MOL Comfort report results in two new IACS Unified Requirements

The International Association of Classifications Societies said it would continue to study the report and the will finalized the requirements soon.    The International Association of Classifications Societies has begun its examination of a report issued by Japan’s Committee on Large Container Ship Safety, which was formed in the wake of the break up and eventual sinking of the MOL Comfort. The 7,041-TEU containership cracked in half on June 17, 2013 during a storm on the Arabian Sea and both halves subsequently sank despite efforts to tow them to port.
   The report concluded the break up of the MOL Comfort may have occurred because “sea loads exceeded the hull girder ultimate strength at the time of the casualty,” and examined past casualties to determine any patterns.
   According to a statement from IACS, the association has developed two new IACS Unified Requirements as a result of the report: UR S11A, a longitudinal strength standard for containerships, and URS 34, which addresses the functional requirements for direct analysis of containerships, including a set of loading conditions.
   IACS said the new requirements will be finalized in the next few months.
   IACS Unified Requirements are minimum common technical requirements to be incorporated into the rules of each individual member and are not intended to address all the strength aspects of hull structures, which remain the function and responsibility of individual class societies.