Your vessel is listing 4° to port and has a short rolling period. There is loose firefighting water in the hull. The ship is trimmed down by the head with one foot of freeboard at the bow. Which action should you take FIRST?

Correct Answer: Option D — Pump out the forepeak tank.

Severe bow trim leaves only one foot of freeboard, creating an immediate downflooding hazard. Pumping out the forepeak tank removes low-forward weight, increasing critical bow freeboard and mitigating the risk of catastrophic progressive flooding through forward deck openings.