Bilging and permeability are two important factors that affect ship

compartments, particularly in terms of ship stability and safety.

Bilging: Bilging refers to the accumulation of water within the
compartments of a ship due to leakage or other factors.
It can occur for various reasons such as hull damage, malfunctioning
pumps, or even rough weather conditions.
The effect of bilging on ship compartments can be detrimental, leading
to reduced stability and potentially compromising the safety of the
vessel.
When water accumulates within compartments, it adds weight, affecting
the ship's overall center of gravity and buoyancy..
 Excessive bilging can cause the ship to list (lean to one side) or even
capsize if not addressed promptly.
 Permeability: Permeability refers to the ability of a ship's compartments
to resist water ingress.
 In an ideal scenario, ship compartments should be watertight, meaning
they should prevent water from entering even under adverse conditions.
 However, in reality, some level of permeability exists, especially in older
vessels or those that have undergone wear and tear.
 The permeability of compartments can be influenced by various factors
such as the quality of construction, maintenance practices, and the
materials used in the ship's construction.
The interaction between bilging and permeability can exacerbate the
consequences of water ingress.
For example increased Bilging with High Permeability: Compartments
with high permeability are more susceptible to water ingress, leading to
increased bilging. If not controlled, this can result in rapid flooding of the
compartments and compromise the stability of the ship.
Compartment Integrity and Safety: Maintaining the integrity of ship
compartments is crucial for ensuring the safety of the vessel and its crew.
Regular inspections, maintenance, and repair of compartments, including
sealing leaks and reinforcing watertight boundaries, are essential
practices to mitigate the risks associated with bilging and permeability
 Stability Considerations: Ship stability calculations take into account the
potential effects of bilging and permeability.
 Stability criteria are designed to ensure that a vessel can withstand
various scenarios, including partial flooding of compartments.
 Understanding the implications of bilging and permeability on stability is
vital for ship design, operation, and emergency response procedures.
 In summary, bilging and permeability significantly influence the behavior of
ship compartments, affecting vessel stability, safety, and overall
seaworthiness.
 Effective management of these factors through proper maintenance,
inspection, and adherence to safety protocols is essential for maritime
operations.
 Bilging Amidship

 A box shape vessel 150 meters long x 24 meters wide x 12 meters deep and is floating on an even keel at
5 meters draft, GM 0.9 meters. A compartment amidship is 20 meters long and is empty, find the new
GM if this compartment is bilged.
 Solution:
 Old KG = KM – GM
 KB = ½ Draft KB = ½ x 5 = 2.50 meters
 BM = B²/ 12d BM = 24²/ 12 x 5 = 9.6 meters
 KM = KB + BM KM = 2.50.m + 9.6 m KM= 12.1 m
 KG = KM – GM KG = 12.1 m – 0.9 KG = 11.2 meters
 Increase in Draft = volume of lost buoyancy
Area of intact waterplane
Increase in Draft= 20 x 24 x 5 Increase in draft = 0.77 m
(150 x 24) – (20 x 24)
 Old draft = 5.00 meters
 Increase in draft= 0.77 meters
 New Draft 5.77 meters
 New KB = ½ x 5.77 = 2.89 meters after bilging
 New BM = B²/12new draft = 24 x 24/ 12 x 5.77 = 8.32 after bilging
 New KM = New KB + New KB New KM = 11.21 meters
 New GM = New KM – Old KG
 New GM = 11.21 – 11.20 = 0.01 m after bilging