Question 150Safety & Environmental - Assistant Engineer

The correct answer is C) center of buoyancy. The center of buoyancy is the geometric center of the immersed portion of the vessel, which is the point where the total buoyant force acts. This is the correct answer because the buoyant force, which counteracts the weight of the vessel, is determined by the volume and shape of the immersed portion, and the center of buoyancy represents the point where this force is applied. The other options are incorrect because the metacentric height is a measure of a vessel's stability, the center of gravity is the point where the weight of the vessel acts, and the center of flotation is the geometric center of the waterplane area, which is different from the immersed portion.