The Influence of Rule Changes on Design and Performance of Offshore Vessels – Myths Meet Reality

The aim of this paper is to demonstrate by “facts and figures” the perceived influence of rule changes, including but not limiting to the safety for special purpose ships (SPS) codes and marine regulatory changes since 2000, in the design of different offshore vessel. It is stated by many that practical design of offshore vessels, as one of the major groups of special purpose work vessels, has been significantly influenced by new rules introduced. For example, SPS code developments over the last years, have created challenges for designers besides endless argumentations to envelope proper sample of vessels for similar vessel based designs. The same problems are observed within performance benchmarking of samples and fleets of vessels over time series. However, enabling designers and decision makers in the early stage design phase to understand the impact of such codes and regulations on vessels’ price, performances, capacities and capabilities, is a significant and important issue, which has not been studied comprehensively during the last years. This influence study is based on two major design perspectives of ‘design for Efficiency’ and ‘design vessel for Effectiveness.