Marine & Nautical

Intermediate

Ship Displacement

A floating ship displaces its own weight in water.

Formula

\Delta = \rho V

Variables

ΔDisplacement (kg)

ρWater density (kg/m³)

VSubmerged volume (m³)

Example

V=1000 m³ seawater: Δ = 1,025,000 kg

Did You Know?

A ship's 'displacement tonnage' is literally the mass of seawater its hull pushes aside.

marine displacement ship

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More in Marine & Nautical

Hull Speed

Theoretical top displacement speed in knots from waterline length in feet.

Speed in Knots

One knot is one nautical mile per hour.

Nautical Mile to Kilometres

Convert nautical miles to kilometres.

Buoyant Force (Archimedes)

Upward force equals the weight of displaced water.

Draft from Displacement

Depth of hull below waterline from displacement and waterplane area.

Froude Number

Ratio of inertia to gravity waves; governs hull resistance.