The act or process of loading ballast into a ship; the system or method of stabilizing a vessel with heavy materials.
From 'ballast' plus the present participle suffix '-ing.' Used since the 14th century as sailors developed techniques for maintaining ship stability during voyages.
Modern ballasting uses computers and pumps, but for centuries it was pure empirical knowledge—experienced ballasters could feel how a ship sat in water and adjust weight distribution by instinct alone.
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