Double hulls ' ability to prevent or reduce oil spills led to double hulls being standardized for other types of ships including oil tankers by the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships or MARPOL Convention . A double hull does not protect against major , high-energy collisions or groundings which cause the majority of oil pollution , despite this being the reason that the double hull was mandated by United States legislation . 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
Exxon Valdez oil spill
Exxon Valdez oil spill
Double hull