For the purpose of this book, the following terms and definitions are relevant. The terminologies described here generally follow international standards, regulations, recognized guidelines, and handbooks, for example:

1. API (American Petroleum Institute: http://www.api.org)

2. HSE (Health and Safety Executive, UK: http://www.hse.gov.uk)

3. IACS (International Association of Classification Societies: http://www.iacs.org)

4. IMO (International Maritime Organization: http://www.imo.org)

5. ISO (International Organization for Standardization: http://www.iso.org)

6. USCG (U.S. Coast Guard: http://www.uscg.mil)

7. Handbook of fire and explosion protection engineering principles for oil, gas, chemical, and related facilities, by D. P. Nolan, Noyes Publications, Westwood, NJ, 1996

Abnormal actions: Actions larger than expected or normal actions, for example, rogue or freak waves.

Accident: A circumstance that gives rise to injury, fatality, environmental damage, property damage, production losses, or loss of facility. According to IMO, an accident is an unintended event involving fatality, injury, vessel loss or damage, other property loss or damage, or environmental damage. An accident scenario consists of a specific sequence of events from an initiating event to an undesired consequence. An accident category is a designation of accidents according to their nature, for example, fire, explosion, collisions, and grounding. Examples include the following:

• Contact: striking any fixed or floating object, other than those included under “collision”

• Collision: striking or being struck by another vessel, regardless of whether under way, anchored, or moored

• Fire or explosion: accidents where fire or explosion is the initial event

• Loss of structural integrity: structural failure that can result in the ingress of water and/or loss of strength and/or stability

• Flooding: the ingress of water that can result in foundering or sinking of the vessel