BOTH INTERNATIONAL & INLAND During the day, a vessel picking up a submarine cable shall exhibit which shapes?

Correct Answer: Option D — three shapes; the highest and lowest shall be black balls and the middle shall be a black diamond

Rule 27(b)(iii) mandates that a vessel engaged in restricted maneuverability, such as picking up a submarine cable, must display three shapes in a vertical line. The top and bottom shapes must be black balls, and the middle shape must be a black diamond to indicate the nature of operations.