Once a design is approved, getting shipyards to implement changes becomes nearly impossible due to the high costs and complexity of the reapproval process, which inevitably delays delivery schedules. Additionally, since shipyards often construct multiple vessels based on the same design, the absence of a formal feedback loop from operational vessels back to the architects and Classification Society results in future hulls having the same deficiencies, too. It is therefore imperative that architects seek and incorporate the experiences of operators alongside the wishes of the owner during the design process.
CHIRP urges all authorities involved in superyacht design to consider the safety implications for crew and passengers from the outset and to introduce a formal feedback process so that experiential learning can be incorporated into future hull builds.
Owners, classification societies, and flag states should actively participate in this process during the design phase. Similarly, crews must provide feedback to the flag states regarding design issues. In this context, our reporters have offered an excellent example of active involvement in operational safety for the crews working on superyachts, and CHIRP wants to thank them.
