🔍 Key Concepts

• Purpose and location of freeing ports on a vessel • How water behaves on deck in heavy seas and its effect on stability and freeboard • Difference between structural features for mooring, cargo handling, and drainage

💭 Think About

• Ask yourself: What is the main danger if a lot of seawater stays trapped on deck behind solid bulwarks? • Which option directly reduces that danger, rather than providing a convenience for cargo or mooring? • Think about where freeing ports are typically cut into the bulwarks and what they physically allow to move.

✅ Before You Answer

• Verify which answer choice deals specifically with water on deck rather than cargo or line handling. • Check which option would most quickly reduce weight high up and free surface effect on deck. • Confirm that freeing ports are openings in bulwarks designed for drainage, not primarily for structural stress relief or line leads.