Leonardo da Vinci proposed a double hull as a way to help ships survive damage and collisions.
His maritime studies included vessels with an inner and outer hull separated by a space. The outer layer could absorb damage while the inner structure remained intact, an idea related to modern principles of redundant protection and compartmentalization.
Leonardo’s proposal was not a modern tanker design and did not include the full engineering systems used in contemporary ships. The historical importance lies in recognizing that separating the outside shell from the protected interior can reduce the consequences of a breach.
The double-hull principle later became especially significant for large oil tankers. Modern regulations require double hulls for many tankers because the extra barrier helps limit oil spills after certain collisions or groundings.