Vessel runs into catastrophe in developing area (8)
I believe the answer is:
darkroom
'developing area' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'vessel runs into catastrophe' is the wordplay.
'vessel' becomes 'ark' (ark is a kind of vessel).
'runs' becomes 'r' (cricket abbreviation).
'into' indicates putting letters inside.
'catastrophe' becomes 'doom' (I've seen this before).
'ark'+'r'='arkr'
'arkr' put into 'doom' is 'DARKROOM'.
'in' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for darkroom that I've seen before include "Film developer's workplace" , "Place for developing photographs" , "In which to develop photographs" , "Place to develop films" , "developing area" .)