You have steamed 369 miles at 16 knots and burning 326 barrels of fuel per day. You must decrease your consumption to 212 barrels per day with 271 miles left in your voyage. What must you reduce your speed (kts) to in order to burn this amount of fuel?

Correct Answer: Option C — 15.1

Applying Bowditch's cubic fuel consumption principles, the ratio of fuel rates combined with distance constraints allows the calculation of required speed. Solving for the new operational parameter yields a necessary engine speed reduction to 15.1 knots for the remaining 271 miles.