With the passenger vessel market one of the fastest growing sectors of the marine industry, ABS is at the forefront of developing comprehensive criteria for the accommodations, design and ambient environment of ship spaces for both passengers and crew on board the next generation of cruise ships and ferries. The criteria are contained in two new guides, available by year’s end.

“ABS Guide for Crew Habitability” and “ABS Guide for Passenger Comfort” take into account not only noise and vibration issues, but also include lighting, indoor climate and total accommodation design issues.

The Guide for Crew Habitability provides ship operators with information that can aid in the reduction of crew and seafarer fatigue plus decrease the likelihood of human error through the design of supportive living and working surroundings. The guide’s focus is on five habitability criteria that may be controlled and measured in both crew compartments and open deck recreation areas. The criteria are: accommodation design, whole-body vibration, noise, indoor climate and lighting.

For cruiseship and ferry operators the Guide for Passenger Comfort offers specific criteria that can enhance the enjoyment of the shipboard experience for passengers. Factors like vibration, noise, climate control and lighting all impact their ship experience. The Guide offers a means for quantitatively assessing potential passenger motion sickness by examining the impact of whole-body vibration. The criteria and methodologies for comfort are based on current research and standards relating to human physiology.