Question 257Safety & Environmental - 1st Asst/Chief

The correct answer is D) sounding the tank. Following a grounding incident, the best way to determine if a slack (or partially full) fuel oil tank has been holed is to sound the tank. Sounding the tank will allow you to directly measure the contents and identify any unexpected changes in the fuel level, which would indicate a breach in the tank boundaries. This is the most direct and reliable method to assess the tank's condition. The other options are less effective - waiting for the vessel to list (A) may not provide a clear indication of the tank's integrity, checking fuel oil strainers (B) would only indirectly suggest an issue, and examining the tank boundaries (C) does not provide a definitive assessment of the tank's status. Sounding the tank is the recommended approach to accurately determine if a fuel oil tank has been compromised following a grounding incident.