On Tue, 15 Feb 2005 11:45:49 -0400, Terry Spragg
wrote:

Shippers in the past found out that there must be some reasonable
(there's that word, again) value of vessel size and overall weight
including cargo must be considered as some sort of maximum under
some rule somewhere
....
Terry K

After numerous ship losses, Plimsoll legislated a hull mark
in Parliament, the "Plimsoll Line" which accounts for salt and fresh,
warm n cool water, beyond which a commercial vessel must not be
loaded. Unaccounted ship losses were much reduced thereafter.

Brian Whatcott Altus OK