Disembarkation or debarcation/debarkation is the process of leaving a ship or aircraft, or removing
goods
In economics, goods are anything that is good, usually in the sense that it provides welfare or utility to someone. Alan V. Deardorff, 2006. ''Terms Of Trade: Glossary of International Economics'', World Scientific. Online version: Deardorffs ...
from a ship or aircraft. (
''debark'': from the French
''des'' meaning "from", and,
''barque'', meaning "small ship").
Civilian
The loading and unloading of
cargo
In transportation, cargo refers to goods transported by land, water or air, while freight refers to its conveyance. In economics, freight refers to goods transported at a freight rate for commercial gain. The term cargo is also used in cas ...
has traditionally been handled by
stevedores, also known as longshoremen, wharfies, etc. Today, the vast majority of non-
bulk cargo
Bulk cargo is Product (business), product cargo that is transported packaging, unpackaged in large quantities.
Description
Bulk cargo refers to material in either liquid or granular, particulate (as a mass of relatively small solids) form, ...
is transported in
intermodal container
An intermodal container, often called a shipping container, or a freight container, (or simply "container") is a large metal crate designed and built for intermodal freight transport, meaning these containers can be used across different Mode ...
s,
which are loaded and unloaded using
specialized cranes.
People normally board and depart a ship via a gangplank (gangway), a movable structure usually consisting of a ramp with stairs and railings. The gangplank may lead to either a dock or a small boat (or
lighter) that connects to the shore. Accidents during disembarkation are most often due to being struck by a rope (line), railing or other items due to the ship's motion, or attempting to avoid such items. The second most common cause is slipping or tripping on the gangway.
Passengers disembarking from Captain River Cruises.jpg, Passengers disembarking from a ship via a gangway
US Navy 110322-N-0640G-044 Family members of military personnel disembark a military-chartered flight from Japan during Operation Pacific Passage,.jpg, Passengers disembarking from a plane
Military
Military debarking procedures, even in non-combat zones, can be quite complex. In addition to routine operations, debarking can be conducted under fire as part of amphibious assaults, such as that of the
Normandy landings
The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on 6 June 1944 of the Allies of World War II, Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during the Second World War. Codenamed Operation Neptune and ...
during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. In such cases, it is vital that cargo be loaded so it can be unloaded in the order needed, rather than simply to maximize the use of space. This is called
combat loading.
Landing craft are used to transport both troops and cargo to the shore.
[The United States Service Magazine - Volume 2 1864 - Page 538 "The actual disembarkation is a matter of difficulty and labor under all circumstances, but in presence of the enemy it becomes one of extreme delicacy. If the troops must debark in boats, the fleet should carry a convenient number of launches]
See also
*
Glossary of nautical terms (A-L) Glossary of nautical terms may refer to:
* Glossary of nautical terms (A–L)
* Glossary of nautical terms (M–Z)
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