Question 34 TV01 - Towing Vessels - Oceans or Near Coastal

The Correct Answer is A. A tugboat displaying the shape shown in illustration D010RR (a black diamond shape) is indicating that it **has a tow that exceeds 200 meters in length**. This rule is mandated by the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs), specifically Annex I (Positioning and Technical Details of Lights and Shapes), Rule 24 (Towing and Pushing), which requires vessels engaged in towing where the length of the tow exceeds 200 meters to exhibit a diamond shape where it can best be seen. This signal is used under both international and inland rules. **Why the other options are incorrect:** * **B) Has a tow that is carrying hazardous cargo:** There is no specific mandated day shape (like the diamond) in COLREGs solely dedicated to indicating a tow carrying hazardous cargo. Other signals or markings might apply depending on the cargo and jurisdiction, but the diamond shape is not used for this purpose. * **C) Is at anchor:** A vessel at anchor displays a black ball shape (or two black balls for vessels over 50 meters in length), not a black diamond shape. * **D) Is not under command:** A vessel not under command (NUC) displays two vertical black balls, not a single black diamond shape.