In a shipyard constructing wooden ships, the shipwright had the most important skills. Following a long apprenticeship, he could cut and shape wood to exactly the right shape by eye, without need for drawings. With the move to iron and steel shipbuilding in the second half of the nineteenth century, the job of shipwrights changed. They took responsibility for erecting the frames on which the hull is built, which need to be very accurately aligned. Shipwrights also take responsibility for launching the ship: a skilled and important duty.

Platers

Sections of a barge under construction

The outer skin of a ship is made up of metal plates. These often need to have complex curves. The plates have to be bent in three dimensions. The responsibility for getting the shape right falls to the platers, who operate huge machines to cut and bend the steel. Nowadays, computer control has replaced much of the plater`s skill.

Riveters and welders

Originally, metal plates were joined to the frames and adjoining plates by riveters. A rivet was a short metal rod with a head at one end. First it was heated until red hot. It was then put through a holes drilled in the plates or the plate and frame. Whilst still hot, the other end to the head was hammered until it too was round, and held the parts together.

During the Second World War (1939-45), riveting began to be replaced by welding. It was often faster and less labour intensive. A welder heated the edges to be joined until the metal melted and flowed together to make a permanent join.

Woodworkers

Even in a steel ship, accommodation for passengers and crew often involves much woodwork. This is the responsibility of carpenters, joiners and cabinet makers who usually move into a ship after it has been launched, during what is known as the fitting-out phase.

Engineers and boilermakers

Some shipyards have their own works for making engines, whilst others buy them in. Ships` engines are complex and often enormous pieces of machinery. They require many different engineering skills, including foundry work, to cast solid parts, cutting, shaping and assembling.

In the days of steamships, an important trade was that of boilermaker. Ships` boilers had to contain steam at enormous pressures. The boilermaker had to ensure that the riveting and later welding involved in building boilers from metal plates was done to high standards to withstand the pressure. If not, the boiler could explode and this was a cause of some shipping accidents.

Origins

Designing ships

Building ships

Life in a shipyard

Jobs for all