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Casualty Response

Casualty Response
Rapid Response Damage Assessment (RRDA) Program
Decisions made within the first few hours following a maritime casualty can determine the outcome,
i.e. whether or not the vessel will remain intact and the potential environmental impact. The RRDA
program provides an organized team of engineers and naval architects during emergency situations.

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Since 1993, RRDA engineers have contracted HECSALV software to model more than 2,000 vessels
including floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) units, tankers, bulk carriers, gas carriers,
semisubmersibles and spars classed by the major classification societies. Teams have responded to
more than 180 worldwide incidents ranging from tank explosions, groundings, collisions and fires to
minor structural damage, flooding, trimming to replace stern seals, emergency drydockings and
structural evaluation with missing structure in repair situations.

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Role of the RRDA Team


The principal role of the RRDA team is to assist the Master and owner's technical personnel. With the
ability to quickly calculate the effect of damage to hull structure and free-flooding of internal spaces,
we help the owner/operator minimize further stressing of the hull, loss of the vessel due to inadequate
stability or spilling harmful fuel and cargo into the environment. The RRDA team can also interface
with the vessel's class society and flag or port State officials to provide technical documentation to
support proposed temporary repairs, operations, single voyage requests or other related
requirements.
Regulatory Requirements

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The ABS RRDA program complies with US and international recommendations for maritime safety
including the following regulations:
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United States - The RRDA program complies with the US Coast Guard requirements of OPA 90 in
33 CFR 155.240 for oil tankers and offshore oil barges. The regulation states that shipowners must
have prearranged, prompt access to computerized, shore-based damage stability and residual
structural strength calculation programs.
International - MARPOL 73/78 Annex I, Regulation 26 requires a Shipboard Oil Pollution
Emergency Plan (SOPEP) for all tankers of 150 gross tons or more and all other vessels of 400
gross tons or more. IMO MEPC 54 (32) Guidelines for the Development of Shipboard Oil Pollution
Emergency Plans advises that detailed guidance to the ship's Master should be provided to
consider both stability and stress when taking actions to mitigate the spillage of oil or to free the
ship if aground. The guideline strongly suggests consulting with shore-based technical assistance
companies before taking any action that may jeopardize the vessel when there is excessive
damage.
According to resolution MEPC.117(52) Regulation 37.4, MARPOL 73/78 Annex I requires that all oil
tankers of 5,000 tons deadweight or more have prompt access to computerized, shore-based
damage stability and residual structural strength calculation programs.

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Free Enrollment for ABS-classed Vessels


Effective 1 July 2010, owners of all new ABS-classed tankers, bulk carriers, large gas carriers,
containerships and tank barges will be offered free enrollment of these vessels in the program and
fee-free service for the first year. The normal charge for developing the electronic model of the vessel
that is used for conducting the damage stability calculations will be waived. In addition, those vessels
that elect to enter the program will be offered the new ABS voluntary class notation RRDA, which will
provide evidence to port State authorities and other interested parties that the vessel meets the
requirement to have access to a shore-based damage stability capability.
As with most RRDA programs, it is available to non ABS-classed ships, several hundred of which are
currently in the program. These will now have access to the broader analysis that is being made
available. Non ABS-classed newbuildings will also be accepted into the program but will be subject to
fees for creating the initial electronic model and for the first and subsequent year services.
For more information
Contact ABS via email, telephone or fax:
rrda@eagle.org
24-hour Telephone Number: 1-281-872-6161
Fax: 1-281-877-5964
or submit a question or request and we'll get back to you.

9/29/2014 1:44 PM

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9/29/2014 1:44 PM

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