At what capacity does a tankship overfill alarm typically activate?

The activation of a tankship overfill alarm at 98% capacity is based on safety protocols designed to prevent spills and ensure environmental protection. The alarm serves as an important safety measure, providing an early warning that the tank is nearing its maximum capacity. This threshold allows crew members to take preventive actions to stop the filling process before reaching an actual overflow, thereby minimizing risks associated with overfilling, such as environmental contamination and potential safety hazards aboard the vessel.

By setting the alarm at 98% rather than at full capacity, there is an essential margin for error in the filling operation, which accounts for factors such as changes in temperature that might cause the cargo to expand. Additionally, this precaution provides time to respond to the alarm and safely manage the situation, reinforcing the importance of safety measures in the tanker industry.

The other options do not provide the same level of safety and risk mitigation inherent in setting the alarm at 98%. For instance, activating the alarm at 100% would be too late to prevent an overfill condition, while options like 95% or 80% might be too conservative, potentially interrupting operations earlier than necessary. Therefore, using 98% balances operational efficiency with safety.