Question 165Safety & Environmental - QMED

The correct answer is D) sounding the tank. Sounding the tank is the best way to determine if a fuel oil tank has been holed following a grounding incident. By sounding the tank, you can directly measure the level of the fuel oil and detect any significant changes or discrepancies that would indicate a breach in the tank boundaries. This is a direct and reliable method to assess the tank's integrity. The other options are not as effective in this scenario. Waiting for the vessel to list (A) may not provide a clear indication of a holed tank, as the list could be caused by other factors. Examining the tank boundaries (B) requires additional inspection that may not be immediately available. Checking the fuel oil strainers (C) would not directly confirm the tank's condition.