deck beam

ship part

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Last updated

June 25, 2026

Quick Summary

A deck beam is a structural component in a ship that runs athwartship (from side to side) and supports the deck. These beams are crucial for maintaining the structural integrity of the ship's hull, which functions as a large beam designed to withstand various loads and forces encountered at sea.12

In ship construction, deck beams, along with frames and stringers, are used to stiffen the hull plating. This prevents the plating from buckling, crumpling, or wrinkling under stress. The depth of a ship is measured from the top of the keel to the top of the deck beam at the side of the uppermost continuous deck. A specific type, the midship beam, is located in the deck in the midship section of a ship or boat.324

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ship
Structural integrity
…keel, transverse frames, and cross-ship deck beams that join the frame ends—all supporting a relatively thin shell of deck, sides, and bottom. This structural scheme, which became prevalent with European ships during the Middle Ages, has continued into the age of steel shipbuilding. However, it has a significant drawback in…
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…keel, transverse frames, and cross-ship deck beams that join the frame ends—all supporting a relatively thin shell of deck, sides, and bottom. This structural scheme, which became prevalent with European ships during the Middle Ages, has continued into the age of steel shipbuilding. However, it has a significant drawback in…
Read More