A strong pillar fixed to a ship’s deck to act as a support for a tackle or other equipment.Original photographs show arched cable guides over the deck here and big Samson posts, all now buried beneath the debris of the deck on the seabed....
Photographs of Assurance-class tugs show considerable superstructure forward of the Samson post, all of which has either now decayed or been swept clear.
Samson posts or towing bitts don't have to be located on the centerline.
Origin
Late 16th century (denoting a kind of mousetrap): probably with biblical allusion to Samson.