Form coefficients
Learning Objectives
•1Understand the term Coefficient of fineness of the waterplane area (C W). 
•2

•Understand the term Block coefficient (CB) and its influence on reserve buoyancy. 
•3
•3
•Understand the term Midships coefficient (CW). 
•4
•4
•Understand the term Longitudinal prismatic coefficient (C p).
•5
•5
•Complete simple calculations on (1) to (4) above.

2022 CAPT. Amin Al Qawasmeh 1

Coefficient of Fineness of the Water-Plane Area (Cw)

This is the ratio of the ship's water-plane area to the area of a rectangle having the same length and breadth of the ship
at the waterline in question.
ٌ‫هو النسبة ب ٌن المساحة الفعل ة‬
‫لمساحة مقطع خط الماء الى مساحة‬
‫المستطي ٌل الذي له نفس طول المقطع‬
‫وأقصى‬
‫عرض له‬

Since the ships WPA is less in area than the rectangle formed around it, the value of C w must always be less
than 1.00.

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Example
A ship has a length and breadth, at the waterline, of 40.1 m and 8.6 m respectively. If the water-plane area is 280 m 2,
calculate the coefficient of fineness of the waterplane area (C w).

Answer

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Block Coefficient (Cb)
The block coefficient (CB) of a ship is the ratio of the underwater volume of a ship to the volume of the
circumscribing block.

Since the ship s volume of displacement is less than the volume of displacement of the surrounding block, the
value of CB must always be less than 1.00.

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Example
A ship floats at a draught of 3.20 m and has a waterline length and breadth of 46.3 m and 15.5 m respectively.
Calculate the block coefficient (CB) if its volume of displacement is 1800 m3•

Answer

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The influence of block coefficient on
reserve buoyancy
The transverse outline of two ships (A and B) are shown with each floating at the same draught. Ship A has a larger
block coefficient than ship B. Reserve buoyancy volume is the same for both ships.
However, if the reserve buoyancy of each ship is expressed as a percentage of the total volume of the hull, then it is
evident that ship A has a smaller percentage of reserve buoyancy than ship B.

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Therefore, at a given draught, the greater the block coefficient, the less the percentage of reserve buoyancy.
When a freeboard is assigned to a ship, one of the considerations is the block coefficient.
A ship with a large block coefficient will have a correction that increases the freeboard .
Other factors are also considered but this correction is particularly relevant to the underwater form of the
ship.

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Midship Coefficient (CM)
The midship coefficient (CM) of a ship at any draught is the ratio of the underwater transverse area of the midship
section to the product of the breadth and draught (the surrounding rectangle).

Similarly, the value of CM must always be less

than 1.00.
This coefficient may be used to determine the
prismatic coefficient (CP).

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Example
A ship floats at a draught of 4.40 m and has a waterline breadth of 12.70 m. Calculate the underwater transverse
area of the midship section if CM is 0.922.

Answer

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Longitudinal Prismatic Coefficient (CP)
The longitudinal prismatic coefficient (CP) of a ship at any draught is the ratio of the underwater volume of the ship
to the volume of the prism formed by the product of the transverse area of the midship section and the waterline
length.

Since the ship's volume of

displacement is less than the volume of
displacement of the surrounding block,
the value of CP must always be less
than 1.00.

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Example
A ship has the following details:
Draught 3.63 m
Waterline length 48.38 m
Waterline breadth 9.42 m
CM 0.946
CP o.778.
Calculate the volume of displacement.
Answer:

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TPC
Tonnes per centimeter immersion (TPC) is the first of the ships supplied hydrostatic data that will be considered
in detail. It allows a way of calculating the change in the draught that will occur when loading or discharging
weights.

The TPC for any given draught is the weight that must be loaded or discharged to change the ship's mean
draught by one centimeter.
Consider the ship shown floating in saltwater (RD 1.025) with a water-plane area (WPA) at the waterline as
shown.

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A weight of 18 tonnes is loaded on deck so that the mean draught increases by I cm.

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TPC Formula
Since: Mass = Volume X Density

Then:· Mass of an additional slice of water =Vol. of slice X Density

If the WPA is assumed not to significantly change between the two waterlines,
then: Volume of slice= (WPA (m2) X 1 cm);
We cannot multiply m2 by cms, therefore:

                                                  Volume of slice = WPA (m2) X 1 (m)

so,                      Added displacement (t) = WPA(m2) X l / 100 (m) X density (t/m3)
Therefore, the formula for TPC is:

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Example
Example
Calculate the TPC for ship ·with a water-plane area of 1500 m 2 when it is floating in:
(a) Freshwater.
(b) Dock water of RD 1 .005.
(c) Saltwater.

Answer:

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Factors Affecting TPC
Consideration of the TPC formula shows that:

•TPC increases with WPA and for a normal ship shape, the WPA will increase with draught.
•TPC increases with density. Two values of TPC are often quoted in ship hydrostatic data, TPC sw and TPCFw.

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Example
Look at the TPC values on the hydrostatic datasheet, ·which would be provided on a ship, and confirm the previous
two statements. If the ship was floating at a draught of 5.30 m, what would be Displacement and TPC values be if in :

(a) Saltwater?
(b) Freshwater?

Answer

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Interpolation of Hydrostatic Data
It is unlikely that the draught will be exactly 5.30 m, 5.40 m, and so on.
Consider a draught of 5.26 m. What will the saltwater values of displacement and TPC be?
Entering the hydrostatic data sheet gives the following:

Actual displacement is calculated as follows:

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Example
Now calculate the TPCsw for the draught of 5.26 m by substituting the displacement values for the equivalent TPC
values.
Answer:

It is important that you should be able to interpolate for intermediate values of tabulated hydrostatic data.
Sometimes such data is presented in the form of curves, in which case the interpolation procedure is not necessary. But,
since many examination worksheets are in the form of tabulated data, it would be prudent for the learner to become
confident in this procedure.

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Load/Discharge Problems
If given a TPC value for a particular draught, then the change in the draught that will occur as a result of
loading or discharging weights, termed either sinkage or rise as appropriate, may be calculated using the
following formula where 'w' represents the total weight that is loaded or discharged:

Having calculated the sinkage/rise of the ship, it is then applied to the initial draught. The above formula
may also be used to determine the weight to load or discharge to achieve a required draught where:

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Example
A ship has an initial mean draught of 5.10 m in saltwater and is required to complete loading with a draught of
6.40 m. Using the hydrostatic particulars, calculate the amount of cargo that must be loaded. 

Two methods may be used as follows:

Method -1-
1. Read off the DISPLsw values for both the initial and required final draught.
2. Subtract the smaller from the larger.
3. Result equals the amount to load.

Method -2-
1. Read off the TPCSW values for both the initial and required final draught.
2. Calculate the mean TPCSW  value.
3. Calculate the required change in a draught, in this case sinkage.
4. Use the formula: Sinkage/Rise (cms) = w/TPC (to find w, the amount to load).

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Answer:
Method -1-

Method -2-
Initial draught TPC= 22.00
Required draught TPC= 22.72
Mean TPC= (22.00+22.72)/2
                  =22.36
Sinkage (cms)= 6.40 m - 5 .10 m= 1.30 m= 130 cms
Sinkage (cms)= w/TPCsw
So, w (cargo to load)= Sinkage * Mean TPCsw

                                     = 130 X 22.36 = 2906.80 tonnes

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The answers differ slightly because in using the mean value of TPC it is assumed that the TPC value will change
linearly between the range of draughts concerned. This is not so as the underwater form of a ship does not change
uniformly with draught. For this reason, Method 2 should only be used for small changes in a draught.

Conclusion
* The displacement for the correct density must be used in the
calculation.
* The TPC for the density in which the ship is loading should be
used in the calculation.

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 Learning Objectives

•Understand the important factors that are taken into account when assigning a freeboard to a ship. 
•2
•2
• Understand the terms Type ‘A’Ship and Type 'B' ship. 
•3
•3
•Know the dimensions of a set of load lines as would be assigned to a ship. 
•4
•4
• Understand the term Fresh Water Allowance and derive the formula for Fresh Water Allowance.
•5
•5
• Understand the term Dock Water Allowance.
•6
•6
•Be able to perform calculations relating to the loading of a ship to the appropriate load line mark.

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