Abstract
A decision support system with damage stability analysis has been recognized as an important tool for passenger ships. Various software applications have been developed and taken into use over the years, without a direct link to any compelling requirement, set forth in the international regulatory framework. After the Costa Concordia accident, new regulations have been established, setting minimum requirements for a decision support system, as an extension to a loading computer. Yet, more advanced systems have been developed recently, aiming at providing valuable additional information on the predicted development of the stability of the damaged ship. This paper presents these alternative decision support systems with damage stability analysis methods for flooding emergencies on passenger ships. The technical background, usability, and usefulness of the various approaches are compared and discussed, taking into account the important statutory approval point of view. In addition, practical examples, including past accidents, are presented and discussed.
Highlights
An important strategy to reduce the disaster potential of maritime accidents is to enhance post-accident situational awareness and related decision making, Goerlandt et al (2016)
The requirement is included in the amendments of the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) text, and relevant detailed guidelines are given in Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) Circulars 1400 and 1532 (IMO 2011, 2016)
Considering the pace of evolvement of some flooding accidents, such as the Costa Concordia case (MIT 2013), it is utmost important that there is a system onboard the ship, capable of giving immediate alert, as well as rapid view of the severity and progress of the scenario
Summary
An important strategy to reduce the disaster potential of maritime accidents is to enhance post-accident situational awareness and related decision making, Goerlandt et al (2016). The grounding and subsequent capsizing of the Costa Concordia in 2012 further emphasized this need Alternative solutions for such systems have been developed both for use onboard the flooded ship and in a shore-based support center. The available information on the flooding extent and damage stability of the ship is essential, and for example Varela et al (2014), emphasize the need to provide the crew with prediction of the progression of flooding. The actual status (open/closed) of these doors may be available from the automation system, and this data can be used for more accurate analysis of the flooding progression These previous studies point out that for passenger ships, there can be thousands of alternative ways for the same damage scenario to evolve, depending on the door statuses. It is impossible to effectively consider all possible combinations in a decision support system that relies on pre-calculated results
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