Turret Deck Ship refers to a type of late 19th century commercial ship designed to minimize Suez Canal fees that were based on deck area. These ships are characterized by a narrow 'turret deck' upon which all superstructure was built. This deck sat upon a hull of greater width in which cargo was carried. Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1881 drawing of the Suez Canal The Suez Canal (Arabic, Qanā al-Suways), west of the Sinai Peninsula, is a 163-km (118-mile) maritime canal in Egypt between Port Said (Būr Saīd) on the Mediterranean Sea and Suez (al-Suways) on the Red Sea. ...

The vessel type is most commonly associated with a series built by William Doxford and Sons Ltd., Sunderland for trade that required Suez Canal passage. All were steam vessels and the term turret deck steamer is also commonly found. This is about the city of Sunderland in England. ...

The design lost favor after accidents, apparently associated with misuse of the space under the turret deck for heavy cargo, and was largely abandoned after the first decades of the 20th Century.

The term Turret ship may be applied to these vessels causing confusion with the warship design in which guns are mounted in trainable turrets. Turret ships were a 19th century type of warship, the earliest to have their guns mounted in a revolving turret, instead of a broadside arrangement. ...