What action is taken if a leak is reported during flooding of the dry dock?

• A. Continue flooding even if it is out of control
• B. If manageable, continue flooding; if out of control stop flooding and reverse
• C. Ignore the leak and proceed with undocking
• D. Seal off all compartments and wait for engineers

Answer: (B)

Flooding a dry dock is a controlled balance between water inflow and any loss through leaks. When a leak is reported, the important factor is whether that leak can be contained so the intended water level can still be reached safely. If the leak is manageable, you can continue flooding while monitoring the rate of inflow versus the leak, keeping control of the process. If the flooding begins to run out of control, the correct action is to stop flooding and reverse the pumps to drain water, restoring stability and reducing the risk of uncontrolled flooding. Ignoring the leak or delaying action (or sealing everything off and waiting for engineers) would delay the operation and raise safety risks, so the practical approach is to proceed only as long as control is maintained and to reverse if control is lost.