Should the safety depth be set according to the ship's draft?

The concept of safety depth pertains to the minimum water depth required to ensure a vessel can navigate without running aground or encountering underwater hazards. It is primarily determined not just by the ship's draft but also by additional factors, such as tides, weather conditions, and the types of navigation areas.

Setting the safety depth solely according to a ship's draft is insufficient because it doesn't account for changes in water levels due to tidal fluctuations, as well as potential underwater obstructions that might not be apparent from the vessel's draft alone. This means that a ship could theoretically be in water deeper than its draft but still risk grounding due to these other factors. Therefore, safety depth should instead incorporate a suitable margin above the vessel's draft to allow for these variables, leading to a safer navigation practice.

This is why the assertion that the safety depth should be set according to the ship's draft is false; safe navigation considers a broader range of variables to ensure the ship can operate safely and securely in various water conditions.