Stability and safety of ships : holistic and risk approach

Present stability regulations developed over the years by IMO reached definite conclusion with the adoption of the Revised Draft of the Intact Stability Code. The criteria included there are design criteria of the prescriptive nature, based mainly on statistics of stability casualties. Currently IMO is considering development of criteria based on ship performance. Concept of such criteria is, however, at present not agreed. The criteria are working comparatively well with regard to the majority of conventional ships, however advent of very large and sophisticated ships of non-conventional features caused that those criteria may be inadequate. The author advances the idea consisting of application of safety assessment and risk analysis using holistic and system approach to stability. Safety against capsizing (or LOSA accident) is a complex system where design, operational, environmental and human factors have to be taken into account. Although this seems to be a very complex task, in the opinion of the author it may be manageable and could be applied for safety assessment of highly sophisticated and costly ships.