It simply means that it is believed that the ship could.

After 300 yards of these works had been completed it became obvious that no ship could safely dock here given the force of winter storms.

Finally, a South African judge ruled that the ship could not dock as planned.

How could anyone fear so noble and so fine a ship as you?

Luck and an improved cloaking device, with which the ship could go virtually anywhere in the Empire unnoticed.

"So a ship could hiding behind one."

But it did, to us-since radio waves cannot travel faster than light, but our ship could.

By Jesus, he handles his ship as well as Franky ever could.

It might be able to get them home even if this ship couldn't.

"How could the boat swim when the ship couldn't?"