Safety requirements in the maritime industry are evolving rapidly. For shipyards and vessel owners, this means increasing expectations for reliability, documentation and operational safety – especially for critical systems like watertight doors.
Today, compliance is no longer only about passing inspections during vessel construction. Operators are expected to document long-term reliability, ensure safe operation under real conditions and maintain safety-critical systems throughout the vessel lifecycle.
At IMS Technologies, we see these developments influencing both how watertight doors are designed and how shipowners approach maintenance, inspections and operational risk management.
Regulations are placing higher demands on system reliability
International regulations such as SOLAS and classification society requirements continue to develop alongside increasingly advanced vessel systems.
According to Fridtjof Skjerkholt at IMS Technologies, some of the most significant changes in recent years are connected to automation, redundancy and system reliability.
“The main change has been related to the control and automation system,” he explains. “Requirements for redundancy like SRTP (Safe Return to Port), cyber security and heavier component test requirements are becoming increasingly important.”
In practice, this means that shipyards and vessel owners must consider more than the mechanical function of the watertight door itself. Increasingly, focus is placed on:
System redundancy
Safe operation during failure scenarios
Reliability of automation systems
Documentation of safety-critical functionality
Cyber security in connected control systems
There is also growing focus on methodologies such as FMEA (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis) and Safety Integrity Level (SIL) assessments to document how safety-critical systems perform under different operational conditions.
For vessel owners, this creates a greater need for reliable suppliers with both technical expertise and long-term understanding of regulatory developments.
Operational safety is becoming a larger priority
Modern vessels operate with increasingly complex systems and higher operational demands. At the same time, expectations for onboard safety continue to increase.
For watertight doors, this means that operational reliability is just as important as compliance itself.
A watertight door must function reliably every time it is needed – often under demanding conditions where failure is not an option. This places higher expectations on:
Robust engineering
Reliable emergency operation
Safe interaction between personnel and moving systems
Long-term durability in harsh maritime environments
Predictable maintenance requirements
Shipowners increasingly prioritize solutions that reduce operational risk while simplifying maintenance and inspections over time.
Lifecycle service is becoming part of compliance
Another clear development is the growing importance of lifecycle support.
Regulatory authorities, classification societies and vessel operators now place greater focus on inspections, maintenance documentation and long-term serviceability of safety-critical systems.
“Ship owners have increased focus on safety. Since watertight sliding doors are safety-critical systems, it is natural that maintenance requirements increase as well,” says Skjerkholt.
“We also see that the knowledge and focus among class and flag inspectors has increased, which contributes to higher expectations for inspections and documentation.”
For vessel operators, this means that choosing a watertight door supplier is increasingly about more than the initial delivery. Access to technical support, inspections, spare parts and long-term service capabilities has become an important part of maintaining compliance and operational reliability.
At IMS Technologies, lifecycle support is integrated into our watertight door deliveries through:
Installation supervision and pre-commissioning
Crew training
Annual inspections
Maintenance support
Spare part availability
Global technical assistance
This helps customers maintain safe and reliable operation throughout the vessel lifecycle.
Engineering solutions for long-term performance
As regulations and operational expectations evolve, the importance of engineering quality and product expertise continues to grow.
IMS Technologies develops and manufactures watertight door solutions in Norway, maintaining close control over design, production and quality assurance. This enables us to work closely with shipyards and vessel owners to deliver solutions adapted to specific operational requirements.
Our watertight doors are developed with focus on:
Long-term operational reliability
Compliance with major classification societies
Simplified installation and maintenance
Safety-focused functionality
Durable construction for demanding environments
Predictable lifecycle performance
By combining in-house expertise with decades of maritime experience, IMS Technologies supports customers navigating increasingly demanding safety and compliance requirements.
Safety requirements will continue to evolve
The maritime industry is moving toward stricter expectations for reliability, documentation and lifecycle management of safety-critical systems.
For shipyards and vessel owners, this increases the importance of working with partners who understand both regulatory developments and operational realities at sea.
At IMS Technologies, we continue to follow industry developments closely while delivering watertight door solutions designed for long-term safety, reliability and performance in demanding maritime environments.
