Eli5 how do cargo ships not tip over? Aren’t they super top heavy?
In: 195
They can in fact, tip over, but a lot of time and planning is spent so that they don’t. Cargo ships are not just platforms with cargo on top, there are giant engines underneath, the enormous prop shaft, fuel tanks, the bilge, and often more storage. Pains are taken in assuring that the ship isn’t unstable in any way, often with the assistance of automated systems which use ballast to enhance lateral balance. The real risk isn’t with containerized shipping though, it’s with bulk dry goods, especially certain cargoes like bentonite which are notorious for suddenly shifting and causing a boat to capsize.
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