zavorre

Zavorre is the plural form of zavorra, an Italian term for ballast or weights used to provide stability and balance to various objects and systems. The word is commonly found in maritime, aviation, diving, and industrial contexts, where additional mass is needed to control buoyancy, trim, or load distribution.

In nautical usage, zavorre are ballast weights that lower the center of gravity and help stabilize ships and boats. They can be fixed ballast integrated into the hull or stored in ballast tanks that are filled with water or other materials as needed. Ballast management allows vessels to adapt to different loads, sea conditions, and drafts.

In aviation, ballast may be used to adjust the weight and balance of aircraft when payload or fuel conditions change, ensuring safe handling characteristics and performance.

In scuba diving and underwater operations, zavorre refer to weights worn by divers to counteract buoyancy. These are typically carried on weight belts or integrated into harnesses and pockets, and they are removed in a controlled sequence during ascent or at the end of a dive.

In broader industrial and mechanical contexts, counterweights and ballast blocks serve to stabilize equipment, assist in lifting mechanisms, and balance rotating parts or cranes.

Materials for zavorre commonly include lead or steel, though concrete blocks and other dense substances are also used. Environmental considerations, particularly for ballast water in ships, have led to regulations intended to minimize ecological impacts by preventing the transfer of aquatic organisms. Figuratively, zavorre can also denote burdens or impediments in Italian.