Question 205Safety & Environmental - 1st Asst/Chief

The correct answer is A) Distance from the vessel centerline to the centerline of the wing tank. This is because the distance from the vessel centerline to the centerline of the wing tank is the primary factor that contributes to the loss of stability when a compartment is partially flooded and there is free communication with the sea. The further the flooded compartment is from the vessel's centerline, the greater the negative impact on the vessel's stability. The other options, such as the fullness of the opposite wing tank, the breadth of the affected tank, or the depth from the bottom to the waterline, are secondary factors that can also influence stability, but the distance from the centerline is the most important consideration in this scenario.