🔍 Key Concepts

• Momentum of large vessels and how stopping distance increases with displacement • Meaning of bare steerageway when maneuvering in confined waters • Effect of current direction (head vs following) on control and stopping ability when docking

💭 Think About

• Think about how quickly a 120,000 DWT bulk carrier can safely stop if something is wrong at the berth. Which option gives you the greatest margin of safety? • Consider which choices describe a specific controlled condition versus those that sound vague or unsafe for a large ship near a hard structure. • Ask yourself: when close to a berth, is your priority more about maintaining minimum control of the rudder, or maintaining higher speed for better steerage?

✅ Before You Answer

• Which option explicitly refers to the lowest speed at which you can still keep the ship under control? • Eliminate options that talk about "any speed", especially in current, and consider why that wording might be dangerous. • Compare 5 knots with typical safe approach speeds for very large ships in confined waters—does that seem conservative or excessive?