Risk-Based Ship Design: A Framework for the Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Sea

Abstract

Risk-based ship design is a formalised methodology that integrates systematically risk assessment in the design process with prevention/reduction of risk (to life, property and the environment) embedded as a design objective, alongside “conventional” design objectives (such as speed, capacity, etc). This paper aims at providing a comprehensive overview of the basic elements of the methodology, including reference to applicable risk and other design criteria. The approach goes beyond other formal procedures for risk quantification, risk assessment and risk management existent in various contexts (for instance the Formal Safety Assessment for developing rules, the Safety Case approach for specific design/operational solutions), in that it takes into account mechanisms for trade-offs between safety and other design factors by utilising overlaps between performance, life-cycle cost considerations, functionality and safety at parameter level. The paper also exemplifies the use of the methodology by presenting a framework for application for the case of carriage of dangerous goods by sea.