Technical Bulletin 1

March 2009

Glossary of Ship Construction Terms

This is a collection of terms which may be useful to have to hand when reading a surveyors report
relating to hull damage, it is by no means an exhaustive list but has been kept to the basics so as not
to become too in depth. Hopefully it will be of some use to the reader.
After perpendicular

An imaginary line drawn perpendicularly through the waterline at the

edge of the rudder post where it meets the summer load line.

Aft Peak bulkhead

The first main transverse watertight bulkhead forward of the stern. The
aft peak tank is the watertight compartment between this bulkhead and
the stern.

Ballast Tanks

Tanks which are filled with sea water to alter the trim or draught of a
vessel

Bilge keel

A length of offset bulb plate attached at the bilge position along about a
third of the length of a vessel to help reduce rolling. The bilge being the
area where the side plating meets the shell plating the rounding of the
bilge.

Bow

The forward most part of the ship, sometimes termed the pointy end.

Bulwark

The plating that stands vertically above the vessels exposed decks,
these are fitted for safety of personnel and prevent loss of items which
may come loose during transit, they are not structural members, and if
of solid construction must have freeing ports capable of removing wash
from the deck area.

Bulwark

Hatch Coaming

Freeing Port

Freeboard deck

Bulbous Bow

Fitted to disrupt bow wave generation and reduce the ships resistance.

Collision bulkhead

The foremost transverse main transverse watertight bulkhead.

Coaming

The surrounding vertical structure around cargo hatches or skylights.

Cofferdam

Empty space between two bulkheads, often in place to prevent

contamination from one tank to another, in the instance of having a fuel
tank next to a ballast tank, the cofferdam would prevent contamination
in the event of the bulkhead failing in on tank.

CSL Technical Bulletin 1/CD/tw/V1.01

30/11/09

Technical Bulletin 1
March 2009
Deep tank

Tank extending from the shell plating, or inner bottom to the lowest deck
or higher.

Double Bottom

The inner bottom is the top of the double bottom structure, below the
inner bottom are stiffeners which attach between the shell plating and
the inner bottom plating, the plating plus stiffeners is the double bottom
structure. The purpose of the double bottom is to maintain watertight
integrity should the shell plating become pierced, it is normal on many
vessels for the double bottoms to be used as ballast tanks.

Duct Keel

Sometimes know as the pipe duct, it contains piping and valves which
would otherwise have to run through cargo holds, it runs along the
length of the vessel from the forward transverse bulkhead of the
machinery space. As the name keel suggests it runs along the bottom
of the vessels structure.
Forecastle

Stem

Bulbous Bow

Fairlead

A reinforced fitting for changing or preserving the direction of a rope, used

mainly in mooring the ship.

Floor

Transverse member fitted to the bottom structure.

Forecastle

The raised short superstructure situated above the bow.

Forward perpendicular

An imaginary line drawn perpendicularly through the waterline where the

forward edge of the stem meets the summer load line.

Freeboard Deck

The uppermost continuous deck exposed to the weather and sea.

Girder

A primary structural member.

Gusset

Triangular plate fitted to distribute forces between two structural members.

Intercostal

Non continuous section.

Keel

The backbone of the ship, usually a flat plate running longitudinally, which is
stiffened by a vertical plate being welded to its centreline inside the hull.

Midship section

This is a cross section taken at the mid position between the two
perpendiculars.

Panting

The in and out movement of a ships plating caused by changes in pressure

due to wave and vessel movement.

Rudder

The aerofoil fin used for steering the vessel, they come in various forms,
balanced, semi-balanced and unbalanced.

Rudder Pintle

The pin on which certain types of rudder swing.

CSL Technical Bulletin 1/CD/tw/V1.01

30/11/09

Technical Bulletin 1
March 2009
Scantlings

Details and dimension of structural members of the vessel.

Scupper

An outlet for removing unwanted water from the ships decks.

Sheer strake

The uppermost strake of plating of the ships side plating

Spectacle frame

Strength member which shell plating is attached to, the structure projects
out from the vessel to support propeller shafts in twin screw ships.

Stem

This is the plating or bar where the termination of shell and side plating at
the forward end occurs.

Stern

The after most part of the ship, sometimes termed the blunt end.

Stern frame

Strength member including the rudder post used in the construction of single
and triple screw vessels.

Rudder Pintles

Stern Frame

Semi-balanced rudder

Stiffener

Added for strengthening plating, in the form of a secondary structural

member, flat bar or section.

Stiffeners

Superstructure

Any structure above the freeboard deck spanning more than 92% the
breadth of the ship

Transverse

A member running 90 degrees to the centreline of the ship.

Tripping Bracket

A plate added to the free edge of structural members for reinforcement

Tween Decks

An abbreviation of between decks. The deck space between two adjacent

decks in a cargo hold.

Void

An enclosed empty space.

CSL Technical Bulletin 1/CD/tw/V1.01

30/11/09

Technical Bulletin 1
March 2009
Wash Bulkhead

A partial bulkhead fitted along the centreline in a tank, usually found in deep
tanks and peak tanks to withstand the flow of liquid caused by the ships
motion.

Watertight bulkhead

A transverse bulkhead for separating the ships hull into watertight

compartments

Mooring winches and

windlasses on the
forecastle deck
Fairlead

Winch

A piece of equipment used for winding in ropes, use in mooring operation,

found at the fore and aft ends of the ship.

Windlass

A similar piece of equipment to the winch used for raising the ships anchor,
often combined to operate as a windlass and winch with a clutch to
disconnect the windlass

CSL Technical Bulletin 1/CD/tw/V1.01

30/11/09