SECTION 4 - LOAD LINES

INTRODUCTION

Most ships will be assigned a minimum freeboard and a corresponding set of load lines.
These will be permanently marked on each side of the ship (certain classes of ship are
exempt from these requirements).

Load lines assigned to a ship correspond to ocean areas or ‘zones’. Oceans around the
world are divided into these zones in terms of both geographical location and time of
year (season). By ensuring that the appropriate seasonal load line mark is not
submerged at sea in salt water (RD 1.025) the ship will always have the necessary
reserve buoyancy to ensure seaworthiness.

To ensure that the appropriate load line is never submerged at sea, it is essential that
the learner has a thorough knowledge of the load line markings, their spacing and
dimensions. The ability to perform calculations to determine the maximum amount to
load is also important, especially to the ship owner, as the absolute maximum cargo in
terms of weight should be carried whenever possible. It is also essential that the ship is
never ‘overloaded’, as contravention of the conditions of load line assignment will arise,
resulting in the ship being unseaworthy with respect to legislative requirements.

4.1 LOAD LINE DIMENSIONS

The load lines as they would appear on the starboard side of a ship are shown.

 
Fig. 4.1

The following points should be carefully noted:

 1. The notations assigned to the load lines are as follows:

                        S: Summer
W: Winter
T: Tropical
WNA: Winter North Atlantic
F: Fresh
TF: Tropical Fresh

Each load line indicates the minimum freeboard that applies to the seasonal zone
and/or area as stipulated in the International Convention on Load Lines, 1966.
(Refer to Annex II: Zones, Areas and Seasonal Periods)

2. The ship will be loaded to the appropriate load line when the waterline is level
with the top edge of the mark concerned when floating in salt water (RD 1.025).
3. The spacings between the load lines are measured from the top edge of one line
to the top edge of the other.
4. The assigned (Summer) freeboard is measured from the top edge of the Plimsoll
line (which corresponds to the top edge of the Summer line) to the top edge of
the deck line.
5. The ‘WNA’ load line mark is only assigned to ships that are 100 metres or less in
length. Ships over 100 m will load to the ‘W’ mark as appropriate.
6. With the exception of ‘FWA’ and ‘X’, all dimensions are the same for all ships,
regardless of size of ship.
7. Load lines should be clearly and permanently marked on the ship’s side; dark on
light background or vice-versa.

4.2 FRESH WATER ALLOWANCE (FWA)

Fresh Water Allowance (FWA) is the number of millimetres by which the mean draught
changes when a ship passes from salt water to fresh water, or vice-versa, when the ship
is loaded to the Summer displacement.

The FWA is found by the formula:

TPCSW is the salt-water TPC value for the summer load draught.

4.2.1 The ‘ship as a hydrometer’

If the load line marks are considered, the top of the Summer mark and the top of the
Fresh mark act as the limits of a scale of density that would appear on a hydrometer (an
instrument for measuring liquid density).

The ship behaves as a very large hydrometer!

 Fig.4.2

If the ship were loaded to the Summer displacement in salt water (RD 1.025) then the
water line would be level with the top edge of the Summer (S) load line. If now towed
into fresh water (RD 1.000) the ship would sink by the fresh water allowance such that
the water line would now be level with the top edge of the Fresh (F) load line.

Obviously the reverse would happen if moving from FW to SW!

4.2.2 Derivation of the FWA formula

The displacement of a ship may be calculated by:

DisplacementSHIP = L ´ B ´ d ´ CB ´ r

Consider the ship shown loaded to the Summer draught floating in:

(i) salt water;

(ii) fresh water.

Fig.4.3

The displacements will be different but the volumes of displacement will be the same. If
a ship is floating at a draught in FW, to find the equivalent SW displacement for the
same draught:
 DISPLSW = DISPLFW ´ 1.025

Therefore, for the ship shown:

DISPLFW ´ 1.025 = DISPLFW + (WPA ´ FWA ´ 1.000 t/m3)

where FWA is expressed in metres.

DISPLFW ´ 1.025 = DISPLFW + (WPA ´ FWA)

1.025DISPLFW = DISPLFW + (WPA ´ FWA)

1.025DISPLFW - DISPLFW = (WPA ´ FWA)

0.025DISPLFW = (WPA ´ FWA) (i)

Consider now the formula for TPC, where the TPCSW is the weight required to sink the
ship whilst at the summer displacement by 1 cm:  

TPCSW = WPA ´ 1.025

                  100

Rearranging this gives:  

WPA = TPCSW ´ 100 (ii)  

                    1.025

where the WPA is that for the Summer load draught waterline.

Substituting equation (ii) into equation (i):

0.025DISPLFW = 100 ´ TPCSW ´ FWA

1.025

  FWA (m) = 0.025 ´ DISPLFW ´ 1.025

                                100 ´ TPCSW

 To express FWA in mm then:

FWA = 0.025 ´ DISPLFW ´ 1.025

1000 100 ´ TPCSW

Rearranging gives:  

FWA (mm) = 0.025 ´ DISPLSW ´ 1000

100 ´ TPCSW

Therefore:

FWA (mm) = 0.25 ´ DISPLSW

TPCSW
Thus: 

Example 1

A ship floats in SW at the Summer displacement of 1680 tonnes. If the TPC SW is 5.18,
how much will the draught change by if the ship is towed to a berth where the density of
the water is 1.000 t/m3?

Solution
In moving from SW to FW the ship will experience sinkage by an amount equal to the
FWA.

FWA (mm) = DISPL. Summer

4TPCSW

FWA = 1680 = 81.1 mm

4 × 5.18

The draught will increase by 81.1 mm!

4.3 DOCK WATER ALLOWANCE (DWA)

The Dock Water Allowance (DWA) of a ship is the number of millimetres by which the
mean draught changes when a ship passes from salt water to dock water, or vice-versa,
when the ship is loaded to the Summer displacement.

Consider the load line marks shown. The top of the Summer mark and the top of the
Fresh mark both act as the limits of a scale of density, indicating the position of the salt
water and fresh water waterlines respectively for a ship loaded to the Summer
displacement. If such a ship was to be floating in water of an intermediate density,
termed Dock Water; the change in draught when going from salt water to dock water
can be easily determined.

Consider the scale marked on the section of load line shown.

  
Fig.4.4

If the ship were to go from SW to dock water of RD 1.010, the draught would change by
the DWA. The amount of the DWA is simply a fraction of the FWA as shown, in this case
3/5ths or 15/25ths of the FWA value.

 
Fig. 4.5

The DWA, as a fraction of the FWA, is found by the formula:

Note
The densities are multiplied by 1000 to simplify the working.
Example 2
A ship has a FWA of 200 mm. Calculate the change in draught that will occur if the ship
proceeds from SW to a berth where the RD of the dock water is 1.018. 

Solution
                            DWA (mm) = FWA × (1025 - RD dock water)
                                                                                25

Therefore: DWA (mm) = 200 × (1025 - 1018)

                                                          25

                            DWA = 56 mm

The draught will increase by 56 mm!

The DWA formula is easily modified to calculate the change in draught that would occur
if the ship were to proceed from dock water of one density to dock water of another.

(~ means difference between; take smaller value from greater value.)

Example 3

A ship is loaded to its summer displacement and is to proceed down river from a berth
where the dock water RD is 1.004 to another berth where the dock water RD is 1.016. If
the FWA is 260 mm, calculate the change in draught that will occur and state whether it
is an increase or a decrease.

Solution

DWA (mm) = FWA × (RDDW1~ RDDW2)

25

Therefore: DWA (mm) = 260 × (1016 - 1004)

                                                                            25

                              DWA = 124.8 mm

The draught will decrease by 125 mm since the ship is moving into more dense
water!

Note
Answers need only be to the nearest mm!

4.4 LOAD LINE CALCULATIONS

4.4.1 The need for applying DWA/FWA to ensure maximum cargo is loaded

When loading a ship it is desirable to load as much cargo as possible. If the ship is
loading in water that is less dense than salt water, such as dock water, then allowance
should be made for the ship rising out of the water on reaching the sea, salt water
density being greater than that of the dock water. 

Consider the following situation:

A ship is loading in the Summer zone in dock water RD 1.012. It can legally load so that
the salt-water waterline is level with the top edge of the Summer Load Line.

Consider the situation where the officer in charge of loading, loads cargo until the dock
water waterline becomes level with the top edge of the Summer load line!

 
Fig. 4.6

When the ship proceeds to sea, on reaching salt water (RD 1.025) the ship will rise and
be light of the Summer marks as shown.

 
Fig. 4.7

MORE CARGO COULD HAVE BEEN LOADED SINCE THE SHIP IS LIGHT OF THE
SUMMER LOAD LINE MARK!
To avoid this situation, but to also ensure that too much cargo is never loaded, the
amount to safely load can be readily calculated.

The aim of the problem is to ensure that on proceeding to sea the ship rises to the
desired seasonal load line mark. This is achieved by considering the 'Fresh Water
Allowance' or 'Dock Water Allowance' as appropriate in the calculation.

4.4.2 Procedure for conducting Load Line calculations

The following examples illustrate the method to be used to determine the maximum
amount of cargo to load when the ship is floating in dock water. It is important that the
calculation procedure is followed exactly, particularly in step 2 of the next example.

Example 4
A ship has a Summer load draught of 5.80 m, FWA 140 mm and TPC of 21.82. The ship
is loading at a berth in dock water RD 1.007 and the present draught is 5.74 m.
Calculate the maximum amount of cargo that can still be loaded for the ship to be at the
Summer load line mark on reaching the sea allowing for 26 tonnes of fuel still to be
loaded prior to sailing.

Solution
1. Calculate DWA (to the nearest mm).

DWA (mm) = 140 ´ (1025 - 1007) = 100.8 mm » 101 mm

                                                       25

2. Calculate the ‘permitted sinkage’ in dock water. Always start with the required
load line draught and work as follows:

Required Summer draught (1.025) 5.800m

DWA + 0.101 m
Required draught (1.007)
5.901m
Initial draught (1.007) 5.740 m
Permitted sinkage (1.007)
0.161 m

3. Calculate the maximum amount that can still be loaded in dock water, ignoring
any allowances for fuel or other items.

Permitted sinkage (cms) = w

                                                         
TPC

Therefore: w = Permitted sinkage (cms) ´ TPC

w = 16.1 ´ 21.82 ´ 1.007 = 345.1 tonnes

                                                         1.025

Note that TPC must be corrected for the density of the dock water!

4. Make allowance now for items other than cargo that must be loaded
 Total that can be loaded * 345.1tonnes
Fuel still to load 26.0tonnes
Maximum cargo to load 319.1 tonnes

*Note
Had the given TPC not been converted for the density of the dock water, the total that
could be loaded would have worked out as:

w = 16.1 × 21.82 = 351.3 tonnes;

resulting in the ship being OVERLOADED BY 6.2 TONNES!

Example 5
A ship is floating in dock water RD 1.002 at a draught of 4.30 m. How much more cargo
must be loaded to ensure that the ship will be at the Winter load line mark given that
the Winter draught corresponding to the winter displacement is 4.32 m and the TPC is
21.60 and the FWA is 100 mm.

Note that the TPC value given will always be the one that corresponds to salt water for
the waterline that is being loaded to.

Solution
1. Calculate DWA.

DWA (mm) = 100 × (1025 - 1002) = 92 mm

                                                          25

2. Calculate the ‘permitted sinkage’ in dock water. 

Required Winter draught (1.025) 4.320m

DWA +
0.092 m
Required draught (1.002) 4.412m
Initial draught (1.002)
4.300m
Permitted sinkage (1.002)
0.112 m

3. Calculate the maximum amount that can still be loaded in dock water.

Permitted sinkage (cms) = w

                                                          
TPC

Therefore: w = Permitted sinkage (cms) × TPC

w = 11.2 × 21.60 × 1.002 = 236.5 tonnes

                                                                      1.025

Total that can be loaded 236.5 tonnes.

Sometimes a question may be a little more difficult whereby knowledge of the load line
dimensions is essential. It is recommended that a sketch be drawn to fully understand
what is being asked!
Consider the next example.

Example 6
A ship is floating in dock water RD 1.006. The waterline to port is 12 cm below the lower
edge of the ‘S’ mark and on the starboard side is 4 cm above the upper edge of the ‘W’
mark. If the Summer displacement is 21620 tonnes (corresponding to a draught in salt
water of 6.86 m, TPC 18.6), how much cargo remains to be loaded to ensure that the
ship will be at the Winter mark in salt water.

Solution

1. Identify the load lines that are mentioned in the question (‘S’ and ‘W’ in this
case); sketch them (port or starboard, it does not matter) and enter all known
dimensions, calculating them as necessary.

Thickness of the lines: 25 mm (2.5 cms; 0.025 m)

Distance between Winter and Summer load lines (X):

X = Summer draught = 6.86 = 0.143 m 

                                                          48

 
  Fig. 4.8

2. Starting with a known draught (Summer) calculate the draught on each side by
applying the distances in the sketch.

PORT STBD

Summer draught 6.860 6.860

            Line thickness -0.025 ‘X’ - 0.143
         -0.120 +
0.040
            Draught each side 6.715 m
6.757 m

3. Calculate initial mean draught.

Initial mean draught (RD 1.006) = 6.715 + 6.757 =

6.736 m
                                                                                     2

4. Calculate DWA (in this case FWA must first be calculated).

FWA (mm) = DISPL. Summer = 2162 =

290.6 mm
                                          4TPCSW 4 ´ 18.6

DWA (mm) = 290.6 ´ (1025 - 1006) = 220.8 mm » 221

mm
                                                           25

5. Calculate the required Winter draught.

Summer draught 6.860 m

'X' 0.143 m
Required Winter draught 6.717 m

6. Calculate the ‘permitted sinkage’ in dock water.

Required Winter draught (1.025) 6.717 m

DWA + 0.221 m
Required draught (1.006) 6.938
m
Initial draught (1.006) 6.736
m
Permitted sinkage (1.006) 0.202
m

7. Calculate the maximum amount that can still be loaded in dock water.

Permitted sinkage (cms) = w

                                                         
TPC

Therefore: w = Permitted sinkage (cms) ´ TPC

w = 20.2 ´ 18.6 ´ 1.006 = 368.8 tonnes

                                           1.025