Chapter 1
The magic of buoyancy
Chapter 2
Staying upright and steady
Chapter 3
Powering a floating city
Chapter 4
Where giant ships are born
YOUR GOAL
Master of How cruise ships work
Ch 2 · Staying upright and steady
futura Cruise Ship Stability
Heavy engines, ballast tanks, down so deep, A low center of gravity the big ships keep!
futura Ships pump seawater into internal tanks to adjust weight, balance, and stability.
futura Computer-controlled wings fold out from the hull to reduce the ship's rolling motion.
BETA
futura Distribute the ship's weight to learn how massive cruise ships stay stable and upright.
Fun Fact
Fin stabilizers: Ship stabilizer fins act exactly like airplane wings underwater, generating lift to keep the vessel from tilting.
Glossary
ballast (noun)
Heavy material, such as water, placed low in a vessel to improve its stability. The Symphony of the Seas uses lower ballast tanks to balance its eighteen decks of passengers.
Heavy material, such as water, placed low in a vessel to improve its stability. The Symphony of the Seas uses lower ballast tanks to balance its eighteen decks of passengers.
Quiz
What are the wing-like structures that extend underwater from a cruise ship's sides to reduce rolling?
Quiz
What safety feature, mandated after the Titanic disaster, provides an inner steel wall to prevent flooding?
Quiz
What do cruise ships use to adjust their balance and weight as fuel is consumed during a voyage?