Astern / athwartships are nautical terms describing direction and orientation on a ship.
- Astern means at or toward the stern (the rear) of the ship. It is the direct opposite of ahead (at the front/bow). It can describe a physical location on the ship (e.g., stowed astern) or movement (e.g., the engines are full astern, meaning the ship is moving backward).
- Athwartships means in a direction across the vessel, from one side (port) to the other (starboard). It is perpendicular to the ship’s centerline and the direction of travel.
These terms are essential for stowage planning, navigation, and ship handling.