Evaluation of post-accidental state of marine vessels is crucial in terms of life saving, prevention of environmental and financial loss. This thesis presents a more realistic assessment method of the post-accident load carrying performance of hatch covers. The applicability of the use of a single engineering environment is verified for an accurate, prompt and practical post-accident evaluation. Furthermore, the thesis proposes an alternative hatch cover design concept that promises a competitive structural performance while ensuring weight reduction and maintenance ease.