BAY
Also known as: bay, stowage bay, container bay
A vertical section of a container vessel, measured from port to starboard, that is used to identify and organize container stowage positions along the ship's length.
A bay is one of the primary reference points used in container vessel stowage planning. Bay numbers are assigned sequentially from the bow (front) to the stern (rear) to accurately identify where containers are loaded onboard. On most container ships, odd-numbered bays are used for 20-foot container positions, while even-numbered bays represent 40-foot container positions. Together with row and tier numbers, bay numbers form the complete container location reference used by ship planners, terminals, and carriers.
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