SHIP

NOMENCLATURE

DO NOW

In the United States, we commonly use the English system of

measuring length & distance (feet, inches, miles).

In most of the world, however, the Metric system is more

commonly used to measure length & distance (meters,
centimeters, kilometers).

The result is that American shipping and logistic companies

frequently have to manage length and distance numbers
between the Metric and English systems.

1 meter = 3.28 feet

meters

1 centimeter = 0.39 inches

centimeters

1 meter = 100 centimeters

OR
OR

1 foot = 0.30
1 inch = 2.54

SHIP TERMS
Bridge

- the room or platform from

which the ship can be commanded
Forecastle the superstructure at
or immediately aft of the bow
Main Deck - the uppermost
weatherproof deck, running the full
length of a ship

CARGO SHIP
BRIDGE
MAIN DECK

FORECASTLE

BRIDGE

QUARTERMASTER
Steers the Ship
CAPTAIN or MASTER
THE Boss on Ship

PILOT
Guides Ship in Port

MATE
Officer on Duty

SHIP TERMS
Hatch

- An opening on the deck of a

ship
Hatch Cover lid or cover for a
ships hatch
Cargo Crane equipment on a ship
used to load and discharge cargo

CARGO SHIP

HATCH

CARGO CRANE
HATCH COVER

SHIP TERMS (BELOW WATER)

Propeller

a device with two or more

blades that turn quickly and cause a ship
to move

Rudder

the ships member hinged

vertically near the stern of a ship used
for steering

Hull

- frame or body of a ship, exclusive

of masts, engines, or superstructure

SHIP AT DRY DOCK

HULL
PROPELLER

RUDDER

SHIP TERMS
Length

Overall maximum length of

ship from bow to stern

Length

at the Waterline maximum

length of a ship at the waterline

Beam
Keel

maximum width of a ship

- the main structural member at the

bottom of a ships hull running from bow
to stern

SHIP TERMS

SHIP TERMS
Draft

- the vertical distance between

the waterline and the bottom of the hull
(keel),

Freeboard

the vertical distance

between the waterline and the topmost
watertight deck (Main Deck)

Depth

- the vertical distance between

the Main Deck and the keel

SHIP TERMS

SOME THOUGHTS
Ship

Draft + Ship Freeboard = Ship

Depth

If

your Ship Draft is greater than the

depth of the water, your ship has RUN
AGROUND

Do

submarines have Freeboard????

TOO MUCH DRAFTOOPSY!!

SHIP TERMS
PLIMSOLL

MARK - a marking on a ship's side

showing the limit of submersion legal under various
conditions
Tropical
Fresh

tropical oceans

fresh waters like lakes and rivers

Winter

winter season

Winter

North Atlantic winter season in the North Atlantic

DRAFT

MARKS a series of figures or marks

indicating the vertical distance vertically from the
keel

SHIP TERMS

PLIMSOLL MARKS

TROPICAL FRESH

TROPICAL SALT / FRESH

DRAFT MARKS (METRIC)

SUMMER
WINTER
WINTER
NORTH ATLANTIC

DRAFT MARKS (ENGLISH)

READING DRAFT MARKS

(ENGLISH)
WATERLINE

READING DRAFT MARKS (METRIC)

NAUTICAL TERMS
PORT QUARTER

PORT BEAM
PORT SIDE

STERN

BOW

STARBOARD SIDE
STARBOARD
QUARTER

PORT BOW

STARBOARD BEAM

STARBOARD
BOW

NAUTICAL TERMS

NAUTICAL TERMS