Inboard means toward the centerline or interior of a vessel, away from the outer sides — the opposite direction to outboard.
Common Uses
- Equipment positioning — “the inboard engine” on a twin-engine vessel refers to the one closer to the centerline (relevant mainly on smaller vessels with multiple propulsion units)
- Cargo stowage — containers or cargo positioned inboard sit closer to the ship’s centerline rather than near the hull sides
- Movement direction — “move the gangway inboard” means bringing it toward the ship’s interior, away from the ship’s side
Inboard vs Outboard
- Inboard — toward the centerline, away from the sides
- Outboard — toward the sides, away from the centerline
These paired terms give a consistent, unambiguous way to describe lateral position or movement without needing to specify port or starboard, when the relevant distinction is simply “toward the middle” versus “toward the edge.”
Exam Relevance
Inboard and outboard as directional/positional terms are covered within Ship Knowledge topics in deck officer competency exams, particularly in the context of cargo stowage and equipment description.