CALCULATING PLACEMENT OF LOAD LINE

  

The letters A and B on either side of the load line disk denotes the organization which
issued the load line certificate, in this case, the American Bureau of Shipping or ABS.

Placement of the "Plimsoll Line" is determined by a calculation of the freeboard considered

necessary to ensure adequate "reserve bouyancy" for the type of ship, cargo, season,and
geographic area of operation.

A complete discussion of the factors involved in calculating freeboard is beyond the scope
of this web-page, but some of the items considered by classfication societys include:

Structural Strength - The deeper the draft of a ship (the amount of the ship that is
underwater), the greater are the loads imposed on the ship's structure.

Compartmentalization - In the event of an accident (or casualty in marine terms), the

amount of reserve bouyancy available will depend on how the hull is divided into separate
watertight compartments. Compartmentalization is especially critical in the design and
construction of passenger ships and special subdvision load lines are assigned for these
vessels.

Deck Height - Platform height (the height of the weather deck above the waterline) is a
measure of how the vessel may be affected by seas which sweep across the deck.

Transverse Stability - While freeboard does not directly determine the side-to-side
stability of a ship, higher freeboard will allow a ship to roll further before submerging the
deck.
Hull Form - Sheer describes the curve between bow and stern. A ship with high freeboard
at the bows and stern compared to midships (where freeboard is measured) has more
reserve bouancy.

Fullness - The underwater shape of a hull. A rectangular cross-section as on a tanker, is

described as "full" and has less reserve bouyancy with the same freeboard than a more
rounded hull like that of tugboat or liner.

Length - A long ship only a few feet of freeboard has less reserve bouyancy that a shorter
ship with the same freeboard.

Type of Vessel and Cargo - Tankers and Lumber ships with bouyant cargoes require less
freeboard than a passenger liner or containership.

Season and Zone - Weather conditions normally encountered along a ship's trade route
effects its seaworthiness. Ships sailing the North Atlantic in Winter are exposed to much
more severe conditions than one sailing around the South Seas.

For a more complete explanation of ship stability and loadlines refer to:

 Modern Ships by John H. La Dage, Lt. Comdr. USMS

Cornell Maritime Press, Inc.
Cambridge, Maryland
ISBN 0-87033-065-9
Library of Congress Catalog Number: 65-21747

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