What is the purpose of a Plimsoll line on a ship?
A merchant ship has a mark on its hull called the Plimsoll Line or Plimsoll Mark, which indicates the limit to which the ship can carry sufficient cargo.
Internationally, the ship’s Plimsoll Line is officially called the International Line. Each type of ship has a different level of buoyancy, and the Plimsoll Line of a ship usually varies from ship to ship.
Technically, a ship cannot float on anything while sailing. A certain part of the ship is always submerged in the seawater, and the ship’s total weight determines the degree of immersion.
Even the type of water in which the ship floats can affect the application of the load line. Sometimes, the ocean region and seasonal changes can also affect the Plimsoll Mark.
Researchers have found that water temperature and salinity also play an important role in determining how high a ship floats in the water.
Plimsoll Loading Line
Why should ships be equipped with plimsoll loading lines?
International shipping lines are essential to ensure the safe and smooth sailing of fully loaded ships on the sea. Seafarers must ensure that the water level does not exceed the linear mark due to cargo overloading or technical faults.
This is very unsafe for the ship as unreasonable overloading of heavy cargo can undermine the ship’s stability. Exceeding the plimsoll mark or waterline limit is against international shipping law and can cause serious problems for the crew, including the captain.
How were loading lines used in the past?
Earlier, merchant ships were painted on the sides, and sailors tried to follow the theory that the weight of the cargo should not cause the draft to exceed the line.
The main symbol used to indicate international routes is a circle with a horizontal line passing through the circle’s center.
How did international routes become mandatory?
Samuel Plimsoll was a widely known and respected figure, the founder of the Plimsoll Line, and a well-known businessman and shipping reformer. He was an active member of the British Parliament and influenced Parliament in drafting the Maritime Trade Act of 1875. He was very concerned about the safety of people working in the maritime world. The regulator disliked sinking ships due to unloading excess cargo without knowing their capacity.
He even took the time to conduct a serious investigation and was very sad when he learned about the unfortunate situation. He once found out that nearly a thousand British sailors had lost their lives due to overloading without information.
Plimsoll was deeply affected by the incident and was determined to bring changes to protect seafarers. In this sense, Plimsoll created the Plimsoll Merchant Ship Line.
According to this reform, all cargo ships had to mark load lines on their hulls to indicate how far they could carry cargo. The line marking indicated the maximum safe depth to load the cargo.
Thus, Samuel Plimsoll pioneered the concept of the International Shipping Company, and his contribution was significant in the maritime world.
Aerial photos reveal work progressing on The Line megacity
The law was widely used and, in practice, applied to foreign ships leaving British ports. Other countries with strict maritime regulations also began to follow the rules of the International Shipping Company.
The invention of the Plimsoll Line proved to be a breakthrough in maintaining the safety of ships, and many countries immediately followed suit after its implementation in the UK.
In 1930, international shipping lines were already open to about 54 countries. In 1968, a discovery appeared on the ocean market. It was an improvisation of the old Plimsoll brand involving the application of smaller load lines on new giant ships.
In 1980, members of the Board of Trade issued an order to draw load lines on all cargo ships.
Samuel Plimsoll’s contribution to the shipping industry is legendary and significant. Thanks to their sincere efforts, the risk of ship capsizing was reduced, and many lives were saved at sea.
The Plimsoll font is now mandatory. The logo has been accepted worldwide, and the waterline is still named after its pioneer, Samuel Plimsoll, in memory of the great congressman.
