Superstructure
The Superstructure is the part of a ship built above the main (uppermost continuous) deck — the deckhouses and structures that rise above the hull, as opposed to the hull itself below. On a typical merchant ship the superstructure is the tall “accommodation block” toward the stern, containing the crew accommodation, offices, galley and mess, and the bridge (navigation deck) on top.
The superstructure houses the people and the command of the ship, and its height gives the bridge the commanding view needed for navigation. Its size and windage affect the ship's stability and handling in wind, and it is a focus of accommodation, safety and habitability standards (MLC). Distinguishing the superstructure (above the main deck) from the hull (the body below) is basic to describing a ship's structure. The superstructure is where the ship is lived in and run from, sitting atop the cargo-carrying hull.
The superstructure is where a ship is lived in and commanded — the accommodation block and bridge rising above the cargo-carrying hull. Its height gives the bridge its view, its windage affects handling, and it houses the crew under habitability rules. Telling superstructure from hull is basic to understanding a ship's anatomy.
What does the superstructure contain?
Usually the crew accommodation, galley, mess, offices and the bridge on top — everything built above the main deck.
How is the superstructure different from the hull?
The hull is the watertight body below the main deck; the superstructure is the structure built above it.