Question 216Safety & Environmental - 1st Asst/Chief

The correct answer is D) center of buoyancy. The center of buoyancy is the geometric center of the volume of the portion of the vessel that is submerged or immersed in the water. This is the point at which the total buoyant force acts, and it is a crucial factor in determining the vessel's stability and equilibrium. The other options are not correct. The center of gravity is the center of mass of the vessel, the metacentric height is a measure of the vessel's stability, and the center of flotation is the geometric center of the waterplane area, which is different from the center of buoyancy.