Fire on Board the Liberian Passenger Ship Ecstasy, Miami, Florida ...

Analysis 75 Marine Accident ReportIf a qualitative failure analysis of the Ecstasy’s propulsion system had beenperformed during its design phase, the failure probability of the single power source mayhave been rated low. However, the high severity of the failure effect, that is, the total lossof the propulsion system, should have led the designers to implement designmodifications.The Safety Board is aware that qualitative failure analysis typically is not appliedto existing systems because analyzing and changing system arrangements afterconstruction is often difficult and costly. However, a qualitative failure analysis can be animportant technique to maximize the reliability and safety of a system before it is built,when changes can be easily made. The Safety Board concludes that, to ensure the highestlevels of safety and reliability, ship owners should use qualitative failure analysistechniques in the design and construction of their vessels. The Safety Board, therefore,believes that, in the construction of new passenger ships, owners should use qualitativefailure analysis techniques to identify system components whose failure might cause acomplete loss of propulsive power and take action to mitigate identified problems. TheSafety Board also believes that the International Association of Classification Societies(IACS) should recommend that its members require systems designers, manufacturers,and/or shipyards to perform and submit qualitative failure analyses to ensure the fail-safeoperation of propulsion systems on new passenger ships.