HNC NAUTICAL SCIENCE

Group Award Code: G8F5 15

Unit Code: F0LD 34 Ship Stability

Outcome 1 - Hydrostatics

1.7 FWA & DWA

Aims
To introduce the student to:

 Fresh Water Allowance (FWA) and

Dock Water Allowance (DWA) and their
uses;

 the conversion of TPC to reflect the

density of water at that time.
Objectives

By the end of the lesson the Student will be able to:

 define Fresh Water Allowance (FWA) and Dock

Water Allowance (DWA);

 calculate FWA and DWA;

calculate “Cargo to Load” given the initial draught

and the applicable Loadline Zone and TPC for a vessel
in FW or DW.
Fresh Water Allowance
 Archimedes’ principle stated that a body must
displace its own weight in water in order to float.
 When a vessel enters water of a lower density it
must displace a larger volume in order to
displace the same weight.
 The vessel sinks.
 This sinkage is the Fresh Water Allowance

FWA

FW = 1.000 t/m3 SW = 1.025 t/m3

FWA

 It is the number of mm by which the mean

draught changes when a vessel passes from
SW to FW and vice versa at the summer load
draught.
 It is calculated by:
 FWA (mm) = Δs
4 x TPC
 Δs = Summer Load Displacement
 TPC for SW
Example 1
A vessel ΔLT = 4125t, DWTSUMMER = 10852t and
TPC = 30.44.
Calculate FWA.
• To Find the Summer Δ To Find the FWA
• Δs = ΔLT + DWT FWA = Δs
4 x TPC
• = 4125t + 10
852t
= 14977t
• Δs = 14 977t 4x
30.44
FWA = 123mm
Example 2
A vessel has L = 180.92m, B = 16.25m, D =
12.66m,
Cb = 0.85, Cw = 0.9 and an even keel summer
load draught of 3.56m in SW. Calculate the
FWA.

To Calculate the Summer Displacement

S = L x B x d x Cb x ρ

= 180.92 x 16.25 x 3.56 x 0.85 x 1.025

S = 9118.7 t
 Example 2 (cont’d)
To Calculate the TPC
To Calculate the FWA
TPCSW = Aw x ρsw
100 FWA = ∆s =
= L x B x Cw x ρsw 4 x TPC
100

= 180.92 x 16.25 x 0.9 x 1.025

100
= 9118.7
TPCSW = 27.12 t 4 x 27.12

The FWA is 84 mm
 Dock Water Allowance (DWA)
 Ships regularly visit ports which have a density
that is neither FW or SW but in between. (aka
Dock Water or Brackish Water)

 The ship will only sink an amount equal to a

part of the FWA.

 DWA is the number of mm by which the mean

draught changes when a vessel passes from
SW to DW and vice versa.
Calculation of DWA
DWA (mm) = FWA x (ρsw - ρDW)
(ρsw - ρFW)

Or, if densities can be expressed in kg/m3

DWA (mm) = FWA x (1025 -  DW)

(1025 - 1000)

DWA (mm) = FWA x (1025 -  DW)

25
Example 1
A vessel is floating in DW of  = 1.018 t/m3.
FWA = 200mm.
By what distance is the Summer loadline to be
submerged if the vessel is to be on the Summer
loadline in SW?

DWA = FWA x (1025 ~  DW)

25

= 200 x (1025 - 1018)

25
DWA = 56mm
Example 2
A vessel is floating in DW of  = 1.005t/m3
FWA= 200mm.

By what distance is the Summer loadline to be submerged

if the vessel is to be on the Summer loadline in SW?

DWA = FWA x (1025 ~  DW)

25
= 200 x (1025 - 1005)
25
DWA = 160 mm
Example 3
A vessel is loading in water of relative density 1.012. The
present waterline is 25 mm above the top of the Summer
mark. FWA = 250 mm, Summer Draught = 9.600 m.
Calculate the further sinkage required in the dock so that it
will be on her Tropical mark in the open sea when it sails.

9.625m
S 9.600m
 T
Example 3
9.625m
S 9.600m

To Calculate the DWA To Calculate the Tropical

Draught

DWA = FWA x (1025 ~  DW

Diff S/T
SD
= 1/48 x
) = 9.600
25 48
= 250 x (1025 - 1012) Diff = 0.200 m
S draft = 9.600 m
25 T draft = 9.800 m
DWA = 130 mm = 0.130m Tropical draft = 9.8m
Example 3
The situation as it stands:

9.930m (Loaded draft)

DWA 0.130m
T 9.800m

9.625m
S 9.600m

Loaded draft = 9.930m

Present draft = 9.625m -
Required Sinkage = 0.305
m

 The required sinkage is 30.5

cm