In low-energy collisions, double hulls can prevent flooding beyond the penetrated compartment.
In low-energy collisions to the sides of the vessel, double hulls also prevent flooding beyond the penetrated compartment.
[2] After the Exxon Valdez oil spill disaster, when that ship grounded on Bligh Reef outside the port of Valdez, Alaska, the US Government required all new oil tankers built for use between US ports to be equipped with a full double hull.
In addition to tailoring the flow of water around the submarine (also known as hydrodynamic bypass), this outer skin serves as a mounting point for anechoic tiles, which are designed specifically to absorb sound rather than reflect it, helping to hide the vessel from sonar detection.
Leonardo da Vinci proposed the double-hulled ship design to protect against ramming and underwater damage from reefs or wreckage.