Buoyancy, Stability, and Subdivision: From Archimedes to SOLAS 2009 and the Way Ahead

Abstract

In this paper the historical developments in ship buoyancy, stability, and subdivision since the milestone formulation of the basic law of buoyancy and stability by Archimedes are reviewed. Emphasis is herein placed on the development of the international regulatory framework governing intact and damage ship stability and safety over the last 23 centuries, in line with the continuous progress in the design of ships as a most efficient transportation means and the high expectations of society regarding the safety of lives of people onboard and of the marine environment. Latest regulatory developments lead to proactive risk- and performance-based stability and safety provisions on the basis of modern scientific developments, displacing more and more traditional reactive semi-empirical deterministic stability standards.