Ship hydrostatic and stability

Six years have passed since the issue of the enlarged reprint of the book. New intact and
damage stability regulations have been adopted in the meantime, mainly by IMO, but also
by the German Navy. While in the past the regulations were prescriptive and based on
deterministic models, the new orientation turns towards goal-based and risk-assessment
approaches. New ship forms increased the vulnerability to parametric roll and the occurrence
of large roll angles and loss of containers have been frequently reported. Extensive research is
carried on for a better understanding of this phenomenon, as well as of not-yet fully understood
capsizing modes, such as dead ship condition, pure loss of stability and broaching-to. One aim
of the research is to develop so-called second-generation criteria of stability. As it is recognized
now that stability depends not only on the design of ships, but also on their loading and
operation, as well as on environmental conditions, another aim of the research, and of IMO, is
to issue guidance documentation for ship masters. The old deterministic approach to damage
calculations has been replaced in large part by the probabilistic approach. Nevertheless, as the
old mariners’ saying states, ‘There is always stormy weather ahead,’ the accident of the cruise
liner Costa Concordia, in 2012, will trigger new changes as it has unveiled new challenges for
Naval Architects and experts in maritime regulations.
All these developments made a new edition necessary. We updated the sections that have
become obsolete and inserted the highlights of the recent regulations and research results.
In doing so we are taking advantage of the fact that our contributor Javier de Juana has
been attending the IMO meetings during years, and one of the authors has been Permanent
Delegate as Spanish representative to the IMO.