Why must cargo ships remain afloat while they are loaded or unloaded?

Cargo ships must remain afloat while being loaded or unloaded primarily to avoid the risk of serious structural damage. While ships have been beached for cargo operations in emergency situations, modern vessels—especially larger ones—are not designed to withstand the stresses of contact with the seabed.1

When a ship is supported by the water, it is held in equilibrium by the upward force of buoyancy, which acts against the downward force of the ship's weight. If a vessel rests on the seabed, the hull is no longer uniformly supported by the water, which can induce dangerous structural strains. Maintaining a floating state ensures that the ship remains within the parameters for which its hull was engineered, allowing it to safely manage the shifting weight distributions that occur during the transfer of goods.2314