Maritime glossary
Displacement
The actual weight of a vessel, equal to the weight of water it displaces, measured in tonnes.
Definition
Displacement is the true weight of a ship, equal to the mass of water the hull pushes aside when floating. Light displacement is the weight of the vessel itself with no cargo, fuel, or stores. Loaded displacement is the weight at the summer load line. The difference between the two is deadweight. Naval architects work in displacement; commercial people work in deadweight, which is why the two figures often get confused.
How Vessel Hunter uses Displacement
Displacement underpins the deadweight and tonnage figures on every Vessel Hunter spec sheet, so the numbers reconcile when an engineer and a broker compare notes.
Related terms
- DWTDeadweight Tonnage
The maximum weight in tonnes a vessel can carry (cargo, fuel, ballast, crew, stores) without exceeding its load line.
- LightshipLightweight
The weight of a vessel with no cargo, fuel, ballast, stores, or crew aboard.
- Load LinePlimsoll Mark
The marking on a ship’s hull that shows the maximum legal loading depth for a given season and water density.
The bigger picture
Displacement is one piece of the commercial maritime picture Vessel Hunter pulls together for shipyards, suppliers, service providers, and port agents. Every vessel record bundles AIS, ownership, inspections, dry-dock history, casualty record, classification status, and a verified contact for the operator decision-maker behind the ship, so the team that reaches out first wins the work.
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