Load line (Plimsoll line)
Marca de calado (línea de Plimsoll)
- Date
- 1876 · confidence high
- Place
- London, England, United Kingdom
- Credited to
- Samuel Plimsoll
- Field
- Movement
What it is
A disc with a horizontal line painted on the hull that fixes a loaded ship's maximum safe draught. The Merchant Shipping Act of 1876 made it compulsory to curb overloaded 'coffin ships'.
The act required the mark to be painted, but owners set its position until 1890-1894 when it was fixed officially; Lloyd's had recommended a freeboard marking since 1835.
What it led to
- the International Load Line Convention (1930)
- safer marine insurance
- maritime safety regulation