Failure　mode　and　effects　analysis　(FMEA)　is　a　methodology　to　evaluate　a　system,　design,　process　or　service　for　possible　ways　in　which　failures　(problems,　errors,　risks　and　concerns)　can　occur.　It　is　a　group　decision　function　and　cannot　be　done　on　an　individual　basis.　The　FMEA　team　often　demonstrates　different　opinions　and　knowledge　from　one　team　member　to　another　and　produces　different　types　of　assessment　information　such　as　complete　and　incomplete,　precise　and　imprecise　and　known　and　unknown　because　of　its　cross-functional　and　multidisciplinary　nature.　These　different　types　of　information　are　very　difficult　to　incorporate　into　the　FMEA　by　the　traditional　risk　priority　number　(RPN)　model　and　fuzzy　rule-based　approximate　reasoning　methodologies.　In　this　paper　we　present　an　FMEA　using　the　evidential　reasoning　(ER)　approach,　a　newly　developed　methodology　for　multiple　attribute　decision　analysis.　The　proposed　FMEA　is　then　illustrated　with　an　application　to　a　fishing　vessel.　As　is　illustrated　by　the　numerical　example,　the　proposed　FMEA　can　well　capture　FMEA　team　members＇　diversity　opinions　and　prioritize　failure　modes　under　different　types　of　uncertainties.　©　2008　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.