- As name indicate the system which maintain the stability of the ship is known as Ship stabilizer
- The purpose of stabilizers is to reduce the roll (i.e., the sideways motion) of a ship.
- Normally modern big passenger ships and army ships having these type of stabilizer
- Almost 70% of ship rolling can be reduced by these type of stabilizers
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Fin type stabilizers and Rotary type stabilizers are two of them
>>> These stabilizers are shaped like airplane wings and extend out from the side of the hull in a perpendicular fashion when in use. They can pivot up and down like the ailerons on an airplane’s wings. Consequently, as the water flows over a stabilizer it can be turned upwards or downwards to exert dive or lift.
>>>When a sensor detects that a wave is pushing the ship one way, the ship’s systems automatically pivot the stabilizers so as to exert pressure in the opposite direction.
>>>When the ship is in port or when the seas are calm, the stabilizers can be folded back hydraulically into compartments along the side of the hull. Stabilizers can be deployed independently and so the ship’s officers have the option of deploying the stabilizers on one side of the ship or on both sides to suit the sea condition.
>>>Stabilizers do create some drag and thus can in theory reduce speed and fuel efficiency. However, any such loss has to be balanced against the savings in speed and fuel efficiency resulting from reducing the ship’s motion.