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Maritime & Shipping vocabulary · Ship Types & Ship Structure

Stern

Meaning in maritime & shipping, with examples

/stɜːrn/nounCore term

In maritime & shipping, stern means: The back end of a ship, where the rudder and propeller are usually found. On many merchant ships the accommodation and the bridge are also close to it.

In Turkish: kıç

How it is used

Paired with 'bow' in mooring orders and position reports: stern line, stern thruster, 'stern to the quay'. 'Astern' means behind the ship or moving backwards, as in the engine order 'full astern'.

Example sentences

  1. Send two stern lines and one spring from aft.

  2. The tug is pushing on the starboard quarter, close to the stern.

Common collocations

  • stern line
  • stern thruster
  • stern ramp
  • from stem to stern
  • bowThe front end of a ship. Positions and directions on board are often described in relation to it, for example 'on the port bow'.
  • rudderA flat, movable blade at the stern, under the water, that is turned to change the direction of the ship.
  • propellerA set of curved blades on a shaft at the stern that turns in the water and pushes the ship ahead or astern.
  • mooring lineA strong rope or wire used to tie a ship to a quay, a buoy or another ship. Lines are named by their position, such as head line, stern line, breast line and spring.

More terms: Ship Types & Ship Structure

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