Ship design experts from around the world are meeting at the London headquarters of the International Maritime Organization for yearly global talks on ship design and construction.
IMO Secretary General Arsenio Dominguez welcomed delegates and commented: “I fully recognize the critical importance of this Sub-Committee and its pivotal role in ensuring IMO regulations provide for ships that are inherently safe by designs and constructions, including structural safety and stability”.
He added that the IMO has an “unwavering” commitment to upholding the highest safety standards across all aspects of the IMO’s regulatory work while facing the challenges of a fast-changing world, in particular with respect to developments in technology, artificial intelligence, and new threats facing the shipping industry.
“I would like to highlight in particular the importance of implementing the recently approved Revised guidelines on the reduction of underwater radiated noise from ships which are a crucial contribution to minimize the adverse effects ship noise has on the marine environment, in particular marine wildlife and indigenous communities. It is now important to develop an Action Plan that ensures that the Revised Guidelines are being applied with a view to significantly reducing not only underwater-radiated noise, but also contributing to more energy efficient ships emitting less GHG,” the Secretary General said.
He also highlighted the importance of the achievement of the Ship Design Sub-Committee in completing interim guidelines on the second generation intact stability criteria, and associated notes, that will be used to assess modern ship designs and their ability to withstand the forces of the sea.
“I urge you to continue the process of improving the intact stability criteria in a seaway condition by providing research results and reporting on their practical application. This would ensure that the Interim Guidelines will be reviewed and replaced with a more robust instrument related to intact stability criteria in the near future,” he told delegates.
