Question 2498 Deck Safety

The correct answer is A) 0.1 ft. To explain: The reduction in metacentric height due to free surface effect in a hold with free water on the tank tops can be calculated using the formula: GM_free = LBD^3 / 12V, where L is the length of the hold, B is the breadth of the hold, D is the depth of the free surface, and V is the displacement of the vessel. Given the information provided, with a hold that is 40 feet long and 20 feet wide, and a vessel displacement of 8,000 tons, the reduction in metacentric height is calculated to be approximately 0.1 feet, which corresponds to answer choice A. The other answer choices are incorrect because they do not accurately reflect the calculation based on the provided information.