What type of calculation assists in establishing safe loading limits for vessels?

Stability calculations are crucial for establishing safe loading limits for vessels because they assess the vessel's ability to remain upright and return to an upright position after being tilted by external forces such as wind, waves, or cargo shifts. These calculations involve determining the center of gravity of the vessel, the metacenter, and the righting arm, which together inform how the vessel behaves when loaded. By understanding the vessel's stability characteristics, operators can ensure that it does not become overloaded, which could lead to capsizing.

While trim calculations are important for balance and ensuring even weight distribution along the length of the vessel, and ballasting calculations help in adjusting the vessel's weight for stability, they are subsets of the broader scope of stability calculations. Hydrostatic calculations are related to the vessel's buoyancy and draft under various loading conditions but do not specifically focus on the stability aspect in the same way. Thus, stability calculations are the primary means through which safe loading limits are determined.