Nautical Term: Mast
Definition of Mast
_A mast is a vertical spar or hollow steel pipe, which tapers towards the top, placed on the centerline of a ship with a slight after rake. Masts are essential components of a ship, as they support the yards and gaffs. In cargo vessels, masts also support cargo booms._
_For instance, on a container ship, the mast is a tall vertical structure that supports the containers boom, which is used to load and unload the cargo containers from the ship._
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