***DRAFT***

MARINE GUIDANCE NOTE

MGN xxxx(M)
DAMAGE STABILITY ASSESSMENT ON OIL, CHEMICAL and GAS TANKERS
Notice to Shipowners, Ship masters, Ship officers, Charters, Agents, Terminal Operators, and Surveyors.

Summar
This guidance note advises on the dangers of relying on stability computer programs instead of formally approved stability information to carry out stability assessment prior to departure as not all approved stability computer programs take account of damage stability requirements.

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U'( $) L$ad&n* C$m+u#(r' 1.1 Loading computer programs are normally provided for assessing compliance with longitudinal strength criteria during loading, and are often additionally approved for assessing intact stability, but not always approved for assessing damage stability. Surveyors usually check for approved stability books, but rarely check correct use of stability computers. 1.2 onditions of loading assessed by using computers approved for intact stability assessment, rather than using the approved conditions available in the approved stability book, may appear to ship!s officers to give satisfactory results even though the conditions have not been assessed against the damage stability requirements. "t best this is misleading and at worst could be dangerously unsafe in the event of damage, and ship!s officers may be unaware of these limitations. 1.# " statement that$ alternative conditions must be submitted to the flag "dministration %&r lass if appropriate' for approval, is often included on the issue of a ertificate of (itness for chemical and gas tankers. )owever it appears that such submissions are in general not being made and this safeguard on the certificate is being circumvented. *ndeed, coping with numerous submissions could present the "dministration with a practical problem and is not a very satisfactory situation. 1.+ (rom an operators point of view the best solution is likely to be that stability computers are designed and approved to calculate each condition according to all the criteria$ of strength, intact and damage stability. "lternatives such as this need to be e,plicitly stated on ertificates of (itness. ," -ra%#&%a. O+(ra#&$n / '#a0&.&# %$n%(rn'

2.1 oncern has also been raised on some vessels regarding the practicality of operating to the approved conditions shown in the stability booklet because there are very small or no margins of residual stability. 2.2 Some cases have been identified where normal operational factors such as part filled tanks, or stores movements, make a vessel non compliant. There is a increased level of risk where the lack of compliance in vessels with such low stability margins is being -masked! through assessment of stability prior to departure using the approved intact stability computer on board.

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#.1 &wners, operators, ships masters, officers and terminal operators are requested to take urgent action to ensure that all conditions of loading comply with the appropriate requirements for both intact and damage stability and be prepared to demonstrate such compliance. #.2 .hile it may be claimed that ships have had a good safety record with regards to stability, the failings identified in this notice would only become apparent when the ship is damaged, which may turn a relatively minor event into a ma/or catastrophe. #.# Surveyors and inspectors are requested to pay particular attention to compliance with these requirements.

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(urther information on the contents of this 0otice can be obtained from1 Survey 2ranch 2ay 1341 5aritime and oastguard "gency Spring 6lace Southampton S&17 189 Tel1 :++ %4' 2# ;4#2 <71; (a,1 :++ %4' 2# ;4#2 <14+ e=mail1 hqsurvey>mcga.gov.uk 9eneral 8nquiries1 2+ )our *nfoline infoline>mcga.gov.uk 4;?4 @44 @747

5 " .ebsite "ddress1 *nternet1 http133www.mcga.gov.uk (ile Aef1 6ublished1 BB3244B rown opyright 2447

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