Question 146Safety & Environmental - Assistant Engineer

The correct answer is B) tanks are ballasted. When a vessel's tanks are ballasted, the weight of the ballast added to the lower portion of the vessel causes the center of gravity to shift downwards, lowering the overall center of gravity of the vessel. This is a fundamental principle in ship stability - adding weight to the lower part of the vessel reduces the vessel's susceptibility to rolling or capsizing. The other answer choices are incorrect because: A) Increasing the freeboard (the distance between the waterline and the main deck) does not directly affect the center of gravity. C) Increasing the trim (the difference in draft between the bow and stern) does not necessarily lower the center of gravity. D) Increasing the reserve buoyancy (the additional buoyancy available above the waterline) also does not lower the center of gravity.