Page 30 - Practical Design Ships and Floating Structures

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Substandard is a comprehensive concept. Some even propose a four “M definition:

- Metal: improper design leading to poor working environment such as improper use of high
tensile steel, which result in vibration and noise.
- Machinery: technical status of main engine and shafting
- Men: technical competence, training and health (including mental health) of seafarers
- Management: all parties involved in maritime safety, including shipping companies, ships.

Therefore, substandard is not only applicable to ships, but also to flags, port states, class, shipping
companies, seafarers and technical factors including ship type, age, and economic elements. Today. it
is not justifiable to blame one single party for an accident.

All the above-mentioned organizations, together with insurers, P&I(Premium&Indemnity),
shipbuilders, cargo owners, charterers, maritime courts, maritime arbitration organizations, banks,
training institutes, link up the maritime safety chain. All the interrelating partners must fulfil their
share in maritime safety.

Maritime safety culture replaces the traditional safety concept. Today maritime safety and
environmental protection are associated with ship’s quality, shipping quality, the condition of waters,
maritime biology, resource recycling, risk (assessment) management and investment, and associated
with the responsibilities of everybody involved. The concept of safety culture has been incorporated
into design standards of ships and offshore installations.

This paper will further illustrate the interrelationships between maritime safety culture and
development of ship and offshore installations design standards.

2 ACCIDENT AND CASUALTIES - THE DRIVING FORCE TO IMPROVE SAFETY AND
ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION STANDARDS

In shipping history, people had not paid much attention to maritime safety for centuries until Titanic
disaster.
Today, great changes have taken place in maritime world. The international maritime industry does not
tolerate loss of vessels, offshore installations, loss of life and damage to the marine environment. In the
past ten years, a large number of international conventions, regulations have come into force after all
the accidents. There are too many conventions and IMO has decided to shift its focus from making
new rules to implementation of existing rules.

Lesson has been learnt from the loss of over 100 bulk carriers and 500 seafarers in 1990’s. Improper
design, irregular loading, untimely maintenance and pursuit of nothing but commercial interests will
lead to accidents.

Lessons have been learnt from the loss of Estonia in Baltic sea in 1995 that aside from improving bow
and stern door structure, great attention should be paid to the monitoring and management system of a