Chapter 27

Type A, Type B
and Type (B-60)
vessels plus FL
and PL curves (as
governed by DfT
regulations)
Definitions
Bulkhead deck. This is the uppermost deck to which the transverse water-
tight bulkheads are carried.
Margin line. This is a line drawn parallel to and 76 mm below the bulkhead
deck at side (see Figure 27.1).

Margin line

76 mm
Bulkhead deck
L2
W1 L1
W0 L0
W2
B B
l

W0L0
original waterline with no flooding or no bilging effects

W1L1
waterline with mean bodily sinkage effects only in the bilged condition
W2L2
waterline with mean bodily sinkage trimming effects in bilged condition,
tangential to the margin line
I
length of flooded compartment that has produced the waterline W2L2
B
main watertight transverse bulkheads, giving the permissible length of
the compartment

Fig. 27.1
244 Ship Stability for Masters and Mates

Permeability. This is the amount of water that can enter a compartment after the
compartment has been bilged. It is denoted as ‘␮’ and given as a percentage.
If the compartment was initially empty, then ‘␮’ would be 100%.
Floodable length. This is the maximum allowable length of a compartment
at any point along the length (with that point as centre), that can be flooded
without submerging the margin line. Vessel to be always upright, with
no heel.
Floodable length (FL) curve. This is the curve, which at every point in the ves-
sel’s length, has an ordinate representing the length of the ship that may be
flooded without the margin line being submerged. Vessel to be upright.
Permissible length (PL) curve. This is a lower curve, obtained after the flood-
able length curve ordinates have been modified for contents within the
compartments being considered.
Factor of subdivision (FS). This is the factor of subdivision. It can range in
value from 0.50 to a maximum of 1.00. The 1.00 value signifies that very few
passengers are being carried on board. The 0.50 value signifies that a very
large number of passengers are being carried on the ship.
By using the following formula, FS is used to determine the permissible
length ordinates.

FL ordinates ⫻ FS ⫽ PL ordinates

Subdivision load line. This is the waterline corresponding to the normal

designed waterline. It is drawn parallel to the ship’s keel.
Subdivision length (L). This is the length measured between the perpendicu-
lars erected at the ends of the subdivision load line.
Subdivision beam (B). This is the greatest breadth, at or below, the ship’s
deepest subdivision load line.
Subdivision draft (d). This is the moulded draft to the subdivision load
waterline.
Curve of permissible lengths. In any ship, the closer the main transverse bulk-
heads are, the safer will be the ship. However, too many transverse bulk-
heads would lead to the vessel being commercially non-viable.
The Regulations Committee suggested that the PL ordinates should be
some proportion of the FL ordinates. To achieve this, it was suggested that
a factor of subdivision (FS) be used, where:

{(A ⫺ B)(CS ⫺ 23)}

FS ⫽ A ⫺
100
A ⫽ 58.2/(L ⫺ 60) ⫹ 0.18 mainly for cargo ships
B ⫽ 30.3/(L ⫺ 42) ⫹ 0.18 mainly for passenger ships
Cargo–Passenger vessels are vessels that never carry more than 12 passengers.
 Type A, B, B-60 vessels plus FL, PL curves 245

Passenger–Cargo vessels are vessels that carry more than 12 passengers.

Changing cargo spaces into accommodation spaces will alter the factor
of subdivision. It will decrease its value. This will make the permissible
lengths smaller and make for a safer ship.
If some compartments are designed to carry cargo on some voyages and
passengers on others, then the ship will be assigned more than one subdi-
visional load line.
Criterion of service numeral (Cs). If the ship’s subdivision length is greater
than 131 m, then CS will have as per regulations, a range of values of 23
to 123.

The lower limit of 23 applies for Type ‘A’ ships (carrying liquid in bulk).
The upper limit of 123 applies for Type ‘B’ ships.
The regulations state CS is to be:

CS ⫽ 72(M ⫹ 2P)/V

where:
M
total volume of machinery spaces below the margin line
P
total volume of passenger space and crew space below the margin
line. This will obviously take into account the number of passengers
and crew onboard ship
V
total volume of ship from keel to the margin line

Worked example 1
Calculate the criterion of service numeral (CS), when M is 3700 m3, P is
2800 m3 and V is 12 000 m3.

CS ⫽ 72(M ⫹ 2P)/V ⫽ 72(3700 ⫹ 5600)/12 000

so CS ⫽ 55.8

Worked example 2
Calculate the factor of subdivision, when a ship has a subdivision length (L)
of 140 m and a criterion of service numeral of 54.5.

A ⫽ 58.2/(L ⫺ 60) ⫹ 0.18 ⫽ 58.2/(140 ⫺ 60) ⫹ 0.18 ⫽ 0.908

B ⫽ 30.3/(L ⫺ 42) ⫹ 0.18 ⫽ 30.3/(140 ⫺ 42) ⫹ 0.18 ⫽ 0.489

{(A ⫺ B)(CS ⫺ 23)}

FS ⫽ A ⫺
100
{(0.908 ⫺ 0.489)(54.5 ⫺ 23)}
FS ⫽ 0.908 ⫺
100
so FS ⫽ 0.776

Figure 27.2 shows a set of subdivision curves. Observations can be made from
these curves to give a greater understanding of why they exist.
246 Ship Stability for Masters and Mates

Slope ⫽ 2:1 Slope ⫽ 2:1

Fo
FL machinery

r’d
a l F L a ft b o d y spaces FL
fo r’d b o d y
min

te r
PL machinery

m in
te r

PL a PL dy
ft b o d y spaces for’d bo
A ft

al
AT B B B B BB B FT
Two compartment

Subdivision length, L flooding

B ⫽ main transverse watertight bulkheads

FL ⫽ floodable length curves
PL ⫽ permissible length curves

Fig. 27.2 Subdivision curves for a passenger liner: diagrammatic sketch.

The triangles all have a height that is equal to the base. Thus, the slope is 2:1.
The base in fact is the permissible length of the newly designed compartment.
If need-be, the apex of any of these triangles could go up as far as the PL
curve. This would make the compartment have the maximum length within
the regulations.
In most cases, the top apex of these shown triangles are not connected to the
PL curves. However, in ‘two compartment flooding’, the regulations do allow
the PL curve to be crossed. This is when the adjacent bulkhead sloping line does
not extend beyond the FL curve. See illustration of this in Figure 27.2. It is also
possible to arrange for ‘three compartment flooding’. The resulting smaller
length compartments may be used as baggage spaces or storerooms.
Note how the curves of aft body and for’d body do not join those of the
machinery space. This is because differences in permeability ‘␮’ in these local-
ities of the ship. For examples, passenger spaces have a permeability of about
95%, grain spaces have a permeability of 60% to 65% whilst the machinery
spaces will have a permeability of 80% to 85%.

Floodable lengths. The basic features that affect the floodable curves for a ship
are the block coefficient, sheer ratio, freeboard ratio and permeability.

Moulded displacement (excluding bossings)

Block coefficient ⫽
L⫻B⫻d
Sheer ratio ⫽ (Sheer aft or forward)/d
Freeboard to the margin line @ amidships
Freeboard ratio ⫽
d
Permeability ⫽ (Ingress of water/Volume of compartment) ⫻ 100/1
 Type A, B, B-60 vessels plus FL, PL curves 247

A DfT ‘standard ship’ is used as a basis ship. This ship is assigned two permeabil-
ity values. One is 60% and the other is 100%. Interpolation methods are used
to obtain a first estimation of the FL values for the new design being con-
sidered. These values are adjusted for sectional area ratios and permeability
factors (PF), where:

PF ⫽ 1.5(100 ⫺ ␮) ␮

Summary of procedure steps

1. Determine the subdivision length of the new ship.
2. Calculate the block coefficient, sheer ratios, freeboard ratios and per-
meability values for the new design.
3. Evaluate the values of ‘A’ and ‘B’ coefficients.
4. Determine for the new design, volumes for ‘P’, ‘V’ and ‘M’.
5. Calculate the criterion of service CS numeral.
6. Evaluate the factor of subdivision (FS).
7. Multiply the FL ordinates by FS to obtain PL ordinates for the aft body,
the machinery spaces and the forward body.
8. Plot FL and PL curves, and superimpose the main transverse bulkhead
positions together with isosceles triangles having 2:1 slopes as per
Figure 27.2.
9. If desired, opt for a ‘two compartment flooding’ system, as previously
described.
10. Adjust and decide upon the final positions of main transverse bulk-
heads for the new design.

Exercise 27
1 Sketch a set of subdivision curves for a passenger ship. Include one example
of two compartment flooding. Label the important parts on your diagram.
2 For a passenger ship, the subdivision length is 145 m and the criterion of
service numeral is 56.5. Calculate her factor of subdivision (FS).
3 Define the following floodable and permissible length terms:
(a) subdivision length (L);
(b) margin line;
(c) bulkhead deck;
(d) factor of subdivision (FS);
(e) criterion of service numeral (CS).
4 Calculate the criterion of service numeral (CS), when the total volume of
machinery spaces below the margin line (M) is 3625 m3, the total volume of
passenger space and crew spaces below the margin line (P) is 2735 m3 and
the total volume of ship from keel to the margin line (V) is 12 167 m3.