Where must load lines be marked on a foreign vessel?

Load lines must be marked amidships on the port and starboard sides of a foreign vessel to ensure compliance with international safety standards. This placement is crucial because it allows for easy visibility and assessment of the vessel's loading status from either side, ensuring that the ship is neither overloaded nor underloaded. The load line markings indicate the maximum safe draft under various conditions, ensuring that the vessel maintains stability and buoyancy while at sea.

Markings at the bow, stern, or keel would not provide the necessary reference points for crew members and inspectors to determine the vessel's loading condition efficiently, which is why amidships is designated as the appropriate location for these critical load line indicators.