WEEK 1

TOPIC: Ship’s Transverse Longitudinal Stability

LO1.1 Explain the effects of movements of cargo to ship’s transverse and longitudinal stability

Effects of Cargo Movement on Ship Stability the stability of a ship

is a crucial factor in its seaworthiness, efficiency, and safety. The movement of

cargo, whether intentional (during loading and unloading) or unintentional (due to
shifting during a voyage), can significantly impact the vessel’s transverse stability
(side- to-side balance) and longitudinal stability (fore-and-aft balance). A poorly
balanced ship is more susceptible to capsizing, excessive rolling, improper trimming,
and loss of maneuverability. Understanding how cargo movement influences these
stability aspects helps prevent maritime accidents and enhances operational
efficiency.

Transverse Stability

Transverse stability is a ship's ability to resist heeling, or tilting, to port or starboard.

This stability is crucial for maintaining the vessel's upright position and ensuring safe
operations. Cargo shifts can significantly impact transverse stability by altering the
ship's center of gravity (G) and metacentric height (GM).

Center of Gravity (G): The center of gravity is the point where the total weight of the
ship is considered to act vertically downward. It is determined by the distribution of
the ship's weight, including the hull, machinery, crew, and cargo. When cargo is
loaded or unloaded, or when it shifts within the vessel, the position of G changes. A
higher G increases the risk of heeling, as the ship becomes more top-heavy.

Metacentric Height (GM): Metacentric height is the distance between the center of
gravity (G) and the metacenter (M), a point where the buoyant force acts when the
ship is heeled. GM is a key indicator of a ship's stability; a larger GM generally
means greater stability. The metacenter moves as the ship heels, and its position
relative to G determines the ship's righting moment—the force that returns the ship
to an upright position.

Advance Trim, Stability and Stress Research

 WEEK 1

TOPIC: Ship’s Transverse Longitudinal Stability

LO1.1 Explain the effects of movements of cargo to ship’s transverse and longitudinal stability

Difference between List and Heel

Listing of Ship

The list is the sideways tilt resulting from an imbalance in weight distribution on
either side of the ship’s centerline. In other words, the list is caused when the center
of gravity of the ship is not on the center line due to internal causes. A vessel tilting
to one side will regain its upright position only when the center of gravity is returned
to the center line.

Heel of Ship

The heel is the transverse inclination of the ship caused by external forces such as
wind, waves, centrifugal force during course alterations, over-tight mooring in port,
etc. Since no transverse weight shift has taken place on board, the position of the
COG of the ship remains unaffected by the heel.

When a ship is heeled over to one side, say to starboard, her underwater volume
increases on the starboard side and decreases on the port side.

Advance Trim, Stability and Stress Research

 WEEK 1

TOPIC: Ship’s Transverse Longitudinal Stability

LO1.1 Explain the effects of movements of cargo to ship’s transverse and longitudinal stability

Advance Trim, Stability and Stress Research

 WEEK 1

TOPIC: Ship’s Transverse Longitudinal Stability

LO1.1 Explain the effects of movements of cargo to ship’s transverse and longitudinal stability

Metacentric height (GM)

It is the vertical distance between the COG and the metacentre. Metacentric height is
said to be positive when G is below M i.e., when KG is less than KM and GM is said
to be negative when G is above M i.e., when KG is greater than KM.

Over small angles of the heel, wherein KM may be considered constant, GM also is
considered constant and is referred to as initial GM.

Righting Lever (GZ)

When a vessel is heeled (inclined by an external force), the force of buoyancy, which
is acting vertically upwards through the new position of COB, becomes separated
from the force of gravity, acting vertically downwards through the COG, by a
horizontal distance called righting lever (GZ).

GZ normally increases as the angle of the heel increases until it reaches a maximum
value at some large angle of the heel.

For small angles of the heel (less than 15 degrees), herein KM and hence GM, may
be considered constant,

GZ = GM. Sinθ ( θ is the angle of heel)

For large angles of the heel, GZ can be calculated by the wall-sided formula

GZ = Sinθ (GM + ½ (BM TAN^2 θ))

Advance Trim, Stability and Stress Research

 WEEK 1

TOPIC: Ship’s Transverse Longitudinal Stability

LO1.1 Explain the effects of movements of cargo to ship’s transverse and longitudinal stability

Righting Moment

When a vessel is heeled (inclined by an external force), the forces of gravity and
buoyancy, being equal and opposite, become separated by a horizontal distance
called the righting lever and form a couple which tries to return the vessel to upright.

The moment of this couple is a measure of the tendency of the vessel to return to
upright and is hence called the righting moment or ‘Moment of static stability’

RM = W.GZ for all angles of the heel

For small angles of the heel, where GM may be considered constant

GZ = GM.Sinθ

Advance Trim, Stability and Stress Research

 WEEK 1

TOPIC: Ship’s Transverse Longitudinal Stability

LO1.1 Explain the effects of movements of cargo to ship’s transverse and longitudinal stability

Equilibrium of Ship

Stable Equilibrium:

Study the figure below. A stable equilibrium is achieved when the vertical position of
G is lower than the position of the transverse metacenter (M). So, when the ship
heels to an angle (say theta- Ɵ), the center of buoyancy (B) now shifts to B1. The
lateral distance or lever between the weight and buoyancy in this condition results in
a moment that brings the ship back to its original upright position.

The moment resulting in the up righting of the ship to its original orientation is
called Righting Moment. The lever that causes the righting of a ship is the separation
between the vertical lines passing through G and B1. This is called the Righting
Lever, and abbreviated as GZ (refer to the figure above).

An important relation between metacentric height (GM) and righting lever (GZ) can
also be obtained from the figure above.

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 WEEK 1

TOPIC: Ship’s Transverse Longitudinal Stability

LO1.1 Explain the effects of movements of cargo to ship’s transverse and longitudinal stability

Unstable Equilibrium:

An unstable equilibrium is caused when the vertical position of G is higher than the
position of the transverse metacenter (M). So, when the ship heels to an angle (say
theta- Ɵ), the center of buoyancy (B) now shifts to B1. But the righting lever is now
negative, or in other words, the moment created would result in creating further heel
until a condition of stable equilibrium is reached. If the condition of stable equilibrium
is not reached by the time the deck is not immersed, the ship is said to capsize.

Remember discussing, in the previous article, that metacentric height is one of the
most vital parameters in the study of ship stability? We are now, in a position to
appreciate the same. A ship’s stability, as seen above, can be directly commented
on, by the value of its metacentric height (GM).

 GM > 0 means the ship is stable.

 GM = 0 means the ship is neutrally stable.
 GM < 0 means the ship is unstable.

Advance Trim, Stability and Stress Research

 WEEK 1

TOPIC: Ship’s Transverse Longitudinal Stability

LO1.1 Explain the effects of movements of cargo to ship’s transverse and longitudinal stability

Neutral Equilibrium:

This is the most dangerous situation possible, for any surface ship, and all
precautions must be taken to avoid it. It occurs when the vertical position of CG
coincides with the transverse metacenter (M). As shown in the figure below, in such
a condition, no righting lever is generated at any angle of the heel.

As a result, any heeling moment would not give rise to a righting moment, and the
ship would remain in the heeled position as long as neutral stability prevails. The risk
here is, at a larger angle of heel in a neutrally stable shift, an unwanted weight shift
due to cargo shifting might give rise to a condition of unstable equilibrium.

Advance Trim, Stability and Stress Research

 WEEK 1

TOPIC: Ship’s Transverse Longitudinal Stability

LO1.1 Explain the effects of movements of cargo to ship’s transverse and longitudinal stability

Longitudinal Stability:

In all that we have discussed till now, we have dealt with only heeling of a ship. In
other words, we have been discussing only the transverse stability of a ship. But a
ship’s stability analysis is not just restricted to the transverse direction. Longitudinal
shifts in weights on-board, or any longitudinal trimming moment (a moment that
would cause the ship to trim), are aspects that are discussed under the longitudinal
stability of a ship.

The figure below shows the effect of the shift of weight towards the aft of the ship,
resulting in trim by the stern. The center of gravity of the ship (G) now shifts aft to a
new position (G1), which causes the trimming moment. The ship now trims by aft,
which means more volume of the hull is submerged at the aft, and part of the
submerged volume towards the forward now emerges. This causes a shift in the
center of buoyancy of the ship towards the aft (from ‘B’ to ‘B1’). The equilibrium trim
angle is reached when the final center of gravity (G1) lies in line with the final center
of buoyancy (B1).

Advance Trim, Stability and Stress Research

 WEEK 1

TOPIC: Ship’s Transverse Longitudinal Stability

LO1.1 Explain the effects of movements of cargo to ship’s transverse and longitudinal stability

Trim of a ship due to longitudinal shift in center of gravity.

The metacenter of the ship in its longitudinal direction is called the longitudinal
metacenter (ML), and the vertical distance between the center of gravity and
longitudinal metacenter is called the longitudinal metacentric height of the ship
(GML). In a way similar to that of transverse stability, a positive longitudinal GM
means the ship is longitudinally stable, and will not plunge.

The important thing to note here is that the values of longitudinal GM usually range
from 100 to 110 times the value of the transverse GM. And since the values of
transverse GM of all ship types vary from 0.2 to 0.5, it implies that GM in the
longitudinal direction is usually as high as 100 meters or above. It is due to this,
ships are inherently highly stable in the longitudinal direction, and hence, most
studies of ship stability are focused on the transverse stability of the ship.

Now that we have acquainted ourselves with equilibrium conditions of ships, and are
able to analyze the effect of upsetting forces on ships, we will look into analyzing the
stability of a ship by stability curves, which provide us more window into
understanding and predicting the behavior of a ship in diverse conditions at sea.

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