Glossary
Terms & Glossaries of Shipping and Trading
Bulkhead
A bulkhead is an upright wall within the hull of a ship or within the fuselage of an airplane.
1. Upright partition dividing compartments on board a vessel. The functions of bulkheads are: To increase the safety of a vessel by dividing it into compartments; To separate the engine room from the cargo holds. To increase the transverse strength of a vessel; To reduce the risk of spreading fire to other compartments.
2. A vertically mounted board to provide front wall protection against shifting cargo and commonly seen on platform trailers (road cargo).
3. A partition in a container, providing a plenum chamber and/or air passage for either return or supply air. It may be an integral part of the appliance or a separate construction.