Preventing launch disasters

Salahuddin writes about applying the "International Load Line Convention" to the inland passenger launches. This Convention is mainly for sea going- cargo vessels plying internationally. For passenger ships while plying nationally or internationally "Passenger ship construction rules" are applied (depending on the class and route of the vessel) which are much more stringent than the load line convention rules. Passenger ships require more rigorous sub-division of its hull against damage and flooding and require a higher margin of safety for its static and dynamic stability.

The BIWTC vessels which are mentioned by Salahuddin as safe are so because they are made safer by such design under the supervision of professional Naval Architects from the very planning stage through to the completion stage and afterwards by a standard 'inclining test' which must have proved an adequate margin of safety for its stability. This is also the practice in the British Marine and Coastguard Agency with whom I held the post of a Principal Marine Survey, before retiring after 25 years of service.