Question 1764 Deck Safety

The correct answer is B) progressive flooding. A continual worsening of the list or trim indicates progressive flooding, which means that water is steadily entering the vessel's compartments and causing an imbalance in the ship's stability. This is due to a breach in the vessel's watertight integrity, such as a hull breach or leaks in seawater systems. Progressive flooding will continuously worsen the vessel's list and trim until the vessel capsizes or sinks. The other options are incorrect: A) structural failure would cause an abrupt change in list or trim, not a continual worsening; C) negative GM (Metacentric Height) would cause the vessel to initially list but not necessarily worsen over time; and D) ballasting would be a corrective action, not an indication of the problem.