Ballast Management for Stability
When ballast protects the ship — and when it quietly destroys margin Contents Use the links below to jump to any section: 1. Introduction – Ballast Is a Stability Tool, Not Just Water Ballast is often treated as something secondary — water moved to correct draft, trim, or stress. In reality, ballast is one of […]
Cargo Operations and Stability Change
Why ships are most vulnerable while loading and discharging — not after Contents Use the links below to jump to any section: 1. Introduction – The Most Dangerous Phase of Stability Most stability accidents do not occur at sea.They occur alongside. Cargo operations are the only phase where: The ship is not in one condition.It […]
Stability Criteria & Limits
How stability is judged, how it is calculated, and why “compliant” is not the same as “safe” Contents Use the links below to jump to any section: 1. Introduction – Criteria Are Minimums, Not Guarantees Stability criteria exist because ships have capsized while appearing “fine” right up to the end. The criteria most officers learn […]
Loading Computers
Why “the computer says OK” is not a defence Contents Use the links below to jump to any section: 1. Introduction – Why This Article Matters Loading computers have prevented countless accidents — and contributed to many others. They are powerful, precise, and persuasive. They present numbers, curves, and green indicators that imply certainty. This […]
Trim
How fore-and-aft balance quietly controls draft, propulsion, and safety Contents Use the links below to jump to any section: 1. Introduction – Trim Is Leverage, Not Cosmetics Trim is often treated as a minor adjustment — something tidied up after cargo is loaded or ballast is shifted. That mindset is dangerous. Trim changes where the […]
Drafts Explained
Why draft is a measurement, not a truth Contents Use the links below to jump to any section: 1. Introduction – Draft Is an Observation, Not a Fact Draft is often treated as a known quantity. In reality, draft is a measurement taken under imperfect conditions, subject to error, interpretation, and change. Every calculation that […]
Forces Acting on a Loaded Ship
How cargo, ballast, wind, and sea quietly shape stability Contents Use the links below to jump to any section: 1. Introduction – Stability Is Shaped by Forces, Not Conditions Stability is often described as if it were a condition the ship is in: stable or unstable. In reality, stability is the result of forces acting […]
What Stability Really Means on a Ship
Why ships float, why they return upright, and why some never do Use the links below to jump to any section: 1. Introduction – Stability Is About Behaviour, Not Numbers Stability is often taught as a collection of formulas, curves, and criteria. That approach creates officers who can pass exams but do not truly understand […]
Tides & Currents
Why depth and direction are never static at sea Contents Use the links below to jump to any section: 1. Introduction – Water Is Not a Fixed Environment One of the most dangerous assumptions a bridge team can make is that depth and water movement are constant. They are not. At sea — and especially […]
Common Weather-Related Accidents
Common Weather-Related Accidents Contents Use the links below to jump to any section: 1. Introduction – Weather Rarely Acts Alone Very few ships are lost simply because the weather was severe. Investigations repeatedly show that weather is the environmental trigger, not the primary cause. The actual causes are nearly always found in the decisions made […]