Onboard decision support systems (DSS) are used to increase the operational safety of ships. Ideally, DSS can estimate - in the statistical sense - future ship responses on a time scale of the order of 1-3 hours taking into account speed and course changes. The calculations depend on both operational and environmental parameters that are known only in the statistical sense. The present paper suggests a procedure to incorporate random variables and associated uncertainties in calculations of outcrossing rates, which are the basis for risk-based DSS. The procedure is based on parallel system analysis, and the paper derives and describes the main ideas. The concept is illustrated by an example, where the limit state of a non-linear ship response is considered. The results from the parallel system analysis are in agreement with corresponding Monte Carlo simulations. However, the computational speed of the parallel system analysis proved slower than expected. Moreover, it is important that the failure surface of the limit state is smooth, otherwise the parallel system analysis may not be applicable.
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