Longitudinal centre of buoyancy (LCB)

Nautical Term: Longitudinal centre of buoyancy (LCB)

Definition of Longitudinal centre of buoyancy (LCB)

The longitudinal centre of buoyancy (LCB) refers to the specific fore and aft location of the centre of buoyancy on a ship. This is an essential consideration in naval architecture as the LCB plays a crucial role in maintaining the stability and equilibrium of a ship.

For instance, imagine a large container ship. The LCB of this ship would be located at a specific point in the ship’s longitudinal axis. Any movement of cargo that shifts the LCB position would affect the ship’s stability and could potentially lead to dangerous situations. Therefore, accurately determining and maintaining the LCB position is of critical importance to the safe and efficient operation of a ship.

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