Alternative Design: From Prescriptive to Performance Based Maritime Safety

摘要

The objective of IMO and classification rules has always been safety. Safety level is implicit in the traditional prescriptive regulations. A new IMO Regulation (SOLAS Chapter II-2 Regulation 17) allows "Alternative Design and Arrangements for Fire Safety". To gain experience and develop skills in this area, Bureau Veritas participated in the European Safety First project. Safety First developed a toolkit based on the practical applicability to passenger ships of this new approach. Since then, gradual progress is made in BV Research Department to support the development of the Alternative Design philosophy and, more generally, of risk-based approaches. Indeed, the sophisticated field of Alternative Design for fire safety demands superior engineering skills, training and procedural developments. More generally, to address the growing demands of advanced risk-based procedures and innovative technology, BV RD regulatory perspective originates from the Formal Safety Assessment approach. The challenge is to eventually modernise the way regulations are enforced.