Which term describes the weight excluding fuel, water, outfit, cargo, and crew?

• A. Light displacement
• B. Loaded displacement
• C. Gross ton
• D. Net ton

Answer: (A)

Light displacement describes the ship’s weight without fuel, water, outfit (stores and equipment), cargo, and crew. It’s the weight of the hull and machinery in a basic, ready-to-sail condition, excluding consumables and personnel. When you add fuel, water, supplies, cargo, and crew, you reach loaded displacement. The other terms are not weights: gross ton and net ton are volume-based measures of a ship’s enclosed spaces and cargo-carrying capacity, not actual weight.