Damage Stability

Stability of a ship after one or more compartments are flooded as a result of damage. Modern SOLAS regimes assess damage stability probabilistically (SOLAS II-1 Reg. 6 and the associated Calculations) — calculating the attained subdivision index 'A' and comparing it against a required index 'R' that varies with ship size and type. The probabilistic approach replaced the older deterministic two-compartment standard for most ship types. Damage stability is verified via the ship's approved damage-stability documentation and by vessel-specific deterministic checks on standard damage cases.