Deck General · Load Lines
The load line mark (Plimsoll mark) on a vessel's hull indicates the:
- AVessel's maximum draft when in ballast condition
- BMaximum depth to which a vessel may legally be loaded under specified conditions✓ Correct
- CLocation of the vessel's center of buoyancy
- DDraft at which the vessel achieves maximum stability
Explanation
The Plimsoll mark, or load line, is a series of lines painted on the hull indicating the maximum legal loading depth under different seasonal and geographic conditions (e.g., Tropical, Fresh, Tropical Fresh, Summer, Winter, Winter North Atlantic). Loading the vessel deeper than the applicable mark is illegal.
Authority: 46 CFR
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