Managing Ship Structural Development

The paper begins by considering the traditional methods of deriving ship structures before critically reviewing the use of the prescriptive approach. Possible alternative approaches are discussed and the basis of the safety case approach for developing ship structures is outlined. The application of this approach is illustrated for a European coaster vessel which has to meet IMO’s probability damaged stability requirements. The main conclusions are that the enhanced safety case concept offers a method of focusing on areas of structures requiring attention and all the stakeholders should share responsibility for the development of effective structures