Resale value is also oftena major consideration, leading to design for maintenance.
For otherships, including bulk carriers, the first cost of the ship is the major factor for the ownerand the ship may be designed for ease of production. This isespecially the case for some trades, for example LNG, where the ship is expected towork the same route for its working life. Thefinal design should be arrived at taking into account not only present economicconsiderations, but also those likely to develop within the life of the ship. An owner requires a ship that willgive the best possible returns for the owner’s initial investment and running costs. The key requirement of a new ship is that it can trade profitably, so economics is ofprime importance in designing a merchant ship.