Ships and Bouyancy

Military ship close to harbor.
Credit: U.S. Navy

A ship floats lower in the water when it’s full than when it’s empty, because more weight makes it displace more water. The weight of the ship equals the weight of the water it displaces. The draft markings on a ship's hull (as seen on the bow of this ship) show the vertical distance between the waterline and the bottom of the hull. If the ship is full of cargo and fuel, the waterline will reach a higher draft number.

Categories: Gravity & Air