Professional Documents
Culture Documents
1. LENGTH
A ships length is measured in different ways for ships officers, for architects and designers,
and for registry. Terms used for technical or registry purposes include registered length,
tonnage length, floodable length, and length by ABS rules. We mention these terms for
familiarization only. The more commonly used length measurements-length overall, length
between perpendiculars, and length on load waterline are discussed as follows.
1.1.Length Overall (LOA)
A ships Length Overall is measured in feet and inches from the extreme forward end
of the bow to the extreme aft end of the stern. Watercraft operators must be familiar with this
and similar dimensions to safely manoeuvre the ship. The dimension is commonly found in
lists of ships data for each vessel.
1.1.2.Length Between Perpendiculars (LBP)
A ships Length Between Perpendiculars is measured in feet and inches from the
forward surface of the stem, or main bow perpendicular member, to the after surface of the
sternpost, or main stern perpendicular member. On some types of vessels this is, for all
practical purposes, a waterline measurement.
1.13. Length on Load Waterline (LWL)
A ships Length on Load Waterline is an important dimension because length at the
waterline is a key factor in the complex problem of speed, resistance, and friction. On vessels
with a counter stern, the LWL and LBP can be the same or about the same. On a ship with a
cruiser stern, the LWL is greater than the LBP.
1.2. WIDTH
A ships width or, more properly a ships breadth is expressed in a number of ways and,
like length, for a number of reasons.
1.2.1. Maximum/Extreme Breadth
A ships maximum/extreme breadth is measured in feet and inches from the most
outboard point on one side to the most outboard point on the other at the widest point on the
ship.
1.2.2. Beam
The beam of a ship is the width of the ship (over the plating) taken at any position along
the length. When giving a brief summary of ships measurements there is a tendency to use
the term beam for maximum/extreme breadth.
1.3.
DEPTH
The depth of a vessel involves several important vertical dimensions. They involve
terms like freeboard, draft, draft marks, and load lines. The vessels depth is measured
vertically from the lowest point of the hull, ordinarily from the bottom of the keel, to the side
of any deck that you may choose as a reference point.
1.3.1. Freeboard
When a ship floats, a large part of it is below the waterline. The waterline is the line
at which a ship floats in the water, depending on its load. The vertical distance from the
waterline to the edge of the lowest outside deck is the freeboard.
1.3.2. Draft/Draught
The vertical distance form the waterline to the lowest part of the ships bottom is the
draft. The draft is also the least depth of water in which a ship will float. The draft of a ship
will vary according to the weight with which it is loaded. A fully-loaded ship will have a
deeper draft than when unloaded. An unloaded ship will have a shallow draft. There may be a
difference between the ships draft aft and her draft forward according to the weight of the
load carried. Large vessels are usually vessels of deep draft or hampered vessels. They have to
comply with maritime international regulations relating to the maximum draft permitted in
various navigable areas.
1.3.3. Draft marks and load lines
A vessel that was overloaded might become unstable and sink. To stop that from
happening there are very strict laws governing the loading of ships. On the side of every
vessel there is painted a line (like the one in the drawing) which shows the safe level at which
the ship floats in water of different densities. The vessel must never be loaded so that this line
goes below the level of the water. This safety line carries the name of the man who advocated
it- Samuel Plimsoll. It is called the Plimsoll Line. A set of marks are painted on the bows, the
stern and amidships. These marks show the vertical height of the hull from the underside of
the keel to just the load line. These marks are called draft marks.
Adjective
long
wide
broad
deep
thick
high
1.4.2. We can describe the length, breadth, depth and height of an object by using four
different patterns:
1.
2.
3.
4.
In order to describe the radius, diameter or the circumference of an object you will have
to use only the patterns 1,2 and 3.
1.4.3. We can describe the dimensions of a ship using the following patterns:
1.
2.
3.
2. VOCABULARY
Words and phrases
Length = lungime
LOA(length overall) = lungime maxim
LBP(length between perpendiculars) = lungime a navei ntre perpendiculare
LWL( length on load waterline) = lungime a navei la linia de plutire de ncrcare
Width = lime
Breadth = lime a navei
Beam = lime maxim (a navei); traversul navei
Depth = adncime(a apei);nal]ime a bordului; pescaj
Freeboard = bordul liber
Draught/draft = pescaj
Draught /draft forward =pescaj prova
Draught/draft aft = pescaj pupa
Draught/draft marks = scara de pescaj/ncrcare
Load lines = marca de ncarcare, marca de bord liber
Plimsoll line/mark = semn Plimsoll, marca de bord liber
Trim = asiet, diferen de pescaj; nclinare longitudinal
Trimmed by the bow/head/stem = (nav) aprovat
II.
1.
4.
5.
The painted line which shows the safe level at which the ship floats in water of
different densities is called the..Line.
The of a ship is the width of the ship (over the plating) taken at any position along
the length.
When either the bow or stern is lower in the water than it should be, we say the ship
is
If the ship is out of balance from left to right, she is said to have a
Ais the line at which a ship floats in the water.
III.
1.
2.
2.
3.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
6. SELF-TEST
I.
A
1. LOA
2. Trim
3. LBP
4. Beam
5. Draft
6. List
B
a)The relation of the length of the draft
and the bow and stern
b)The vertical distance from the waterline
to the lowest part of the ships bottom
c) It is measured from the extreme forward
end of the bow to the extreme end of the
stern
d)It is measured from the forward surface
of the stem to the after surface of the
sternpost.
e)The ship is out of balance from left to
right.
f)The width of the ship (over the plating)
taken at any position along the length.
12p
II.
1.
A ships --- --- ---is an important dimension because length at the waterline is a key
factor in the complex problem of speed, resistance, and friction.
The---is the line at which a ship floats in the water, depending on its load.
A set of marks are painted on the bows, the stern and amidships. These marks are
called--- ---Large vessels are usually vessels of deep draft or--- ----
2.
3.
4.
8p
III.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
7. Self-Test-Answer-key
I.
1c; 2a; 3d; 4f; 5b;6e
II.
1.
2.
3.
4.
III.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
hampered vessels
Care este pescajul prova?
Care este pescajul maxim actual?
Am o nclinare spre babord
Care este bordul liber?
Nava este pe chil dreapt
Pescajul maxim permis/admis
Nava este aprovat
Care este lungimea maxim?
Care este lungimea ntre perpendiculare?
Eti canarisit/bandat?
PROPULSION, STEERING
AND THE BRIDGE
1.
Ships are pushed through the water by screws (propellers). This process is known as
propulsion, which means to be driven forward. A ship with one propeller is known as a
single-screw ship. One with two propellers is known as a twin-screw ship. Some have four
propellers and are known as four-screw ships. The screws are connected to the main
propulsion engine by a shaft. The main propulsion engine, often called the main engine,
provides a ship with power to move. A shaft is a long cylinder that transmits power by
rotation. The power for a ships engine is usually from a turbine engine. This is a type of
motor with blades that rotate inside and are moved by a steam, electric, diesel, diesel-electric,
or nuclear source.
1.1.
A ship is steered by its rudder and screws. A rudder is a flat, vertical structure at the
stern of the ship that moves from side to side causing the ship to change direction. One or
more screws can work separately or together with the rudder during a turn. If the rudder
moves right, the ship turns right. If the rudder moves left, the ship turns left. Rudders are
turned in the water by steering engines, and the combination of equipment used to turn and
power them is the steering gear. The steering engines, located in the rear of the ship are
controlled by the wheel. The wheel is found on the bridge and is turned by the helmsman.
This is the customary name for the sailor who has the job of steering.
1.2.
The bridge, mentioned in the unit on ship structure, is the main point and nerve center
of any ship. All orders and commands come from there, while the ship is underway. The
master and the officer of the deck have their main places of duty on the bridge, which is also
called the conn. The officer of the deck is the officer on the bridge who is in charge of the
ship for a special period of duty. This is also where the helm is found. Helm is another word
for the wheel used to steer the ship. One of the main tasks performed on the bridge is
navigation. This is finding the position, course (direction), and distance travelled. Because of
this, the equipment on the bridge includes the binnacle, which holds the magnetic compass
giving the magnetic direction. There is also a gyro-repeater, connected to the gyrocompass
below the main deck, to give readings on true direction. The gyrocompass operates by means
of gyroscopes, which are wheels free to spin, free to separately rotate about one or both of two
axes. There is also a radar repeater which gives readings from the ships radar system to
locate objects outside of the ship. Communications equipment on the bridge includes an
engine order telegraph for transmitting engine orders to the engineers. There are also
telephones, and intercommunication sets commonly called squawk boxes. These are used for
communication to various parts of the ship. There is also a fathometer, which measures the
depth of the water. Around the enclosed bridge there is usually an open platform from which
lookouts(observers) and the officer of the deck may determine the position of other ships and
objects of interest.
2. On-board communication phrases
2.1. Standard wheel orders
All wheel orders given should be repeated by the helmsman and the officer of the watch should
ensure that they are carried out correctly and immediately. All wheel orders should be held until
countermanded. The helmsman should report immediately if the vessel does not answer the wheel.
ORDER
MEANING
1. Midships
Rudder to be held in the fore and aft position = mijloc crma
2. Port five
5of port rudder to be held
= babord cinci
3. Port ten
10 of port rudder to be held
= babord zece
4. Port fifteen
15 of port rudder to be held
= babord cincisprezece
5. Port twenty
20 of port rudder to be held
= babord douzeci
6. Port twenty-five
25 of port rudder to be held
= babord douzeci i cinci
7. Hard-a-port
Rudder to be held fully over to port= banda stnga
8. Starboard five
5 of starboard rudder to be held = tribord cinci
9. Starboard ten
10 of starboard rudder to be held = tribord zece
10.Starboard fifteen
15 of starboard rudder to be held = tribord cincisprezece
11.Starboard twenty
20 of starboard rudder to be held = tribord douzeci
12.Starboard twenty-five25of starboard rudder to be held = tribord douzeci i cinci
13.Hard-a-starboard
Rudder to be held fully over to starboard= banda dreapta
14.Ease to five
Reduce amount of rudder to 5and hold = redu la cinci
15.Ease to ten
Reduce amount of rudder to 10and hold = redu la zece
16.Ease to fifteen
Reduce amount of rudder to 15and hold = redu la cincisprezece
17.Ease to twenty
Reduce amount of rudder to 20and hold = redu la douzeci
18.Steady
Reduce swing as rapidly as possible.
=drept aa
19.Steady as she goes Steer a steady course on the compass
heading indicated at the time of the order=ine-o drept aa
20.Keep the buoy/mark/beaconon port side = ine geamandura/semnul/baliza..n babord
21.Keep the buoy/mark/beacon on starboard side = ine geamandura/semnul/baliza n tribord
22.Report if she does not answer the wheel
=raporteaz dac nu rspunde la crm
When the officer of the watch requires a course to be steered by compass, the
direction in which he wants the wheel turned should be stated followed by each numeral
being said separately, including zero, for example:
ORDER
COURSE TO BE STEERED
In vessels fitted with twin propellers, the word both should be added to all orders affecting
both shafts, e.g. Full ahead both, and Slow astern both, except that the words Stop all
engines should be used, when appropriate. When required to manoeuvre twin propellers
independently, this should be indicated, i.e. Full ahead starboard, Half astern port, etc.
Where bow thrusters are used, the following orders are used:
14.Bow thrust full (half) to port
= Propulsor prova, toat/jumtate (viteza)babord
15.Bow thrust full ( half) to starboard=Propulsor prova, toat/jumtate(viteza)tribord
16.Stern thrust full ( half) to port
=Propulsor pupa, toat/jumtate(viteza)babord
17.Stern thrust full (half) to starboard=Propulsor pupa, toat/jumtate(viteza)tribord
18. Bow (stern) thrust stop
= propulsor prova/pupa, stop.
4. Vocabulary Practice
I.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
Ships are pushed through the water by propellers. Whats another word for
propellers?
What is the action of being driven forward called?
What is a ship with one propeller called?
What is a ship with two propellers called?
What is a ship with four propellers called?
Which engine drives the ship?
What is a turbine engine?
How are main engines powered?
What is the flat, vertical structure at the stern that causes a ship to turn?
What is the source of power to turn rudders?
What are the motors and control equipment used to turn and power the rudder called?
What controls the steering engines?
Who turns the wheel?
II.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
III.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
What do we say about a ship when its free to move in the water?
What is another word for the bridge of a ship?
What is another word for the wheel used to steer a ship?
What is the science of finding the position, course, and distance travelled by a ship
called?
What is the course of a ship?
What is a binnacle?
What is a gyrocompass?
What is a gyro-repeater?
What is the wheel within a gyrocompass called?
What is an engine order telegraph?
What is another word for intercommunication sets?
What is a fathometer?
What is a radar repeater?
What is a platform?
What is a lookout?
IV.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
V.
VI.
6. SELF-TEST
I.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
II.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
IV.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
7. Self-test-Answer-key
I.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
screws(propellers)
single-screw ship
shaft
turbine
shaft
steering engines
steering gear
wheel
helmsman
10.
II.
screw
IV.
1.
2.
3.
4.
binnacle
true direction
gyroscope
ships course
5.
depth
DIRECTIONS
2. VOCABULARY
Words and phrases
2.2.Now study this diagram of a traditional general cargo ship and read the description below :
A traditional general cargo ship has her engine room and bridge superstructure amidships.
She may have three holds forward of the bridge and two holds aft of the bridge. Forward of
No.1 hold is the forecastle and right forward is the jackstaff. Derricks are supported by masts
and samson posts. They are stowed fore and aft when the ship is at sea. There are two
lifeboats, one on the port side amidships another on the starboard side amidships, abaft the
funnel. The poop is situated aft and there is an ensign right aft.
2.3.Study the diagram below and read the description of a modern general cargo:
A modern general cargo ship has her engine room and bridge superstructure aft. She
may have four holds forward of the bridge and one hold aft of the bridge. Forward of
No.1 hold is the forecastle and right forward is the jackstaff. Derricks are supported
by masts and Samson posts. They are stowed fore and aft when the ship is at sea.
There are two lifeboats, one on the port side aft, another on the starboard side aft,
abaft the funnel. The poop and the bridge superstructure are combined. There is an
ensign staff right aft.
2.4. Terms describing position in relation to a ship
Study the diagram below:
As you have noticed, there is a tanker at the centre of the diagram and a host of ships
around her. The position of these ships in relation to the tanker can be
expressed in the following way:
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
i)
j)
k)
l)
A is forward; b is aft; c is abaft; d is astern; e is on the port side; f is on the starboard side;
g is abeam; h is athwartships; I is amidships
4. Vocabulary Practice
I.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
II.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
III.
IV.
Translate the following text into Romanian paying attention to the terms
relating to directions and position in a ship
A modern general cargo ship has her engine room and bridge superstructure
aft. She may have four holds forward of the bridge and one hold aft of the
bridge. Forward of No.1 hold is the forecastle and right forward is the
jackstaff. Derricks are supported by masts and Samson posts. They are stowed
fore and aft when the ship is at sea. There are two lifeboats, one on the port
side aft, another on the starboard side aft, abaft the funnel. The poop and the
bridge superstructure are combined. There is an ensign staff right aft.
6. SELF-TEST
I. Decide if the following statements are TRUE(T) or FALSE(F).Circle the correct answer.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
T/F
T/F
T/F
T/F
T/F
T/F
T/F
T/F
T/F
T/F
8p
7. Self-test Answer-key
I.
1.T; 2.F; 3.F; 4.T; 5.T; 6.F; 7.T; 8.F; 9.F; 10.T.
II.
abaft=behind
This is a motor that turns a shaft on which is mounted a wildcat or chain grab, which
is the wheel that takes up the chain. This equipment is located in the windlass room. Below
the windlass room is the chain locker where the chain is kept. The chain travels below
through a hawsepipe
When a ship is anchored, the chain is held with one to three stoppers consisting of a pelican
hook and a turnbuckle in a short length of chain. The stopper helps the chain to hold. A
pelican hook is a hinged hook held in place by a ring. The turnbuckle can be set to make the
stopper tight or loose.
Among the deck fittings (tools and machinery found on the deck) are capstans and
winches. The capstan is a powered item of equipment used for handling mooring lines (ropes
and chains) and for other functions requiring strong power. Winches are pulling machines,
mainly used to handle cargo which consists of supplies and materials being transported.
1.1.VOCABULARY
Words and phrases
Figure 1. Cleat
Figure 2. Bitts
Figure 2 shows a pair of bitts. These are cylindrical fittings made of iron or steel. Each pair is
mounted on a footing (base). The footing is attached to the deck by bolts, or by welding
(united metals by heat). The shipboard (on the ship) ends of mooring lines are attached to the
bitts.
Figures 3, 4,and 5 show a series of chocks. Chocks are heavy fittings with smooth
surfaces through which mooring lines are led. Mooring lines are run from bitts on deck
through chocks to the pier. There are three types. Figure 3 shows an open chock, which is
open at the top. Figure 4 is of a closed chock .It is closed by metal at the top. Figure 5 is a
roller chock. Roller chocks contain round cylinders to reduce friction.
Figure 6 is of a bollard. This is a strong fitting which is found on piers. The mooring
lines from the ship are attached to it.
Figure 7 shows a padeye. Padeyes are metal fittings welded to decks and bulkheads.
They are used for attachments which will require great strength such as towing (ship pulling)
operations. They are also used with chain stoppers, and cargo blocks and tackles.
A seaman needs to be able to recognize and know the functions of all of these fittings.
Much of his work will involve them.
Figure 6. Bollard
2.1. VOCABULARY
deck fittings = instalaii/mecanisme de punte
to belay = a lua volta (la tachet sau cavil); a amara
Figure 7. Padeye
4. Vocabulary Practice
I.
1.
2.
3
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
II.Complete the following sentences by filling in the blank spaces with the appropriate term(s):
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
The equipment known as _______ _______is used for mooring and anchoring
ships.
Tying a ship to the land or a buoy is known as_________________________
Keeping a ship in place at sea with a weight and chain is_________________
Another word for tying is to________________________________________
A heavy weight at the end of a chain to keep a ship in place is called an______
A series of metal rings joined together form a __________________________
A U-shaped metal ring for connecting tackle is a________________________
A short length of rope or chain used for holding a line or chain is a_________To raise or lift is to_______________________________________________
A motor that pulls in an anchor is a __________________________________
A wheel on the windlass that takes the anchor chain up is the______________
Another word for wildcat is________________________________________
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
III.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
IV.
is
a___________________________________________________________
B is an___________________________________________________________
C is a____________________________________________________________
D is a ___________________________________________________________
E is a____________________________________________________________
F is a____________________________________________________________
G is a____________________________________________________________
6. SELF-TEST
I.
1.
2.
3.
II.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
10p
Stability
Most travellers take it for granted that their ship will float the right way up. This it will only do if it has
been correctly designed and constructed. A ship will experience many forces that will try to turn it over.
The ship must of course be capable to resist these forces by what is commonly known as stability. Too
much stability is undesirable because this may cause unpleasant motions and can be costly due to a
high fuel consumption.
Too little stability will make the ship heel over easily and capsize.
Thus, as with so many other features of design, stability is a compromise.
A body is said to be in a state of equilibrium when the resultant of all the forces that act on it is zero
and the resultant moment of the forces is also zero.
If a body, subject to a small disturbance, from a state of equilibrium tends to return to that state, it is
said to possess a positive stability - it is in a state of equilibrium.
If, following the disturbance, the equilibrium is reduced even more, then the body is said to be in a state
of unstable equilibrium - it has a negative stability.
To reach the state of equilibrium, buoyancy and the gravity (weight) must be equal and the two forces
must act along the same line.
Another term for buoyancy is upthrust, which of course is related to Archimedes' Law (or Archimedes'
Principle), which says that when a body is immersed in a liquid it will experience an upthrust that is
equal to the weight of the displaced liquid.
For conventional ships the longitudinal stability is always high. This is not always the case for offshore
drilling barges and other less conventional vessels.
Unless a ship is stable it will not float upright, because, although in the upright position it is in
equilibrium, there will always be disturbances - from the sea, air or movement within the ship - which
will force it out of the upright position.
An "unstable"ship will not return to this position. And even if it does not actually capsize, it would be
unpleasant to be in a ship that lolls to one side constantly. Circumstances that will cause a ship to heel
may be external or internal. External influences are:
- the action of the wind, which will be most influential with ships with high freeboards and large
superstructures;
- the action of waves, causing the rolling and pitching, heaving, surging, swaying and yawing of vessels
in rough seas;
- wafer properties, such as density (or specific gravity). The density of the water in which a vessel
floats will affect her draft and trim. Density will mainly depend upon the temperature and the salinity
of the water;
- kinematic viscosity. This is particularly relevant to the frictional resistance a ship wilt experience
when proceeding through the water salinity.
Values for samples of seawater will vary from area to area and will depend, among other things, upon
the salinity. Many objects will float in the Dead Sea, but would sink in fresh water.
Internal influences mostly relate to the human element, or, as it is often called, the Human Factor (HF).
Examples are:
- the action of the rudder when a ship is being manoeuvred;
- loading and discharging cargoes: if the stowage plan has been drawn up badly the vessel will soon
heel over to port or starboard.
Questions on Stability
Answer the questions about the text in full sentences,
1) What is meant by "stability"?
2) Why is stability a compromise?
3) What ts meant by "equilibrium"?
4) Explain: positive stability.
5) Explain: negative stability.
6) What is Archimedes' Principle?
7) Mention the factors that will cause instability.
8) On what does the density of the water have its effects?
9) What factors determine the specific gravity of water?
10) What is the relation between the kinematic viscosity and the frictional resistance of a ship
proceeding through the water?
11) What is the relation between "the action of the rudder when a ship is manoeuvring" and HF?
The master compass is usually situated on the monkey island, a small deck or platform over the
wheelhouse.
The upper deck
The imaginary line from stem to stern is called the fore-and-aft line. It divides the vessel into a
starboard- and portside (when facing forward). "Abeam" is used to indicate direction at a right angle to
the fore-and-aft line.
The terms used to indicate directions in which the vessel can proceed are: ahead and astern, starboard
and port.
The upper deck, or main deck, is divided into the foremost deck (a), called "forecastle", the centre
deck, called "midships" (b), and the aft deck, called "quarterdeck" (c). A raised quarterdeck is called
"poopdeck".
The foremost part of the vessel is divided into the starboard bow and port bow (d). The quarterdeck is
divided into the starboard quarter and port quarter (e).
Bulk Carriers
Bulk cargo is unpacked cargo of one commodity. Dry bulk cargo, such as grain, ore, fertilizers, etc. is
carried in specially designed vessels with holds that have been divided into compartments by
longitudinal and transverse separations, so that the ship's stability will not be affected by a full cargo.
The holds of these ships are often constructed in such a way that they are self-trimming; this means that
the surface of the cargo is constantly made equal by special pumps in rolling circumstances or when the
vessel has a list.
Dry bulk cargo is loaded and discharged by cranes with grabs or by pumps.
Liquid cargoes such as crude oil, petroleum, edible oils, etc. are carried in tankers, for example in Very
Large Crude Carriers (VLCC's), chemical tankers, such as Liquefied Petroleum Gas tankers (LPG
carriers) or Liquefied Natural Gas tankers (LNG carriers).
Product tankers are small tankers that carry different sorts of oils.
For safety reasons tankers must be fitted with double bottoms. These spaces also provide storage for
fuel, lubricating oil and waters.
Coasters
A coaster carries cargo along the coast or on sea-voyages. Trans-Atlantic voyages are quite common. A
coaster is of limited length and tonnage. Her engine room is situated aft Often there are no tweendecks
and the cargo spaces have no obstacles, so that a variety of cargo can be handled. Hatches are very
broad and cover most of the main deck surface. Because of her limited length she will hardly
experience any problems related to longitudinal stresses. However, due to the broad hatchways,
transverse strengthening is necessary to avoid difficulties caused by transverse stresses.
Heavy-load vessels have been designed to lift and carry extremely heavy cargo on the main deck. Their
most prominent features are very heavy derricks ("booms"), masts and lifting-blocks. Their cargoes,
such as drilling platforms, engines, yachts, trains, derelicts and wrecks, are loaded onto the main deck,
which is flat and free from any obstacles.
A special way of loading and carrying heavy cargo is performed by submerging the ship and have the
cargo-module float over it. She must be equipped with a powerful pumping-system.
After pumping the ship empty the vessel will emerge again and will pick up the cargo.
Multi-Purpose Vessels
Cargo ships that carry both general cargo, bulk cargo and containerized cargo are called multi-purpose
(or multi-loads) vessels. These ships are equipped with a variety of cargo handling gears to load and
discharge the different types of cargoes.
An OBO-ship has been designed to carry oil/bulk/ore. She has been subdivided in such a way that oil
can be carried in the largest compartments and ore can be carried in the smaller compartments.
Passenger Ships
Passenger ships, such as cross-Channel ferries, have been designed to carry passengers and their
vehicles on a prearranged route.
Their main features are more or less the same as the features of the Ro/Ro vessels.
Cruise ships have been especially designed to carry holidaymakers.
A cable layer lays cables on the bottom of the sea. She is fitted with a huge horizontal wheel that reels
off the cable.
This type of ship is often equipped with a Dynamic Positioning System to keep her in the
exact position when the submarine cable is reeled off.
A lightship serves as a beacon for navigation and is anchored in the vicinity of crowded channels or
seaways. She is usually not self-propelled, which means that she has to be towed to her position.
Icebreakers are designed to ride up the ice and crush a way through for other ships to follow. This
requires a powerful engine and a considerable strengthening of her stem.
A dredger deepens out harbours and ports, fairways, approaches and entrances, inland
waterways, anchorages, roadsteads, etc. Spoil is discharged into an integrated hopper or into a hopper
that is moored alongside. To keep her in position she is often spudded.
There are bucket dredgers, grab dredgers (or backhoe dredgers) and suction dredgers with drag heads.
A cutterhead is used to disintegrate rocky bottoms.
Fisherman
Large and modern fishing vessels (fishermen) are capable of catching and processing enormous
quantities of fish. They may be underway for weeks before they return to their homeports. Large
refrigerating plants on board provide deepfreezing facilities. Before the fish are deep-frozen they are
often stored in RSW-tanks (Refrigerated Sea Water Tanks). Powerful winches are used for hoisting the
nets on board.
Man-of-war
Peace-keeping vessels (warships / men-of-war) are measured by weight, contrary to merchant ships,
which are measured by volume. Warships must be capable to develop speeds of 25 knots and more, and
must therefore be equipped with a high-power propulsion plant.