🔍 Key Concepts

• Towing safety and emergency procedures before departure • Responsibility of the towing vessel operator under U.S. regulations and good seamanship • Difference between required safety preparations and commercial/administrative arrangements

💭 Think About

• Which items directly affect the immediate safety of the tug, the tow, and the crew during the voyage? • Which item, if not done, would most clearly create a risk in an emergency such as a parted hawser or loss of control of the tow? • Is every choice something the captain can and must personally ensure, or is one more of a business/insurance function rather than a safety/seamanship requirement?

✅ Before You Answer

• Verify which options relate to equipment and rigging needed to safely conduct a tow (before clearing the dock). • Check which option is primarily about safety of navigation and emergency response rather than paperwork or financial protection. • Ask yourself: If the captain failed to do this, would it be an immediate regulatory or seamanship failure, or mainly a problem for the company/underwriters if something goes wrong?