Nautical Term: Floating drydock
Definition of Floating drydock
A floating drydock is a U-shaped dock constructed with double skins. To use it, the dock is filled with water by opening the sillcocks, and then allowing it to settle so that the middle section becomes lower than the keel of a ship. This creates a dry environment where repairs can be made on the hull of the ship.
For example, imagine a cruise ship with a damaged hull. The ship would be towed to a floating drydock. Once inside the drydock, the water would be drained, and the ship’s hull would be exposed for repairs. Once the repairs are complete, the ship would be towed back out to sea.
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