Ship Stability

1
 Density of a substance
(Mass per unit volume)

∴ Density (D) = Mass (M)

Volume (V)
Density of FW is taken to be 1000 kg per m3
∴ Density of SW = 1025 kg per m3.
Can also be expressed in tonnes per cubic metre (t/m3):
Density of FW = 1.000 tonnes / m3
Density of SW = 1.025 tonnes / m3

2
 Relative Density (R.D.) = Specific Gravity
Number of times, a substance is heavier (or lighter)
than FW.
R.D = Density of the substance
Density of FW
Or
Ratio of the mass (wt) of the substance to the mass
(wt) of an equal volume of FW
R.D = Weight of substance
Weight of equal volume of FW
Being a ratio, R.D has no units.

3
 Dock Water
Any mix between FW and SW is called
Dock Water (DW).

Eg:
Density in a port fed by both a fresh water
river and the sea close by (Bell Bay?) could
have a density between 1.0 & 1.025 t/ m3.

4
‘Archimedes’ Principle’
-Refined-

When a body is immersed in a

liquid, it is pushed upwards by a
force equal to the weight of the
liquid displaced.

5
For a Body to Float
• Apparent loss of wt has to be equal to the total wt of
the body.
• Only then the 2 forces (Wt and Buoyancy) will be
equal, and cancel each other, resulting in a zero
resultant force.
This gives us the: Law of Flotation, which states
that;
“ Every floating body,
displaces its own weight of
liquid in which it floats ” 6
 Reserve Buoyancy (R.B.)
W/T spaces above the waterline (which can displace
water and produce buoyancy,) held in reserve, to be
used if the need arises.
R.B at any draught is either stated as a
(i). volume, or
(ii). percentage of the total buoyancy available on the
ship.

7
Tonnes per Centimetre Immersion (TPC)
It is the wt that must be loaded to or
discharged from, the ship in SW, to change
the mean draught by 1 cm.

Loading W tonnes = TPC

8
 Stbd. Side

A requirement under the International Loadline Convention

9
 Fresh Water Allowance (FWA)
Change in draught when moving from SW to FW
and vice versa, while floating at the Load Line
marks.
FWA (in mm) = Summer Displacement
4 x TPC at Summer Dr

The following is also true:

FWA (in mm) = Displacement (at that draft)
(at any draft) 4 x TPC (at that draft)
10
 Dock Water Allowance (DWA)
Change of draught when moving from DW to
SW or vice versa, while floating at the load line
marks.
FWA is proportioned to the density difference between
SW and DW.
DWA = FWA x Diff. in densities of SW and DW
25
DWA = FWA x (1025 – DW density)
25
or;
DWA = FWA x (1.025-DW density)
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0.025
END

12
Ship Heeled by an External Force

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Righting Moment
or
Moment of Statical Stability (MSS)
RM or MSS = W x GZ tonne-metre
This can be calculated for any heel angle
using the GZ value for that angle.

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 Max GZ

Pt of inflection
Of curve Angle of Vanishing Stability 81°

Range of stability = 81°

15
 Initial Metacentre (Mo):
Verticals drawn through CB at angles up to
about 7° heel are assumed to cut the
centreline at this point, which is considered
to be fixed.

Found by the intersection of centreline, and

the vertical passing thru B at 1º heel !

Heights of Mo from the keel (Kmo ) are

tabulated against the draught and given in
the stability booklet. (See Table)
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 Initial Metacentre

At larger heel angles, M cannot be considered a

fixed point, hence no use for our purposes.
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KM = KB + BM (BM = Metacentric Radius)

BM = I / V

I = Moment of Inertia (Second moment) of water-plane area

about the centreline
V = Underwater Volume of ship 18
Initial Metacentric Height (GMo)

19
Moments of Statical Stability
GZ = GM SinØ
(For small angles only)

MSS = (W x GZ) t-m

(For any Angle)

MSS = (W x GM SinØ) t-m

(For small angles)

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Stable Equilibrium

21
Neutral Equilibrium

22
Unstable Equilibrium

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END

24
 Effect of loading a weight, on the CG:
When a wt is added to the ship, its G moves directly towards the
‘g’ of the wt added.
Distance it moves depends on the actual weight added, and how
far it is added form the G of ship.
Distance GG1 can be found
using:

GG1 (in metres) = wxd

W+w

Note: W+w is the final

displacement of ship after
loading the weight ‘w’.

25
 Effect of discharging a weight, on the G:
When a wt is discharged from ship, its G would move
directly away from the ‘g’ of the wt discharged.

Distance can be found using:

GG1 (in metres) = wxd

W-w

Note:
W-w is the final displacement
of ship after unloading the
weight ‘w’.

26
 Effect of shifting a weight, on the G:
When a wt is shifted within the ship, its
(ship’s) G would move parallel to, and in the
same direction as, the wt shifted.
Distance GG1 can be found
using:

GG1 (in metres) = wxd

W

Note: ‘d’ in this case is the

distance through which the
weight is shifted.

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 Effect of lifting weights using ship’s gear:
If a wt is freely suspended by ship’s crane then
that wt would act from the crane head.
Virtual ‘g’ of wt

Wt is free to swing

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END

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 To determine the GM

GM = KM - KG

KM ⇐ Hydrostatic Table M

(Changes with Displ) G

GM
KM
KG ⇐ Vertical moments of KG
all weights onboard
K

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 Moments
Moment of a force (weight) about a point of
reference is: the product of the force
(weight) and the distance to it from the
point of reference.
Moment of a force = Force (wt) x Dist
It is a measure of the turning effect, the force
delivers at the point of reference.
If Weight is in Tonnes and Distance is in Metres,
then ……….….. units of moments will be
31
“ tonne-metre” or t-m
 Vertical Centre of Gravity
(Known as VCG or KG)

As you load and discharge wts from ship,

position of G changes.

A convenient method of determining the

position of G is by taking vertical
moments about the Keel.

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 Taking Vertical Moments About the Keel
KG of ship after adding or removing wts is referred to
as the Final KG.

FINAL KG = FINAL VERTICAL MOMENTS

FINAL DISPLACEMENT

To find GM:

GM = KM - KG

where,
KM is the vertical height of Metacentre above the keel.
KM can be obtained from ship's hydrostatic particulars.
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END

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CG moves towards added weight

Add ‘w’

Upright:
G & B are on Centreline
GG1 = w x d
W
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Equilibrium at List

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 Calculation of Small Angles of List
• Angle θ is the list
• GM is adjusted for loaded or discharged Wts
• GG1 is the horizontal shift of CG

From the triangle :

Tan θ = GG1
(New) GM

θ is directly proportional to GG1

And inversely proportional to GM

37
 Taking Horizontal Moments (Listing
Moments) about the Centreline
To find the horizontal CG:
• Similar to taking vertical moments about the keel,
horizontal (transverse) moments can be taken about
the centreline.
• Must be done when loading/discharging multiple
weights.
• Moments must be taken to port and stbd, and must
include initial horizontal moments of ship (how??)
For a ship to be upright:
Port Listing Moments = Stbd Listing Moments38
END

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A Slack Tank

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Ship heeled.
G shifts to G1.

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If the tank is fairly uniform in shape,
shift of 'g' is the same no matter what the
actual weight of liquid is.
It is the movement of the surface that
causes the shift of 'g' and not the entire
volume.

42
 Application of Free Surface Correction
Virtual rise of 'G' due to slack tanks is only upward.
Therefore:
Fluid KG = Solid KG + Virtual rise of G
due to slack tanks.
or
KGF = KGs + FSC M
GMfluid
Virtual Rise of G =
GM solid Gv or Gfluid
GGv
Virtual Loss of GM Gsolid
FSC
43
K
 Calculation of GGv

GGv = i x d1 x 1
V d2 n2

i = Moment of inertia of the liquid surface about the

tank centreline
For a Rectangular
V = ship’s underwater volume Surface Area

d1 = Density of tank liquid i = l x b3

d2 = Density of outside water 12
n = Number of transverse compartments in the tank.
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 GGv = i x d1 x 1
V d2 n2

For an individual Tank

n=1

∴ GGv = i x d1
V d2 For an individual Tank
But ( V x d2 ) = Displ ∴ FSC (in m) = i x d
Displ

45
FS Considerations in Stability
Calculations:

FSC = FSM (tank 1) + FSM (tank 2) + FSM …

Final Displacement

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The FSM stated in Stability Booklet is the maximum for
a tank in upright and even keel condition.

But, the FS area will vary with heel, depending upon

the ratio of tank height to breadth.

Free Surface Area

of a Double Bottom
Tank
Upright Heeled

Free Surface Area of a Side

Tank
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Upright Heeled
END

48
Causes of (-)ve Stability
• Sudden rise of G due to FSE
• Gradual loss of bottom wt
• Added wts on deck (ice, water
absorption, entrapment of water etc.)
• Loss of Buoyancy resulting in lowering
of M
• Sudden rise of G due to other reasons

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Negative GM

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Vessel inclining due to capsizing couple

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Capsizing moment

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Angle of loll

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Stability at Angle of Loll

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Angle of Loll
If ship is at an angle of loll, the angle can be obtained
by drawing the GZ curve.
Curve is drawn in the usual way except that the initial
values for GZ are drawn below the zero axis.

(-)ve GM
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Angle of Loll
What should be done ?

List or Loll??

G must be lowered below M

• Increase bottom wt
• Reduce top wt
• Reduce FSE

Ensure ship remains inclined

to same side
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END

57
Pt of inflection Angle of Vanishing Stability 81°
Of curve

Range of stability = 81°

58
KN
If G were to be at K;
Then
the Righting Lever
(GZ) would be KN.

This value (KN) at

different angles of
heel for Different
Displacements, is
calculated and given
to us in the booklet.

See Onesuch Page 14

59
Construction of GZ Curve
But our G is not at K,
hence
GZ = XN
= KN - KX

In triangle KGX :-

Sine θ = KX
KG

But KX = KG Sine θ

Substituting KX above:

GZ = KN - KG Sine θ 60
END

61
 In Longitudinal Stability,
B and G are viewed from the side of ship.

These points are measured from:

• Midships or
• Aft Perpendicular.

They are referred to as:

• ‘Longitudinal centre of Gravity’ (LCG) and,
• ‘Longitudinal centre of Buoyancy’ (LCB).

Relative positions of LCB and LCG will effect

the ship’s trim.
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 Note:
• Trimming couple
• Trimming Lever
• Trimming Moment

If ship is on an ‘Even-Keel’;
Can we find LCG without
lengthy calculations?
63
 Longitudinal Centre of Flotation (LCF)
(Also called the Tipping Centre)

• Ship tips at this point, when the trim is

changed.

• It is the centre of the water plane area.

• Ship’s draft at this point indicates its

underwater volume and displacement.

64
 If F is at midships
Even Keel Boxed Shaped Vessel

Trimmed by Stern

Half Trim

Trim

65
Proportion of trim to Fwd or Aft end will depend on
distance from F to that end.

EVEN KEEL

F M

TRIMMED BY STERN

x F M
l y
L=LBP
x + y = TRIM
y>x 66
 Trimming Moments
Means of creating a Trimming
Moment:

• Longitudinal transfer of a weight

• Loading / unloading of weight

67
Trimming Moment = Tr. Lever x Displ
Trimming Lever = LCB ~ LCG

LCB is obtained from the hydrostatic particulars.

LCG is obtained by calculation.

Once the Trimming Moment is obtained, you can obtain

the trim by :

Trim = Trimming Moment cm

MCT1cm

MCT1cm is the moment to change trim by 1 cm over the LBP,

obtained from the Hydrostatic Table.
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 Longitudinal Centre of Gravity
( Known as LCG )
As you load and discharge weights, the position of
ship's G changes.

A convenient method of determining the position of G

is by taking longitudinal moments about a common
point of reference.

This point of reference in the case of LCG is either

“Midships” or the “Aft Perpendicular”

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 Taking Longitudinal Moments About
Midships or Aft PP

LCG of ship after adding or removing weights is

referred to as the Final LCG.
FINAL LCG = FINAL LONG. MOMENTS
FINAL DISPLACEMENT

See MV Onesuch Condition No. 2

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 If a wt is shifted in fore & aft direction:
Trimming Moment created = Wt x Distance
Shifted.
Taking Trimming Moments about LCF
after adding or removing weights:
Eg: Adding 50t at 10m fwd of LCF creates 500t-m Trimming
Moments to Fwd.

Change of Trim (CoT) = Trimming Moments cm

MCTC
• This CoT can then be proportioned to the FWD & AFT drafts.
• A bodily sinkage or rise due to change in displacement also
has to be taken into account.
Remember:
MCTC has to be adjusted for the R.D. (like TPC)
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If a wt is shifted in fore & aft
direction:
Trimming Moment created = Wt x Distance
Shifted.
Activity (3):
Find the change of trim (COT) of a ship, if a wt of 20t is shifted
from fwd to aft over a distance of 65m. MCT1cm = 100 t-m

Change of Trim = Trimming Moments

MCT1cm

= 20 x 65 = 13.0 cm or 0.13 m
100

Change of trim can then be proportioned to find the

fwd and aft drafts as discussed earlier. 72
Trimming Tables may be used to find drafts
after adding or removing weights. They solve the
sinkage/rise plus change of trim.

Table in page 9 shows the change in draft fwd and

aft for 100t placed in the locations indicated by
arrows.

Table in page 10 indicates the change in fwd and aft

draft due to filling of a tank. Note: this table is not
worked on a set wt, but for the total wt of the tank.

Draft to be used in the tables is: True Mean Draft

ie. Draft at LCF.
73
END

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