What act was established to prevent the overloading of vessels and stipulate mandatory draft marks?

The Plimsoll Act of 1876 was established primarily to address safety concerns related to the loading of cargo on vessels, specifically aiming to prevent the overloading of ships. The act introduced the requirement for a load line, commonly referred to as the Plimsoll line, which visually indicates the maximum depth a vessel may safely be loaded. This line is marked on the hull and serves as a crucial safety measure, allowing crews, port authorities, and others to easily ascertain whether a ship is loaded within safe limits.

The significance of this act lies in its focus on maritime safety, as overloading can lead to instability, compromised buoyancy, and an increased risk of capsizing. Additionally, the act mandated the inclusion of draft marks, which help in measuring how deep the vessel sits in the water, providing further assurance that the ship is loaded appropriately.

The other options reflect different aspects of maritime regulation. For example, the Collision Regulations of 1862 were concerned with navigational rules to prevent collisions at sea, SOLAS (International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea) 1914 focused on safety requirements for ships, and OPA 90 (Oil Pollution Act of 1990) addresses oil spill prevention and response but does not specifically pert