Nautical Term: Keel docking
Definition of Keel docking
Keel docking refers to a method of docking a ship in which the weight of the vessel is primarily supported by the keel and the keelson. This system distributes the pressure on the centerline and allows for the fitting of docking keels, which are used to help guide the ship into the dock. These docking keels are fitted in a fore-and-aft direction, generally parallel to the keel.
Example: During the busy shipping season, the captain of the cargo ship ‘Sea Hawk’ decided to call at the bustling port of San Francisco. As the ship approached the dock, the crew carefully positioned the docking keels in a fore-and-aft direction, parallel to the keel. With the docking keels firmly in place, the ship was able to glide smoothly into the dock, much to the relief and admiration of the dockworkers and onlookers.
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