Ship Structure & Parts
Terms from Anchor to Windlass, each linked to related terms and to the desks that work with them.
Entries updated May 2026
Related desks
Terms in Ship Structure & Parts
20 termsAnchor
A heavy device lowered to the seabed on a chain or cable to hold a vessel in position.
Ballast Tank
Tanks within a vessel's hull that can be filled with or emptied of seawater to adjust the vessel's trim, stability, and draft.
Bilge
The lowest internal part of the hull where the sides curve inward to meet the bottom.
Bollard
A strong vertical post on a ship's deck or on a quay used for securing mooring lines.
Bridge
The command and navigation center of a vessel, typically located on the uppermost deck of the superstructure, providing a clear view forward and to both sides.
Bulkhead
A vertical partition wall within a vessel's hull that divides the interior into separate compartments.
Cargo Hold
An enclosed space within a vessel's hull designed for the stowage of cargo.
Engine Room
The compartment housing the main propulsion machinery, auxiliary engines, generators, boilers, and associated systems that power and operate the vessel.
Forecastle
The forward section of the upper deck of a vessel, typically raised above the main deck level, where the anchor windlass, mooring equipment, and chain lockers are located.
Funnel
The smokestack or exhaust uptake on a vessel through which engine exhaust gases are discharged to the atmosphere.
Hawsehole
An opening in the hull or bulwark at the bow through which the anchor chain passes.
Hull
The main body and structural shell of a vessel, including the bottom, sides, and deck, that provides buoyancy and watertight integrity.
Keel
The principal structural member running longitudinally along the centerline of the bottom of a vessel's hull, from bow to stern.
Mast
A vertical pole or structure rising above the deck of a vessel, used to support navigation lights, radar scanners, communication antennas, and signal flags.
Mooring Lines
Heavy ropes or wires used to secure a vessel to a berth, buoy, or another vessel.
Poop Deck
The raised deck at the stern of a vessel, forming the roof of the aft accommodation or steering gear compartment.
Propeller
A rotating device with blades mounted on a shaft that converts engine power into thrust to propel the vessel through the water.
Rudder
A flat or streamlined vertical plate mounted at the stern of a vessel, used to steer the ship by deflecting water flow when turned.
Superstructure
The enclosed structure built above the main deck of a vessel, housing the bridge, accommodation, galley, and other operational spaces.
Windlass
A mechanical device located on the forecastle used for raising and lowering the anchor and its chain cable.