Sail Through the 2026 Coast Guard Exam – Anchors Aweigh for Success!

The term that describes the movement of a ship oriented towards the center is "inboard." In maritime terminology, "inboard" refers to the direction or movement toward the interior of the ship or toward the centerline, as opposed to "outboard," which indicates movement away from the center or toward the outside. This is an important concept for understanding vessel operations, especially when discussing loading and unloading cargo, listing, stability, and maneuverability.

Knowing that "inboard" refers to internal movement helps clarify how ship functionality works in relation to its design and operational parameters. The other terms—like "leeward," which refers to the direction away from the wind; "keel," which is the structural element along the bottom of the ship; and "hawser," which indicates a thick rope used for mooring—do not pertain to the orientation or directional movement toward the center of the vessel.