Leonardo da Vinci proposed a double hull for ships. His notebooks include a concept in which an additional inner layer could help protect a vessel against damage and flooding.
A double hull separates the outer shell from an inner shell, creating a space between them. If the outer skin is breached, the inner barrier may reduce the amount of water entering the main compartments. Leonardo’s idea belongs to a broader group of naval engineering studies that included pumps, pontoons, and improved ship structures.
The concept is often associated with modern tankers, where double hulls became an important safety feature. International rules later required double hulls for many oil tankers, especially after environmental concerns about spills. Modern ship designs, however, use materials, standards, and compartment systems far beyond Leonardo’s sketches.
Leonardo did not invent the modern commercial tanker. His significance lies in recognizing that layered hull construction could improve resistance to damage. The surviving notes show an early attempt to apply structural redundancy to naval safety.