As the new generation of double-hull tankers approach their first Class Special Survey, many owners are becoming very safety conscious and specifying various requirements in addition to the basic shipyard designs. The world's double-hull oil tanker fleet increased from 4 in 1990 to 10 in 1994. This had increased to some 28 by 1998 and growth at this substantial rate is expected to continue over the next few years as new tonnage replaces the tankers of the 1970s. But although the double-hull design is not new as such, its applicability to all tankers of all sizes is a new element of which impact has yet to be assessed.
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