 Forward Perpendicular: The perpendicular drawn at the point where the bow

of the ship meets the waterline while it floats at design draft, is called Forward
Perpendicular (FP).
 Aft perpendicular: The perpendicular drawn through the rudder stock is
called the Aft Perpendicular (AP).
 Length between Perpendiculars (LPP or LBP): The longitudinal distance
between the forward and aft perpendiculars is called length between
perpendiculars.
 Length of Waterline (LWL): The length of the ship’s hull intersecting the
surface of the water is called Length on Waterline.
 Length Overall (LOA): The maximum length from the forward most point of
the ship’s hull to the aft-most point, is called Length Overall.
 Keel (K): The keel is the lowermost point of the ship at any point of its length.
The baseline of a ship is the longitudinal line that runs along the keel.

Ship’s Stability means ability of ship for stable. This ability depends upon the
relative position of centre of gravity and centre of buoyancy.

Centre of Gravity (COG)

1. It is the geometrical centre of the body.

2. It is the point at which all the masses of body assumed to be
concentrated.
3. It is the point through which the gravitional force is acting vertically
downward which is equal to the weight of the body.

Centre of Buoyancy (COB)

1. It is the geometrical centre of the underwater volume of the ship.

2. It is the point throw which up thrust force is acting vertically upward.

Centre of flotation (COF) is the geometrical centre of WPA by which a ship is

trimmed.

Density of a substance is its mass per unit volume.

Density = Mass
Volume
where mass is in tonnes (t), volume is in cubic metres (m 3 ) and density is in
tonnes per cubic metre (tm-3 ).

Relative density of a substance is the number of times the substance is

heavier than fresh water.

RD of substance = Density of the substance

Density of fresh water
Displacement this is the weight of the volume of water that the ship
displaces.
Displacement= Lightweight – Deadweight
Water Draft this is the vertical distance from the waterline down to the
keel.
Displacement is commonly used to denote the mass of a ship in tonnes. Technically,
it is the mass of water displaced by a ship and, when floating freely, the mass of
water displaced equals to the mass of the ship, as explained in Chapter 3.

Light displacement is the mass of the empty ship without any cargo, fuel, lubricating
oil, ballast water, fresh and feed water in tanks, consumable stores, and passengers
and crew and their effects.

Load displacement is the total mass of the ship when she is floating in salt water
with her summer loadline at the water surface,

Present displacement is the mass of the ship at present. It is the sum of the light
displacement of the ship and everything on board at present.

Lightweight this is the weight of the ship itself when completely empty. It is made
up of steel weight, wood and outfit weight and machinery weight.

Deadweight (DWT) of a ship is the total mass of cargo, fuel, freshwater, etc., that a
ship can carry, when she is floating in salt water with her summer loadline at the
water surface,
DWT of ship = load displacement - light displacement
Deadweight aboard is the total mass of cargo, fuel, ballast, fresh water, etc, on
board at present.

DWT aboard = present displacement- light displacement

Deadweight available is the total mass of cargo, fuel, fresh water, etc., that can be
put on the ship at present to bring her summer loadline to the water surface in salt
water.
DWT available = load displ - present displ.
Reserve buoyancy (RB) is the volume of the enclosed spaces above the waterline. It
maybe expressed as a volume in rn 3 or as a percentage of the total volume of the
ship.

RB = Total volume - underwater volume

RB % = Above water volume x 100 Total volume

Tonnes per centimetre (TPC) is the number of tonnes required to cause the ship to
sink or rise by one centimetre. In Sl units TPC is indicated as tcm-l
Considering 1 cm sinkage

Tonnes per centimetre (TPC) the TPC for any draft is the mass which must
be loaded or discharged to change a ship’s mean draft by one centemetre.

Stable equilibrium
When a vessel is heeled (inclined by an external force), if she tends to
come back to her original condition, she is said to be in stable equilibrium.
Unstable equilibrium
When a vessel is heeled (inclined by an external force), if she tends to
continue heeling further, she is said to be in unstable equilibrium.

Neutral equilibrium
When a vessel is heeled (inclined by an external force), if she has no
tendency to return to her original condition or to continue heeling further, she
is said to be in neutral equilibrium.

Trim is the different between frd & aft draft of the ship.

Draft is a vertical distance from keel to water line.

Trim Caused/Change of trim- Trim caused is the difference between initial

trim and final trim.

Heel – A ship is said to be heeled when she is inclined by an external force.

For example. When the ship is inclined by the action of the waves or wind.
List – A ship is said to be listed when she is inclined by forces within the ship.
For example. When the ship is inclined by shifting a weight transversely within
the ship. This is a fixed angle of heel.