Designing a RoPax ferry for service in the Mediterranean Sea generally is a very challenging project, having to satisfy a large number of often-contradictory requirements and to observe constraints imposed by international and national rules of the flag state. Ferries operating in the region must comply with Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, and European Directive 98/18 in terms of safety and environmental protection. Some national administrations have additional safety rules and other standards concerning a many varied issues ranging from minimum requirements for the comfort of passengers, to requirements for the access and accommodation of handicapped persons, to the transportation of pet animals and hygienic matters in general. The constraints imposed on any particular ferry design are closely connected to the type of service in which a vessel will be employed; the period of the year (summer/winter) during which this service has to be performed; and the characteristics (even peculiarities) of the ports at which a vessel will have to call.
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