🔍 Key Concepts

• Sea chest / sea suction location on the ship’s shell plating • Effect of shallow water, mud, and debris on cooling water intakes • Why ships have two separate sea suctions (high and low) for different operating conditions

💭 Think About

• Think about which suction you would want to use when the ship is in shallow, possibly muddy water alongside a pier or in a river — would you prefer to pull water from closer to the bottom or a bit higher up? • When the ship is fully loaded and at sea in deep, clear water, which suction location is more likely to stay reliably submerged and provide a steady cooling water supply? • Match the physical location first (near turn of bilge vs. very low on the bottom), then match that to the operating condition (in port/shallow vs. underway in deep water) that logically fits best.

✅ Before You Answer

• Identify correctly which suction is closer to the very bottom of the hull and which is slightly higher up near the turn of the bilge. • Confirm which operating condition — in port/shallow water vs. underway in deep water — is more at risk for sucking up mud, sand, and debris. • Eliminate any options where the suction use does not logically match the risk of clogging vs. need for constant submergence.