You have steamed 540 miles at 22 knots and burning 618 barrels of fuel per day. You must decrease your consumption to 372 barrels per day with 299 miles left in your voyage. What must you reduce your speed (kts) to in order to burn this amount of fuel?

Correct Answer: Option A — 22.9

Fuel consumption varies with the cube of the speed (C1/C2 = (V1/V2)^3). Using the initial consumption of 618 barrels at 22 knots, solve for the new speed V2 required for 372 barrels. The relationship dictates a reduction in speed to 22.9 knots to maintain the required fuel efficiency parameters.