Dry Cargo Test 1 Practice

Draft is the vertical distance from the waterline to the hull’s lowest point, the keel. This measure shows how deeply the ship sits in the water and is what you must monitor during loading.

As cargo is added, the ship’s weight increases and it sits lower in the water, so the draft grows. If the draft becomes too deep, the vessel can run aground or fail to meet depth restrictions in a port, channel, or canal. Exceeding the permitted draft can also affect safe navigation and regulatory compliance, and it influences stability and freeboard. Properly managing draft ensures there is enough water under the keel for safe entry, maneuvering, and departure, and helps maintain a balanced, safe loading condition.

The other descriptions don’t fit because they describe cargo capacity, spacing, or ballast pumping speed, which are not what draft measures.