Why do oil tankers and cargo ships have their bridge at the stern end ? Wouldn't it be safer at the bow end ?

Question

Why do oil tankers and cargo ships have their bridge at the stern end ? Wouldn't it be safer at the bow end ?

Answer 1

2 main reasons. First, because the bow is the roughest riding part of any ship  (or boat), second, because with the bridge aft, the crew on the bridge have a full view of the deck, deck cargo, etc. It has been shown to be much safer for the ships operation, and the crews safety.

Answer 2

There are several advantages to having the bridge at the rear, first it allows full vision of the the ship and its cargo, second it provides a safety zone between the bow and the bridge.

Thirdly it allows the maximum cargo area, fourthly there is a greatly reduced cost as there is no requirement for expensive interconnecting cables, pipes etc between the front and the rear of the ship.

Ja.

Answer 3

All the machinery, engines, propulsion, accommodation etc can be concentrated in one area, freeing all that forward for cargo without interruption.  Plus the watch can see what's happening on deck.  In crude terms the ships are built as two chunks, the complicated bit and the bit tacked on the front to carry the cargo.

Answer 4

They did not always have it that way, and some still do not.  It is more efficient to build a commercial vessel with one deck house area than to have to run electric, sanitation, water, and other services forward .  A forward lookout is required at all times and radar is used as well as video cameras on some vessels.

Answer 5

I agree with the respondent above me, and I'd like to add that by placing the superstructure aft, cargo space is maximized.

The T - class tankers of WWII had their superstructures amidships, but with the advent of larger tankers - particularly VLCC (Very Large Crude Carrier) tankers such as the Universe Ireland in 1968, the superstructure was relegated aft.

Answer 6

probably because its cheaper and easier to connect the engine and rudder controls to the wheel house

Answer 7

no. It`s further from the collision !

Answer 8

The reason for the accommodation and bridge being aft is because the engine-room is there. the engine was moved aft in tankers to remove the propeller shaft from running through the cargo tanks, the first tankers had the bridge in the amidships position and the controls would be lead along the deck. The aft bridge came in during the 60's and removed all the controls and electrics to the stern which meant that the cargo tanks were now clear the accommodation. Cargo vessels followed as with the engine aft with the accommodation the cargo volume is greater than it would be with the engine-room amidships, also if the bridge is over cargo areas you can not fit the hold access directly above. The position is an advantage to the ship owner bur has great disadvantages to the navigator as with very large vessels the bow can be out of sight in fog.

Answer 9

They may not have thought of that.

Answer 10

Consider it as a lorry. All the propulsion, steering, crewing etc areas are usually in one place and the cargo bit is maximised by being uninterrupted by the non money making bit.

Now consider this lorry to be a ship where the steering and propulsion is at the rear so not wishing to have half a mile to walk to work from the crew bit to the working bits which require manning it is sensible to have them together.

Now a ship steers by swinging the stern out to the side and if you up at the bow this movement is very hard to detect and therefore correct especially when manoeuvring in restricted waters where you want to see which way you are pointing and also see where the whole ship actually is. From the bow this is very difficult with a large ship. So generally speaking cargo vessels have developed to have the bridge at the rear which is the safer but also cheaper way.

Answer 11

try standing at the back of a big boat ans steering it. You look at the bow to judge where you are going. You couldn't do that it you stood at the bow.

Its even true on small boats, try steering a narrow boat from  the front, it would be impossible

Granted, this is less relvent with GPS controlled ships but its a legacy that everyone prefers.

Its also probably related to having all the accomodation, engineer rooms etc in one place out fo the way of the cargo. Given the choice of sleeping at the bow or stern i'd prefer the stern - much smoother

Having said that, i wonder why passenger liners have thier bridge about 1/3 of the way down if the above its true.

As with many design decisions, its probably the combination of many factors

Answer 12

No, the stern is more protected than the bow. Placement far aft allows the bridge a safety zone away from hazards to weather.

Also, it allows a commanding view of the weather deck and crew operations.

Answer 13

Most pleasure boats have a similar configuration. You only have to consider whats going on ahead as you are steering from the stern. Mid or forward bridges would cause manoeuvring problems.