Ocean liner is one of the types of marine ships. It is used as a mean for transportation in which it carries passengers across the sea. Not only passengers but also cargo mails and goods are taken to the trip. Ocean liner has its own distinction that makes it different from other ships. Also, lately ocean liner is converted to cruise ship with certain modifications. (Related to Characteristics of Oceanic Plates).
To be able to distinguish ocean liners among other ships as well as the functions it has, here are 17 characteristics of ocean liners you should know.
- Long Bow Design
The first apparent characteristic of ocean liner is its long bow. Even though ocean liners have experienced changes through the years, the long bow design is still its trademark. The long bow functions as protector for the ship from the sea waves, particularly the superstructure of the ship as well as any types of Ocean Parasites. The bow of ocean liner is also longer than cruise ship or ordinary ship due to its function as shipping ship used by shipping company to ship cargo mail.
- High Navigation Bridge
Ocean liner also has high navigation bridge in which it is placed atop the ship. The navigation bridge functions as navigator to communicate with other ships or the harbor center. The reason why the navigation bridge is placed atop from the deck of the ship is because it will prevent it to be damaged by weather. Most importantly, the high position allows for better view.
- Thicker and Stronger Hull
Not only it has longer bow but it also has thicker as well as stronger hur when it is compared to cruise ship. The strong hull makes it more durable to extreme weather.
Moreover, thick hull will help to balance the ship as it carries heavy goods that may affect the ship’s balance once it cruise up on the sea.
- Boat Deck Position
The boat deck is positioned nearer to the top vessel. Functions as life boat, in ordinary ship usually placed on the side but considering ocean liners usual have to overcome heavy waves, it is placed at the top.
Furthermore, the boat deck is placed at the top as the overall body ratio is massive already it has to have more vertical weigh to balance it as there are also causes of sea level rise that may endanger the critical part of the ship.
- Narrow, Pointed Bow
While the previous characteristic describe how long the lenght of the bow, there is another unique characteristic of ocean liner’s bow. The bow of ocean liner is narrow and pointed.
The reason why it is pointed is because it will help to break bigger waves compared to small boat or ship. The narrow, pointed bow also creates for more balanced weight of the ship.
- Lower Body Height
Ocean liner also has lower body height. It tends to have short distance to the open sea because it is designed to cut through sea waves and impact of ocean currents. Also, this design of body will help the ship to have better speed as ocean liner is purely a transportation mode.
It is different from cruise ship in which it tends to run leisurely and has higher body height compared to ocean liners.
- High Fuel Consumption
Aside from physical characteristics, ocean liner is known for its huge need of fuel. The need of power fuel is understandable since it has to carry many goods as well as having to exercise more power when dealing with heavy weather.
The engine for ocean liner is usually of a diesel with solar as the fuel. In every single trip, the tank needs to be full in order for the ship to run smoothly until reaching the destination.
- Speedy Performance
In speed department, ocean liner is best known for its speedy performance, especially when compared to cruise ship. The speed is needed as ocean liner is often used as delivery ship in which punctuality is emphasized.
Ocean liner also carry a great deal of passengers and crew for various reason. With this function, ocean liner is demanded to have speedy performance.
- Build for Long Distance Trip
The reason why ocean liner is built differently compared to other ships is because it travels a good amount of distance. While cruise ship often has regular route with short distance, ocean liner tends to travel across continent and drop people in various destination.
This is also the reason why the ocean liner is more sturdily built with design specifically made to overcome extreme weather and strong waves.
- Bigger than Ferry
Ocean liner is not just longer than cruise ship but it is also bigger than ferries. While ferries are also for transportation, the capacity it has is less than ocean liner. Ocean liner has the capacity of more than 1000 people with cargo mail.
It makes ocean liner the biggest type of ship with longest distance of coverage. Travelling on ocean ship usually is for people who want to go across continent.
- Huge Storage Capacity
While huge size is one of ocean liners characteristics, it is used mainly for storage for cargo mail and goods storing. Unlike it’s counterpart cruise ship, it does not have as many facilities as cruise ship.
Cruise ship usually has all the entertainment needed for the trip from luxurious restaurant to sport area. Whereas ocean liner may also have the facilities, passengers’ luxury need is not its priority. The priority of ocean liner is to drop the mail and passengers in their rightful destination.
- High Maintenance
As ocean liner is a ship that carries big capacity and goes to a long distance destination, it needs careful maintenance as well as regular check up. This is important since long distance sea tend to have various climate conditions, therefore leading ocean liner to be exposed in many weather.
In order to keep the trip safe as well as the ocean liner’s performance, the ship tend to need high maintenance, especially those build in diese engine.
- Different Kind of Passengers
Another characteristic of typical ocean liner is, it usually is for working to middle class passengers or migrants. It is different from cruise ship in which it usually si for leisure purpose and only affordable for upper class passengers. It is also related to the purpose of ocean liner.
Since ocean liner travels across continent, migrants prefer to use this mode of transportation more than others. The ocean liner is also equipped with some kind of dorm for those who will have long journey to the destined destination.
- Different Harbor
Not all ocean liner can reach any kind of harbor. Its long and big size may not fit to every harbor in this world. Ocean liner tends to land on the main harbor in each country only.
Not only the size matters but its capacity may flood the whole harbor if it’s too small. Thus, one of the characteristic of ocean liners is its preference to stop by on the big harbor only.
- Dining Room According to Class
Classic ocean liner has dining rooms that are separated based on the class of the passengers. Back when the ocean liner is still the main transportation in 18th and 19th century, the facilities for those in higher class is pretty different from those in lower class. The dining room for higher class usually has more refined furniture and expensive menu. Whereas the dining room for those in lower class has homely dining room.
However, as the ocean liner is no longer treated as main transportation with flight and other safer mode of transportation, this may not so apparent anymore.
- Made of Mostly Woods
The early generation of ocean liner is using mostly woods as material of the ship. they tend to use the strongest kind of wood such as teak tree that ensure a durable and long-lasting material. Later model has some steel and metal included but wood is still the main material for the whole body of the ship.
Only the experts are involved in the making of ocean liner. It is treated as a grand plan that only those experienced in it are allowed in the project. A main architect may also present as the main designer of the ship.
- Active Flue
The older type of ocean liner also has several flues that act as the getaway of the fuel exhaustion in the form of smokes. The flue usually is more than one as it has big capacity of fuel and active exhaustion. In the recent model, the flue is substituted with more advanced technology to prevent air pollution.
The flue also used as the indicator at the harbor when the ship is coming in before high technology navigation was invented. Later, it becomes the trade mark for ocean liner.
Ocean liners may not be used as main transportation anymore; most of them are converted into a cruise ship. However, it still one of the most legendary mode as transportation that people are aware of its existence. Some of them were documented into a movie. Several famous cases also bring the name of ocean liner along that it keeps being well-known. Indeed, there are 17 characteristic of ocean liners.
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