General intact stability criteria for all ships

General intact stability criteria for

all ships
December 03, 2019

General intact stability criteria for all ships:

The Code for Intact Stability was adopted on 4 November 1993 under IMO Resolution
A.749(18). This Intact Stability Code was provided to seafarers to give
recommendations related to Intact Stability criteria and other measures for ensuring
the safe operations of the ship to minimize risk to ships, the personnel, and the
environment. Recommendations mentioned in this code can be found in various
codes of IMO, such as the MODU Code or DSC Code.

The Code for Intact Stability applies to:

 Cargo ships
 Cargo ships carrying timber cargo
 Cargo ships carrying grains in bulk
 Passenger ships
 Fishing vessels
 Special purpose vessels (SPVs) (mechanically self-propelled ships, which carries
more than 12 personnel on-board)*
 Mobile Offshore Drilling Vessels (MODU)
 Pontoons
 Dynamically Supported Crafts (DSC)
 Container Ships

Stability Booklet:
 Stability Booklet gives stability data and plans associated with ships arrangement.
The plans should be written in the ship’s official language and the language of the
 master. If the languages used are neither English nor French then the text should
include a translation into one of these languages.
 Each Ship should be provided with a stability booklet, approved by administrating
Flag Society. The Stability Booklet should contain sufficient information which should
enable the master to operate the ship in the compliance of this Code.
 On mobile drilling units, the stability booklet is called Operating Manual
 the format and the information included may vary depending on the ship’s type and
its operation. However, a stability booklet should contain:
o A general description of the ship;
o a table of content and index for each booklet;
o Instruction on use of the booklet;
o General Arrangement Plans showing watertight compartments, closures,
vents, down flooding angles, permanent ballast, allowable deck loading, and
freeboard diagrams;
o Hydrostatic Curves or Tables and Cross Curves of stability calculated on the
free-trimming basis, for the ranges of displacement and trims anticipated in
normal operating conditions;
o Tables showing capacities and center of gravity for each cargo stowage
space (Capacity Plan);
o Tables showing capacities, the center of gravity and free surface data of each
tank (Tank Sounding Tables);
o information on loading instructions, such as maximum KG and Minimum GM
curve or table which can be used to determine compliance with applicable
stability criteria;
o Standard operating conditions and examples for developing other acceptable
loading conditions using the information contained in the stability booklet;
o a brief description of the stability calculations done, including assumptions;
o general instructions for preventing unintentional flooding;
o information concerning the use of any special cross-flooding fittings, with a
description of damage conditions which may require cross-flooding;
o any other necessary guidance for the safe operation of the ship under normal
and emergency conditions;
o inclining test report for the ship; or
 where the stability data are based on the sister ship, the inclining test
report of that sister ship along with the light-ship measurement report
for the ship in question, or;
  where lightship particulars are determined by the other methods than
from inclining of the ship or its sister, a summary of methods used to
determine those particulars;
 As an alternative to the stability booklet, a simplified booklet in an approved form
containing sufficient information to operate the ship in compliance with the applicable
provisions of the Code of Intact Stability may be provided at the discretion of the
authority concerned.
 As a supplement to the approved Stability Booklet, a loading computer may be used
to facilitate the stability calculations, including assumptions (loadicator);
o the input/output form in the computer and the screen representation desired
to be similar to the one in the stability booklet so that the operators will be
easily familiarized with stability booklet.
o the language of the manual for the computer to use should be simple and
straightforward, written as per sound marine practice and in a language
common to all officers on board, and should be provided with the loading
computer.
 In order to validate the proper functioning of the loading computer program, four
loading conditions taken from the final stability booklet should run in the computer
periodically and the print-outs should be maintained on-board as check conditions
for future reference.
 For Special Purpose Ships, Dynamically Supported Crafts, and Novel Crafts should
be provided with additional information in the stability booklet, such as design,
limitations, maximum speed, worst intended weather conditions or other information,
regarding the handling of the craft that the master needs to handle the ship safely.

General intact stability criteria for all ships:

The following criteria are recommended for passenger and cargo ships:

 The area under the righting lever curve (GZ Curve) should not be less than 0.055
meter-radians up to θ=30° angle of heel and not less than 0.09 meter-radians up to
θ=40° or the angle of flooding θf* if this angle is less than 40°.
 Additionally, the area under the righting lever curve (GZ curve) between the angles
of the heel of 30° and 40° or between 30°and ef, if this angle is less than 40°, should
not be less than 0.03 meter-radians.
 The righting lever GZ should be at least 0.20 m at an angle of heel equal to or
greater than 30°.
  The maximum righting arm should occur at an angle of heel preferably exceeding
30° but not less than 25°.
 The initial metacentric height GM0 should not be less than 0.15 m.
 In addition, for passenger ships, the angle of heel on account of crowding of
passengers to one side should not exceed 10°.
 In addition for passenger ships, the angle of heel on account of turning should not
exceed 10° when calculated using the following formula:

 If anti-rolling devices are installed in a ship, the Administration should be satisfied

that the above criteria can be maintained when the devices are in operation.
 A number of influences such as beam wind on ships with large windage area, icing
of topsides, water trapped on deck, rolling characteristics, following seas, etc.,
adversely affect stability and the Administrations are advised to take these into
account, so far as is deemed necessary.

θf is the angle of heel at which openings in the hull superstructures or deckhouses which
cannot be closed weathertight immerse. In applying this criterion, small openings through
which progressive flooding cannot take place need not be considered as open.

Intact Stability Criteria for Tankers

Every oil tanker of 5,000 tonnes deadweight and above delivered on or after 1 February
2002, shall comply with the intact stability criteria of Annex I, Chp. 4/ Reg 27, as
appropriate, for any operating draught under the worst possible conditions of cargo and
ballast loading, consistent with good operational practice, including intermediate stages of
liquid transfer operations. Under all conditions, the ballast tanks shall be assumed slack.

 At the port, the initial metacentric height GMo, corrected for the free surface
measured at 0° heel, shall be not less than 0.15 m;
  At sea, the following criteria shall be applicable:
o The area under the righting lever curve (GZ curve) shall be not less than
0.055 m·rad up to θ = 30° angle of heel and not less than 0.09 m·rad up to θ
= 40° or another angle of flooding θf, if this angle is less than 40°.
Additionally, the area under the righting lever curve (GZ curve) between the
angles of the heel of 308 and 40° or between 30° and θf, if this angle is less
than 40°, shall be not less than 0.03 m·rad;
o The righting lever GZ shall be at least 0.20 m at an angle of heel equal to or
greater than 30°;
o The maximum righting arm shall occur at an angle of heel preferably
exceeding 30° but not less than 25°; and
d. The initial metacentric height GMo, corrected for free surface measured at
0° heel, shall be not less than 0.15 m.
 The requirements of paragraph 1 of this regulation shall be met through design
measures.

Intact Stability Criteria for Cargo ships carrying timber

deck cargoes:

For ships loaded with timber deck cargoes and provided that the cargo extends
longitudinally between superstructures (where there is no limiting superstructure at the after
end, the timber deck cargo should extend at least to the after end of the aftermost
hatchway) transversely for the full beam of ship after due allowance for a rounded gunwale
not exceeding 4% of the breadth of the ship and/or securing the supporting uprights and
which remains securely fixed at large angles of heel, the Administration may apply the
following criteria which substitute the criteria for all ships:

 The area under the righting lever curve (GZ curve) should not be less than 0.08
meter-radians up to 0 = 40° or the angle of flooding if this angle is less than 40°.
 The maximum value of the righting lever (GZ) should be at least 0.25 m.
 At all times during a voyage, the metacentric height GM0 should be positive after
correction for the free surface effects of liquid in tanks and, where appropriate, the
absorption of water by the deck cargo and/or ice accretion on the exposed surfaces.
  Additionally, in the departure condition, the metacentric height should be not less
than 0.10 m.

Intact Stability Criteria for Containerships greater than

100 m

This section of the intact stability code applies to the container ships greater than 100 m.
They may also be applied to other cargo ships with considerable flare or large water-plane
areas. The Administration may apply the following criteria instead of intact stability criteria
for general cargo ships.

 The area under the righting lever curve (GZ curve) should not be less than 0.009/C
meter-radians up to 0 = 30° angle of heel, and not less than 0.016/C meter-radians
up to 0 = 40° orthe angle of flooding ef (as defined above) if this angle is less than
40°.
 Additionally, the area under the righting lever curve (GZ curve) between the angles
of heel of 30° and 40° or between 30° and ef, if this angle is less than 40°, should
not be less than 0.006/C meter-radians.
 The righting lever GZ should be at least 0.033/C mat an angle of heel equal or
greater than 30°.
 The maximum righting lever GZ should be at least 0.042/C m.
 The total area under the righting lever curve (GZ curve) up to the angle of flooding ef
should not be less than 0.029/C meter-radians.
 In the above criteria, the form factor C should be calculated using the formula and
figures given below.