Depot ship

Imagine you have a big toy box filled with different toys, but there's not enough room for all the toys to be out and played with at the same time. So, you take some of the toys and put them in another box that you keep in your closet. This closet box is like a depot ship.

A depot ship is a big boat that carries lots of supplies and equipment for other smaller boats or ships that are out at sea. These smaller boats might need things like fuel, food, or repairs, but they don't have enough room to carry everything they need while they're out on their own missions. So, they come back to the depot ship when they need something.

Just like how you keep the extra toys in the closet box, the depot ship keeps extra equipment and supplies on board that the smaller boats can use. This way, the smaller boats can stay out at sea for longer periods of time without having to come all the way back to shore just to restock or fix something.

Depot ships can also help with things like communication and transportation. They can act as a central meeting point for the smaller boats to exchange information and even transfer personnel or cargo between boats. Think of them like a mobile supply closet and hub for other boats out at sea.