Are there specialized DITA specializations or domain-specific structures for maritime documentation?

Specialized DITA specializations and domain-specific structures exist for maritime documentation to address the unique requirements and standards of the maritime industry. These specializations enable maritime organizations to create structured and standardized content that aligns with industry-specific regulations and best practices. Below are some examples of such specializations:

Maritime Safety Documentation

One common specialization in maritime documentation is related to safety. DITA can be extended to include specific elements and attributes for capturing safety-related information, such as vessel safety procedures, emergency protocols, and compliance with international safety standards like SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea). This ensures that safety documentation is consistently structured and compliant with maritime regulations.

Vessel Technical Documentation

Another specialization involves technical documentation for maritime vessels. This may include detailed information about a vessel’s specifications, equipment, maintenance procedures, and historical data. By using DITA specializations tailored for vessel documentation, maritime organizations can create comprehensive and standardized content that supports vessel operation, maintenance, and compliance requirements.

Example:

Here’s an example illustrating a DITA specialization for maritime safety documentation:


<topic id="safety_procedures">
  <title>Safety Procedures for Vessel Operations</title>
  <specialization type="maritime-safety">
    <procedure id="emergency_evacuation">
      <title>Emergency Evacuation Procedure</title>
      <description>Step-by-step instructions for emergency evacuation on board maritime vessels.</description>
      <compliance-standard>SOLAS Chapter III</compliance-standard>
      <equipment>Lifeboats, life jackets, distress signals</equipment>
    </procedure>
    <procedure id="fire_safety">
      <title>Fire Safety Procedures</title>
      <description>Guidelines for fire prevention, detection, and response on vessels.</description>
      <compliance-standard>IMO Fire Safety Systems Code</compliance-standard>
      <equipment>Fire extinguishers, alarms, firefighting equipment</equipment>
    </procedure>
  </specialization>

In this example, a DITA topic is specialized for maritime safety procedures. It includes elements specific to maritime safety, such as compliance standards and equipment, ensuring that safety documentation aligns with industry regulations.