How do naval architects use length, breadth, depth, draft, and freeboard to describe a ship?

In naval architecture, these fundamental dimensions are used to define a ship's size, capacity, and safety characteristics:

• Length: Often measured as the length between perpendiculars, this is the distance on the summer load waterline from the forward side of the stem to the after side of the rudder post (or the center of the rudder stock).1
• Breadth (Beam): This represents the greatest width of the ship.1
• Depth: Measured at the middle of the ship's length, this is the distance from the top of the keel to the top of the deck beam at the side of the uppermost continuous deck.1
• Draft: This is the depth of water in which the ship floats, measured from the keel to the waterline. It is a critical factor in determining the ship's displacement and is governed by freeboard regulations.123
• Freeboard: Measured amidships from the waterline to the deck edge, freeboard provides a safety margin by ensuring reserve buoyancy. It dictates how deeply a vessel may be loaded based on service conditions, such as the type of cargo, season, and waters navigated.145