Disembarkation or debarcation is the process of leaving a ship or aircraft, or removing

goods In economics, goods are items that satisfy human wants and provide utility, for example, to a consumer making a purchase of a satisfying product. A common distinction is made between goods which are transferable, and services, which are not t ...

from a ship or aircraft. ( ''debark'': from the French ''des'' meaning "from", and, ''barque'', meaning "small ship").

Civilian

The loading and unloading of

cargo Cargo consists of bulk goods conveyed by water, air, or land. In economics, freight is cargo that is transported at a freight rate for commercial gain. ''Cargo'' was originally a shipload but now covers all types of freight, including trans ...

has traditionally been handled by

stevedore A stevedore (), also called a longshoreman, a docker or a dockworker, is a waterfront manual laborer who is involved in loading and unloading ships, trucks, trains or airplanes. After the shipping container revolution of the 1960s, the number ...

s, also known as longshoremen, wharfies, etc. Today, the vast majority of non-

bulk cargo Bulk cargo is commodity cargo that is transported unpackaged in large quantities. Description Bulk cargo refers to material in either liquid or granular, particulate form, as a mass of relatively small solids, such as petroleum/ crude o ...

is transported in

intermodal container An intermodal container, often called a shipping container, is a large standardized shipping container, designed and built for intermodal freight transport, meaning these containers can be used across different modes of transport – from ship ...

s, which are loaded and unloaded using specialized cranes. People normally board and depart a ship via a gangplank (gangway), a movable structure usually consisting of a ramp with stairs and railings. The gangplank may lead to either a dock or a small boat (or

lighter A lighter is a portable device which creates a flame, and can be used to ignite a variety of items, such as cigarettes, gas lighter, fireworks, candles or campfires. It consists of a metal or plastic container filled with a flammable liquid or ...

) that connects to the shore. Accidents during disembarkation are most often due to being struck by a rope (line), railing or other items due to the ship's motion, or attempting to avoid such items. The second most common cause is slipping or tripping on the gangway. Passengers disembarking from Captain River Cruises.jpg, Passengers disembarking from a ship via a gangway US Navy 110322-N-0640G-044 Family members of military personnel disembark a military-chartered flight from Japan during Operation Pacific Passage,.jpg, Passengers disembarking from a plane

Military

Military debarking procedures, even in non-combat zones, can be quite complex. In addition to routine operations, debarking can be conducted under fire as part of amphibious assaults, such as that of the

Normandy landings The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 of the Allies of World War II, Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. Codenamed Operation Neptune and ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

. In such cases, it is vital that cargo be loaded so it can be unloaded in the order needed, rather than simply to maximize the use of space. This is called

combat loading Combat loading is a special type of unit loading of ships so that embarked forces will have immediately needed weapons, ammunition and supplies stowed in such a way that unloading of equipment will be concurrent with the force personnel and avail ...

. Landing craft are used to transport both troops and cargo to the shore.The United States Service Magazine - Volume 2 1864 - Page 538 "The actual disembarkation is a matter of difficulty and labor under all circumstances, but in presence of the enemy it becomes one of extreme delicacy. If the troops must debark in boats, the fleet should carry a convenient number of launches

References

{{reflist Water transport

Civilian

Military

See also

References