Question 4084 Deck General

The correct answer is B) there is shallow water enroute to the berth. When docking using the port anchor, the shallow water enroute to the berth would be the primary concern. If there is insufficient water depth, lowering the port anchor could cause the vessel to ground or strike the bottom, which would be unsafe and potentially cause damage. The other options, such as wind direction (A) or current (C), would not preclude the use of the port anchor, and another vessel being berthed ahead (D) would simply require adjusting the approach and docking maneuver, but would not necessarily prevent the use of the anchor. Therefore, the presence of shallow water is the key factor that would make it inadvisable to use the port anchor in this situation.