RO-PAX Damage Stability Article Image

Since before the entry into force of SOLAS2009, on 1st January 2009, amendments were found to be necessary. Hence, over the past decade or so the various elements of Damage Stability Regulations and Explanatory Notes relating to Passenger ships and specifically the safety and survivability of RO-PAX ships have been enhanced. These significant developments, relating to the Required Subdivision Index, R, and the Probability of Survival Factor, s, which contributes to the Attained Subdivision Index, A, have been incorporated into SOLAS2020, which entered into force on 1st January 2020. However, at present RO-PAX ships operating in European Union waters must still also comply with the existing Stockholm Agreement.

Naval Architect Cover May 2020In the May 2020 issue of The Naval Architect magazine, published by the Royal Institution of Naval Architects (RINA), Safinah Group’s Keith Hutchinson and Andrew Scott of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency discuss the new SOLAS2020 Damage Stability Regulations for RO-PAX ships, together with possible future developments. To read the full article download the PDF below.

By Keith W Hutchinson and Andrew L Scott. Published in The Naval Architect, May 2020.

Damage Stability Regs RO-PAX – Hutchinson Scott – The Naval Architect May 2020

This concludes a series of seven papers presented at Royal Institution of Naval Architects conferences over the past decade, and subsequently summarised in three articles published in the The Naval Architect magazine over the past three years, on the subject of Passenger Ship and RO-PAX Damage Stability. The list of papers and articles discussing the evolution of the SOLAS Damage Stability Regulations from 2009 to 2020 is detailed below.

List of associated papers

• HUTCHINSON, K.W., SCOTT, A.L., WRIGHT, P.N.H., WOODWARD, M.D., and DOWNES, J. ‘Consideration of Damage to Ships from Conceptual Design to Operation: The Implications of Recent and Potential Future Regulations regarding Application, Impact and Education’, International Conference on The Damaged Ship, The Royal Institution of Naval Architects, London, United Kingdom, 26th and 27th January 2011, Pages 15 to 30. ISBN: 978-1-905040-79-7
• HUTCHINSON, K.W. and SCOTT, A.L. ‘The Development and Impact of Current and Possible Future National and International Damage Stability Regulations’, International Conference on The Damaged Ship II, The Royal Institution of Naval Architects, London, United Kingdom, 30th and 31st January 2013, Pages 21 to 35. ISBN: 978-1-909024-11-3
• HUTCHINSON, K.W. and SCOTT, A.L. ‘Current and Possible Future Intact and Damage Stability Regulations and Verification Tools for Passenger Ships’, International Conference on The Damaged Ship III, The Royal Institution of Naval Architects, London, United Kingdom, 25th and 26th March 2015, Pages 15 to 25. ISBN: 978-1-909024-38-0
• HUTCHINSON, K.W. and SCOTT, A.L. ‘Passenger RO-RO Ferry Damage Stability – Status and Development of International Regulations’, International Conference on the Design and Operation of Ferries and Ro-Pax Vessels, The Royal Institution of Naval Architects, London, United Kingdom, 25th and 26th May 2016, Pages 67 to 78. ISBN: 978-1-909024-54-0
• HUTCHINSON, K.W. ‘Damage stability update’, The Naval Architect, The Royal Institution of Naval Architects, London, United Kingdom, May 2017, Pages 42 to 44. ISSN: 0306-0209
• HUTCHINSON, K.W. and SCOTT, A.L. ‘Damage stability: upcoming SOLAS 2020 regulations’, The Naval Architect, The Royal Institution of Naval Architects, London, United Kingdom, September 2017, Pages 56 to 62. ISSN: 0306-0209
• HUTCHINSON, K.W. and SCOTT, A.L. ‘SOLAS 2020 Passenger and Cargo Ship Damage Stability Regulations’, International Conference on The Damaged Ship IV, The Royal Institution of Naval Architects, London, United Kingdom, 16th and 17th May 2018. ISBN: 978-1-909024-75-5
• HUTCHINSON, K.W. and SCOTT, A.L. ‘Stability of RO-PAX Ships in European Waters: SOLAS 2020 and the Stockholm Agreement’, International Conference on Sustainable and Safe Passenger Ships, The Hellenic Institute of Marine Technology and the Royal Institution of Naval Architects, Yacht Club of Greece, Piraeus, Athens, Greece, 4th March 2020, Pages 19 to 32. ISBN: 978-1-911649-04-5
• HUTCHINSON, K.W. and SCOTT, A.L. ‘SOLAS 2020 Damage Stability and beyond’, International Conference on The Damaged Ship V, The Royal Institution of Naval Architects, London, United Kingdom, 11th March 2020. ISBN: 978-1-911649-05-2
• HUTCHINSON, K.W. and SCOTT, A.L. ‘Passenger ship damage stability: SOLAS 2020 regulations and Stockholm Agreement for RO-PAXs’, The Naval Architect, The Royal Institution of Naval Architects, London, United Kingdom, May 2020, Pages 40 to 44. ISSN: 0306-0209

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