@64 pacific,, the numbers are exact 10 cm high, if you take 12M = 12 meters, the lower part of it is 12 m draft, the upper line is 12m and 10cm, next number is 20, this would be 12m and 20 cm at the lower part and so on. They have to be standard, otherwise draft reading and by that establishing the amount of cargo carried aboard would be impossible to do.

Very interesting; I am curious about the size of the welded on markings, how tall are the letters? I would imagine the dimensions of the markings are to conform to some sort of standard?

@ Phil,, that makes good sense your explanation,, thanks

Some tankers have multiple load lines simply because owners wish to get the maximum flexibility from their vessels. Certain oil terminals throughout the globe will only accept tankers up to a certain deadweight. So, to get voyage acceptance (usually for timecharter), the deadweight and corresponding draft will be remeasured downwards. This is particularly prevalent in the aframax sector where ships built to 115,000 dwt at full scantling draft are often remeasured down to 109,999, or 99,999 dwt, depending on trading patterns.

Very strange situation for me...
Plimsoll mark may be changed for some reason. but why not to cut off "old" welded marks. it may lead to confusion. The vessel doesn't look like smuggler. If they need to keep less draught, just keep it. I don't see any considerable reason to change plimsoll marking so frequent, that they keep various welded marks for fast repainting

Global warming = raising waterlevel, so maybe therefore the marks need to be ajusted :-)

I experienced the fact of having two plimsoll disk when sailing in a tanker. Only the one in use was painted
The "secondary" plimsoll disk was used when the destination was a Conventional Mooring Buoys terminal which was not able to bear the full displacement of the laden ship. (So, less cargo was taken and the lower summer mark was used).
For that reason, the vessel had to different Load Line Certificates.
This could be a similar case but it is funny to find so many different disks in the same ship.

This is absolutly rare. It should stay here!

SUMMER DRAFT CHANGED FINALLY FROM about 9.80 m. to 12.00 m... SAFETY FIRST ?

All I can say is LOL!

Interesting shot Capt Peter
This is not painted,,this is welded !!! With todays freight rates for tankers,, it makes sense get the max ,,re-measure is then a option if the classification plays along. That seems here to be the case.

I fully agree with my friend Emmanuel.L
I worked for a shipping company (huge now)and it was not uncommon for the crew to re-paint the Plimsoll line markings prior to the pilot boarding before departure. So stupid now in retrospect (we were young and stupid), so dangerous, just to load more cargo...it does not happen anymore.

Photo category: ships deck ?????? surely this is an interesting photo but is a shipside and not a ships deck.

Interesting shot. Why did they change it so often.