting the logging to only those originated by your own ship or only during tests reduces the effectiveness of response protocols and neglects the broader picture of maritime safety. Furthermore, written communications alone would not encompass the range of radio and other distress signals that might occur, thereby failing to capture the full extent of distress situations that could impact maritime operations.