General Arrangement Plan

Unit 8
General Arrangement Plan

OBJECTIVES:

The main objectives of Unit 8 are:

 familiarizing students with the general arrangement plan
of a ship
 understanding the main characteristics of different
spaces and separations
 focusing on the general arrangement plan
 practicing the use of ship’s measurements
 successfully conceiving a shipbuilding project

8. 1 General Arrangement Plan

8.1.1. Spaces and separations
The general arrangement plan shows the division of a vessel into compartments in cross
sections and longitudinal sections.
The compartments are formed by vertical separations (longitudinal and transverse
bulkheads) and horizontal separations (decks).
These compartments and spaces serve as storage spaces for cargoes, stores, equipment,
spare parts, liquids, etc., as accommodation spaces for passengers and members of the
crew, and as "domestic spaces", such
as galley, pantries, dispensary, etc. The
extreme fore end of the vessel is
called stem. The extreme aft end is the
stern. The upper deck, or main deck (a), is
often the deck that is exposed to sea
and weather.
That is why the main deck is also
called the "weather deck". In fact, it provides a
Longitudinal section with spaces and
"shelter" for all the contents of the vessel. The
separations
foremost part of the upper deck is called the forecastle (b - pronounced as
[fooksl]). Its bulwark is called the vauxhall. The anchor winches are situated on this deck.
The tweendeck (c) is the intermediate deck between upper deck (a) and the inside bottom of
the vessel, called tanktop (d). The tweendeck divides the vessel into separate holds.
The upper holds and lower holds (e) are the spaces that contain the cargoes.
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Spaces for liquid cargoes are called tanks.

Access to a hold can be obtained through hatches. On freighters these hatches must be
sufficiently broad for grabs to be lowered into the holds.
The foremost and aftermost spaces of the vessel are the peak tanks (f).
They may serve as storage spaces for ballast water and are capable of "absorbing" a part of
the impact-forces that are released in case of a collision.
The anchor chain is stored in the chain locker (g). It is situated over the fore peaktank.
The upper part of the fore peaktank is called the boatswain's (or bosun's) locker (h), where
ropes, paint and dunnage are kept.

Bulkheads are the vertical separations between holds and spaces.

The fore peak bulkhead and after peak bulkhead (i) are the so-called collision bulkheads.
These transverse bulkheads are watertight and prevent the vessel from flooding in case the
vessel collides with an other vessel. Collision bulkheads are also fire-retarding or even
fireproof.
Apart from transverse bulkheads tankers are also fitted with 2 longitudinal bulkheads that
divide the vessel into starboard- and port wing tanks and a centre tank.
The engine room (j) is a watertight machinery space that contains the vessel's propulsion
plant. The steering engine room (k) must also be a watertight compartment and is very often
situated over the after peaktank (f).
Due to large stresses that occur under the engine room and peaktanks, additional
strengthenings are often inserted.
The double bottom (I) provides strength and storage space for fuel, lubricating oil, fresh
water, salt (ballast) water and potable water.
To prevent liquids from leaking from one double bottom tank into the other, longitudinal and
transverse separations are used between the tanks. These separations, which are in fact
empty spaces, are called cofferdams (m).
On the main deck we find the so-called superstructure (n) with the accommodation for the
crew and passengers, the messroom, the galley and the pantry.
The navigating bridge contains the wheelhouse with the control station, the chartroom where
charts, pilot books and publications are kept, and the radio room.
There are the instruments for navigation, such as the Radar, the log, the echo sounder, the
steering compass and repeater compass.
The master compass is usually situated on the monkey island, a small deck or platform over
the wheelhouse.
The upper deck
The imaginary line from stem to stern is called the fore-and-aft line. It divides the vessel into
a starboard- and portside (when facing forward). "Abeam" is used to indicate direction at a
right angle to the fore-and-aft line.
The terms used to indicate directions in which the vessel can proceed are: ahead and astern,
starboard and port.
The upper deck, or main deck, is divided into the foremost deck (a), called "forecastle", the
centre deck, called "midships" (b), and the aft deck, called "quarterdeck" (c). A raised
quarterdeck is called "poopdeck".
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The foremost part of the vessel is divided into the starboard bow and port bow (d). The
quarterdeck is divided into the starboard quarter and port quarter (e).

8. 2 General Arrangement Plan - Tasks

8.2.1. Idioms

The italicized words in the text are given below in alphabetical order.
Find out what they mean as they appear in the text and learn them by heart.
abeam collide fore peak bulkhead
access collision fore-and-aft line
additional control station forecastle
ahead cross section foremost
anchor dispensary freighter
angle division fresh water
astern due to fuel
boatswain's locker dunnage galley
bow e.g. general cargo
bulkhead engine room General Arrangement Plan
bulwark equipment hatch
cabin extreme fore end i.e.
chain locker fire retarding insert
chartroom flood. intermediate
cofferdam fore peaktank longitudinal section
lower deck propulsion plant stresses
lower hold provide sufficient
lubricating oil purpose superstructure
main deck quarterdeck thus
master compass repeater compass transverse
messroom segregate tweendeck
monkey island separate upper deck
obtain spare parts upper hold
pantry starboard vauxhall
peaktank steering engine room watertight
port stem wheelhouse
potable water stern wing tank
prevent stores
proceed strengthening

8.2.2. Spaces and separations

Fill in the name, indicate whether it is a space (sp) or a separation (sep), and describe its
function:

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