While steaming at 16.5 knots, your vessel consumes 349 barrels of fuel oil per day. In order to reduce consumption to 189 barrels of fuel oil per day, what is the maximum speed the vessel can turn for?

Correct Answer: Option B — 13.5 knots

Bowditch establishes that vessel fuel consumption varies as the cube of the speed. Utilizing the formula $V_2 = V_1 \times \sqrt[3]{F_2 / F_1}$ with 16.5 knots and the respective fuel rates yields a maximum attainable speed of 13.5 knots.