The scuppers had been plugged as required at the time an oil spill occurs on deck. After shutting down the transfer, the engine room should first be informed and then __________.

Correct Answer: Option A — spread an absorbent material, such as sawdust

When an oil spill occurs despite plugged scuppers, immediate emergency response requires containing the deck pool using absorbent materials to prevent overboard discharge before notifying engineering and executing cleanup protocols.