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Paul Rogers
| | Posted on Monday, January 22, 2001 - 9:35 pm: | 
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There are two methods used to calculate a ship’s weight:
(1) Volume of water displaced (35 cubic feet of displacement = 1 ton).
(2) Enclosed space (100 cubic feet = 1 ton).
The six different ways in which one can express a ship’s weight are as follows:
Net Register:
Capacity of the enclosed space of a ship used for cargo (the "earning potential" of a merchant ship).
Gross Register:
The total cubic capacity of all the enclosed spaces on a ship. Titanic was calculated at 46,328 tons Gross Register.
Displacement:
The total weight of the ship and everything on board. Titanic’s Displacement was 52,310 tons (53,147 tonnes).
Standard Displacement:
As per "Displacement," excluding the weight of fuel. Normally used when calculating warship tonnage rather than merchantman tonnage.
Deadweight:
The weight in tons of the cargo, fuel, etc. carried by a merchant ship when loaded to capacity; (i.e. to her Plimsoll line). This is equal to "Displacement" less the ship’s weight, the latter being the ship's "Lightweight." Titanic’s Deadweight was 13,550 tons (13,767 tonnes).
Lightweight:
The actual weight of the ship itself. Titanic’s Lightweight was approximately 38,760 tons (39,380 tonnes).
Sources:
- The Observer’s Book Of Ships (Frank E. Dodman, 1952)
- Encyclopedia Titanica
Contributors
Dave Gittins, Australia
Paul Rogers, UK |
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