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Dedicated to safe ships and clean seas, IACS
makes a unique contribution to maritime safety and regulation through technical
support, compliance verification and research and development. More than 90% of
the world's cargo carrying tonnage is covered by the classification design,
construction and through-life compliance Rules and standards set by the
thirteen Member Societies of IAC. IACS common structural rules
A classification society is a non-governmental organization that establishes and maintains
technical standards for the construction and operation of ships and offshore
structures. The society will also validate that construction is
according to these standards and carry out regular surveys in service to ensure
compliance with the standards.
To avoid liability, they explicitly take no responsibility for
the safety, fitness for purpose, or seaworthiness of the ship.
Classification societies set
technical rules, confirm that designs and calculations meet these rules, survey
ships and structures during the process of construction and commissioning, and
periodically survey vessels to ensure that they continue to meet
the rules. Classification societies are also responsible for classing oil platforms,
other offshore structures, and submarines. This survey
process covers diesel engines, important shipboard pumps and other vital
machinery.
Classification surveyors inspect
ships to make sure that the ship, its components and machinery are built and
maintained according to the standards required for their class
n the second half of the 18th century, London merchants,
shipowners, and captains often gathered at Edward Lloyds’
coffee house to gossip and make deals including sharing the risks and rewards
of individual voyages. This became known as underwriting after the practice of signing one's name to
the bottom of a document pledging to make good a portion of the losses if the
ship didn’t make it in return for a portion of the profits. It did not take
long to realize that the underwriters needed a way of assessing the quality of
the ships that they were being asked to insure. In 1760, the Register Society
was formed — the first classification society and the one which would
subsequently become Lloyd's Register — to publish an annual register of ships. This publication
attempted to classify the condition of the ship’s hull and equipment. At that
time, an attempt was made to classify the condition of each ship on an annual
basis. The condition of the hull was classified A, E, I, O or U, according to
the state of its construction and its adjudged continuing soundness (or lack
thereof). Equipment was G, M, or B: simply, good, middling or bad. In time, G,
M and B were replaced by 1, 2 and 3, which is the origin of the well-known
expression 'A1', meaning 'first or highest class'. The purpose of this system
was not to assess safety, fitness for purpose or seaworthiness of the ship. It
was to evaluate risk.
The ability of shipowners to insure themselves
against the risks they take not only with their property, but with other
peoples’ lives, is itself the greatest threat to the safe operation of ships.[3]
The first edition of the Register of Ships was published by Lloyd's Register in 1764 and was for use in the
years 1764 to 1766.
Bureau Veritas (BV) was founded in Antwerp in 1828, moving to Paris in 1832. Lloyd's
Register reconstituted in 1834 to become 'Lloyd's Register of British and
Foreign Shipping'. Where previously surveys had been undertaken by retired sea
captains, from this time surveyors started to be employed and Lloyd's Register
formed a General Committee for the running of the Society and for the Rules
regarding ship construction and maintenance, which began to be published from
this time.
In 1834, the Register Society published the first Rules for the
survey and classification of vessels, and changed its name to Lloyds Register
of Shipping. A full-time bureaucracy of surveyors (inspectors) and support
personnel was put in place. Similar developments were taking place in the other
major maritime nations.
The adoption of common rules for ship construction by Norwegian
insurance societies in the late 1850s led to the establishment of Det Norske Veritas (DNV) in 1864. RINA was founded in Genoa, Italy in 1861 under the
name Registro Italiano, to meet the needs of Italian maritime operators. Germanischer Lloyd (GL) was formed in 1867 and Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK) in 1899. TheRussian Maritime
Register of Shipping (RS) was an early
offshoot of the River Register of 1913.
As the classification profession evolved, the practice of
assigning different classifications has been superseded, with some exceptions.
Today a ship either meets the relevant class society’s rules or it does not. As
a consequence it is either 'in' or 'out' of 'class'. Classification societies
do not issue statements or certifications that a vessel is 'fit to sail' or
'unfit to sail', merely that the vessel is in compliance with the required
codes. This is in part related to legal liability of the classification
society.
However, each of the classification societies
has developed a series of notations that may be granted to a vessel to indicate
that it is in compliance with some additional criteria that may be either
specific to that vessel type or that are in excess of the standard
classification requirements. See Ice class as an example. For more details on this topic, see Flag of convenience.
The advent of open registers, or flags of convenience, has
led to competition between classification societies and to a relaxation of
their standards.[
Flags of convenience have lower standards for vessel, equipment,
and crew than traditional maritime countries and often have classification societies certify and inspect the
vessels in their registry, instead of by their own shipping authority. This
made it attractive for ship owners to change flag, whereby the ship lost the
economic link and the country of registry. With this, also the link between
classification society and traditional maritime country became less obvious -
for instance Lloyd's with the United
Kingdom and ABS with the United States. This made it easier to
change class and introduced a new phenomenon; class hopping. A ship owner that is dissatisfied with class
can change to a different class relatively easily. This has led to more
competition between classes and a relaxation of the standards. In July 1960,
Lloyds Register published a new set of rules. Not only were scantlings relaxed,
but the restrictions on tank size were just about eliminated. The other
classification Societies quickly followed suit.[4] This has led to the
shipping industry losing confidence in the classification societies, and also
to similar concerns by the European Commission.
In 1978, a number of European countries agreed in The Hague on
memorandum that agreed to audit whether the labour conditions on board vessels
were according the rules of the ILO. After
theAmoco Cadiz sank that year, it was
decided to also audit on safety and pollution. To this end, in 1982 the Paris Memorandum of Understanding (Paris MoU) was agreed upon, establishing Port State Control,
nowadays 24 European countries and Canada. In practice, this was a reaction on
the failure of the flag states - especially flags of convenience that have
delegated their task to classification societies - to comply with their
inspection duties.
Today there are a number of
classification societies, the largest of which are Det Norske Veritas, Lloyd's Register, Bureau Veritas, Nippon Kaiji Kyokai and the American Bureau of Shipping.
Classification societies employ ship surveyors, material
engineers, piping engineers, mechanical engineers, chemical engineers and electrical engineers, often located at
ports and office buildings around the world.
Marine vessels and structures are classified according to the soundness
of their structure and design for the purpose of the vessel. The classification
rules are designed to ensure an acceptable degree of stability, safety,
environmental impact, etc.
In particular, classification societies may be authorised to
inspect ships, oil rigs, submarines, and other marine structures and issue
certificates on behalf of the state under whose flag the ships are registered.
·
As well as providing classification and certification services,
the larger societies also conduct research at their own research facilities in
order to iABS American Bureau of Shipping
mprove the effectiveness of
their rules and to investigate the safety of new innovations in shipbuilding.
Dedicated to safe ships and clean seas, IACS
makes a unique contribution to maritime safety and regulation through technical
support, compliance verification and research and development. More than 90% of
the world's cargo carrying tonnage is covered by the classification design,
construction and through-life compliance Rules and standards set by the
thirteen Member Societies of IAC. IACS common structural rules
On 14 December 2005 the Common Structural Rules for Tankers and
Bulk Carriers were unanimously adopted by the IACS Council for implementation
on 1 April 2006. The Council was satisfied that the new rules have been based
on sound technical grounds, and achieve the goals of more robust and safer
ships.
IACS now implements the CSR maintenance program via the IACS CSR
Knowledge Centre (KC). All the agreed Q&As and CIs (Common Interpretations)
are published on the IACS web site without delay in order to assist its Member
Societies and Industry in implementing the CSR in a uniform and consistent
manner. IACS organisational structure and work process and procedures
pertaining to maintenance, harmonisation and further development of IACS CSR
for Double Hull Oil Tankers and Bulk Carriers are detailed in IACS Procedure
Volume 4.
CLASSIFICATION SOCIETIES -
WHAT, WHY and HOW?
Leading the way: dedicated to safe ships and clean seas, IACS
Members
make a unique contribution to maritime safety and regulation
through
technical support, compliance verification and research and
development.
More than 90% of the world's cargo carrying tonnage is covered
by the
classification design, construction and through-life compliance
Rules and
standards set by the Member Societies of IACS.SAFER AND CLEANER
SHIPPING
A INTRODUCTION
A1 Classification Societies today
The purpose of a Classification Society is to provide
classification and statutory services
and assistance to the maritime industry and regulatory bodies as
regards maritime safety
and pollution prevention, based on the accumulation of maritime
knowledge and
technology.
The objective of ship classification is to
verify the structural strength and integrity
of essential parts of the ship’s hull and its
appendages, and the reliability and function
of the propulsion and steering systems,
power generation and those other features
and auxiliary systems which have been built
into the ship in order to maintain essential
services on board. Classification Societies
aim to achieve this objective through the
development and application of their own
Rules and by verifying compliance with
international and/or national statutory
regulations on behalf of flag
Administrations.
The vast majority of commercial ships are
built to and surveyed for compliance with
the standards laid down by Classification
Societies. These standards are issued by
the Society as published Rules.
A vessel that has been designed and built to the appropriate
Rules of a Society may apply
for a certificate of classification from that Society.
However, such a certificate does not imply, and should not be
construed as, a warranty of
safety, fitness for purpose or seaworthiness of the ship. It is
an attestation only that the
vessel is in compliance with the Rules that have been developed
and published by the
Society issuing the classification certificate. Further,
Classification Societies are not
guarantors of safety of life or property at sea or the
seaworthiness of a vessel because the
Classification Society has no control over how a vessel is
manned, operated and
maintained between the periodical surveys which it conducts.
More than 50 organizations worldwide define their activities as
providing some form of
marine classification services; however, not all meet the
definition given in Appendix 1.
Some that do (listed in Appendix 2) form the International
Association of Classification
Societies (IACS). It is estimated that the Members of IACS
collectively class over 90
percent of all commercial tonnage involved in international
trade worldwide.
Classification is one element within the maritime safety regime.
Others with a
responsibility for or interest in promoting maritime safety
include shipowners, shipbuilders,
flag State administrations, port State control authorities,
underwriters, shipping financiers,
charterers, and, of course, seafarers.
The role of classification and Classification Societies has been
recognized in the
International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, (SOLAS)
and in the 1988 Protocol to
the International Convention on Load Lines. This statutory role
is addressed later in this
note.SAFER AND CLEANER SHIPPING
As an independent, self-regulating, externally audited, body, a
Classification Society has
no commercial interests related to ship design, ship building,
ship ownership, ship
operation, ship management, ship maintenance or repairs,
insurance, or chartering. In
establishing its Rules, each Classification Society may draw
upon the advice and review of
members of the industry and academia who are considered to have
relevant knowledge or
experience.
Classification Rules are developed to establish standards for
the structural strength of the
ship’s hull and its appendages, and the suitability of the
propulsion and steering systems,
power generation and those other features and auxiliary systems
which have been built
into the ship to assist in its operation. Classification Rules
are not intended as a design
code and in fact cannot be used as such.
A vessel built in accordance with the applicable Rules of an
IACS Member Society may be
assigned a class designation by the Society on satisfactory
completion of the relevant
surveys. For ships in service, the Society carries out surveys
to verify that the ship
remains in compliance with those Rules. Should any defects that
may affect class become
apparent, or damages be sustained between the relevant surveys,
the owner is required to
inform the Society concerned without delay.
The classification of a vessel is based on the understanding
that the vessel is loaded,
operated and maintained in a proper manner by competent and
qualified crew or operating
personnel.
A vessel may be maintained in class provided that, in the
opinion of the Society
concerned, it remains in compliance with the relevant Rules, as
ascertained by periodic or
non-periodic survey.
In developing its Rules, a Classification Society typically
relies on empirical experience
gained from classing a wide variety of ship types over many
years, coupled with
appropriate research that contributes towards the on-going
development of relevant,
advanced technical requirements.
Classification Societies are often simply referred to as ‘Class
Societies’ or just ‘Class’
(‘class’).
A2 Why ‘Classification’?
In the second half of the 18th century, marine insurers, based
at Lloyd's coffee house in
London, developed a system for the independent technical
assessment of the ships
presented to them for insurance cover. In 1760 a Committee was
formed for this purpose,
the earliest existing result of their initiative being Lloyd's
Register Book for the years
1764-65-66.
At that time, an attempt was made to 'classify' the condition of
each ship on an annual
basis. The condition of the hull was classified A, E, I, O or U,
according to the excellence
of its construction and its adjudged continuing soundness (or
otherwise). Equipment was
G, M, or B: simply, good, middling or bad. In time, G, M and B
were replaced by 1, 2 or 3,
which is the origin of the well-known expression 'A1', meaning
'first or highest class'.
The concept of classification slowly spread to other countries
and insurance markets.
Bureau Veritas (BV) was founded in Antwerp in 1828, moving to
Paris in 1832. 'Lloyd's
Register of British and Foreign Shipping' was reconstituted as a
self-standing 'Classification
Society' in 1834; Rules for construction and survey were
published the same year.
RINA (previously Registro Italiano Navale) dates from 1861;
American Bureau of Shipping
(ABS) traces its origins back to 1862. Adoption of common Rules
for ship construction by
Norwegian insurance societies in the late 1850s led to the
establishment of Det Norske SAFER AND CLEANER SHIPPING
Veritas (DNV) in 1864. Germanischer Lloyd (GL) was formed in
1867 and Nippon Kaiji
Kyokai (ClassNK) in 1899. The Russian Maritime Register of
Shipping (RS) was an early
offshoot of the River Register of 1913. More recent foundations
have been Polish Register
of Shipping (PRS) in 1936; Yugoslav Register of Shipping (now
the Croatian Register of
Shipping (CRS)), 1949; China Classification Society (CCS), 1956;
Korean Register of
Shipping (KR), 1960; and Indian Register of Shipping (IRS),
1975.
As the classification profession evolved, the practice of
assigning different classifications
has been superseded, with some exceptions. Today a vessel either
meets the relevant
Class Society’s Rules or it does not. As a consequence it is
either 'in' or 'out' of 'class'.
However, each of the Classification Societies has developed a
series of notations that may
be granted to a vessel to indicate that it is in compliance with
some additional voluntary
criteria that may be either specific to that vessel type or that
are in excess of the standard
classification requirements.
A3 The International Association of Classification Societies -
IACS
IACS can trace its origins back to the International Load Line
Convention of 1930 and its
recommendations. The Convention recommended collaboration
between Classification
Societies to secure "as much uniformity as possible in the
application of the standards of
strength upon which freeboard is based…".
Following the Convention, RINA hosted the first conference of
major Societies in 1939 -
also attended by ABS, BV, DNV, GL, LR and NK - which agreed on
further cooperation
between the Societies.
A second major Class Society conference, held in 1955, led to
the creation of Working
Parties on specific topics and, in 1968, to the formation of
IACS by seven leading
Societies. The value of their combined level of technical
knowledge and experience was
quickly recognised. In 1969, IACS was given consultative status
with the International
Maritime Organization (IMO). It remains the only
non-governmental organization with
Observer status which is able to develop and apply Rules.
Compliance with the IACS Quality System Certification Scheme
(QSCS) is mandatory for
IACS Membership. Full details of the scheme are available on the
IACS website.
IACS is governed by a Council, with each
Member represented by a senior
management figure.
Under the Council is the General Policy
Group (GPG), made up of a senior
manager from each Member, which
develops and implements actions giving
effect to the policies, directions and long
term plans of the Council.
The chair of GPG is taken by the Member
holding the Council chair. IACS’s
technical work is undertaken generally
through specialist Working Groups
overseen by GPG.
The Association maintains a Secretariat in London and a QSCS
Operations Centre in
Southampton, UK.
The IACS Charter, Procedures, details of the work programme,
technical Resolutions and
other publications are all available on the IACS website.SAFER
AND CLEANER SHIPPING
B CLASSIFICATION
B1 Scope of classification
Implementing the published Rules, the classification process
consists of:
• A technical review of the design plans and related documents
for a new vessel to
verify compliance with the applicable Rules;
• Attendance at the construction of the vessel in the shipyard
by a Classification
Society surveyor(s) to verify that the vessel is constructed in
accordance with the
approved design plans and classification Rules;
• Attendance by a Classification Society surveyor(s) at the
relevant production
facilities that provide key components such as the steel,
engine, generators and
castings to verify that the component conforms to the applicable
Rule
requirements;
• Attendance by a Classification Society surveyor(s) at the sea
trials and other trials
relating to the vessel and its equipment prior to delivery to
verify conformance with
the applicable Rule requirements;
• Upon satisfactory completion of the above, the
builder’s/shipowner’s request for the
issuance of a class certificate will be considered by the
relevant Classification
Society and, if deemed satisfactory, the assignment of class may
be approved and
a certificate of classification issued;
• Once in service, the owner must submit the vessel to a clearly
specified programme
of periodical class surveys, carried out onboard the vessel, to
verify that the ship
continues to meet the relevant Rule requirements for
continuation of class.
Class Rules do not cover every piece
of structure or item of equipment on
board a vessel, nor do they cover
operational elements. Activities
which generally fall outside the scope
of classification include such items as:
design and manufacturing processes;
choice of type and power of
machinery and certain equipment
(e.g. winches); number and
qualification of crew or operating
personnel; form and cargo carrying
capacity of the ship and manoeuvring
performance; hull vibrations; spare
parts; life-saving appliances and
maintenance equipment. These
matters may however be given
consideration for classification
according to the type of ship or class
notation(s) assigned.
It should be emphasized that it is the shipowner who has the
overall responsibility for the
safety and integrity of a vessel, including the manner in which
it is operated and
maintained. The effectiveness of classification depends upon the
shipbuilder, during
construction, and the shipowner, once the vessel enters service,
cooperating with the
Class Society in an open and transparent manner on all issues
which may affect its class
status. For the shipowner, this particularly requires acting in
good faith by disclosing to
the Class Society any damage or deterioration that may affect
the vessel’s classification
status. If there is the least question, the owner should notify
class and schedule a survey
to determine if the vessel is in compliance with the relevant
class standard.SAFER AND CLEANER SHIPPING
A Class surveyor may only go on board a vessel once in a
twelve-month period. At that
time it is neither possible nor expected that the surveyor
scrutinize the entire structure of
the vessel or its machinery. The survey involves a sampling, for
which guidelines exist
based upon empirical experience and the age of the vessel which
may indicate those parts
of the vessel or its machinery that may be subject to corrosion,
or are exposed to the
highest incidence of stress, or may be likely to exhibit signs
of fatigue or damage.
B2 Assignment, maintenance, suspension and withdrawal of class
Class is assigned to a vessel upon the completion of
satisfactory review of the design and
surveys during construction undertaken in order to verify
compliance with the Rules of the
Society. For existing vessels, specific procedures apply when
they are being transferred
from one Class Society to another.
Ships are subject to a through-life survey regime
if they are to be retained in class. These surveys
include the class renewal (also called “special
survey”), intermediate survey, annual survey, and
bottom/docking surveys of the hull. They also
include tailshaft survey, boiler survey, machinery
surveys and, where applicable, surveys of items
associated with the maintenance of additional
class notations (see Appendix 1).
The surveys are to be carried out in accordance
with the relevant class requirements to confirm
that the condition of the hull, machinery,
equipment and appliances is in compliance with
the applicable Rules.
It is the owner's responsibility to properly maintain the ship
in the period between
surveys. It is the duty of the owner, or its representative, to
inform the Society of any
events or circumstances that may affect the continued
conformance of the ship with the
Society’s Rules.
Where the conditions for the maintenance of class are not
complied with, class may be
suspended, withdrawn or revised to a different notation, as deemed
appropriate by the
Society when it becomes aware of the condition.
B3 Classification surveys
A classification survey is a visual examination that normally
consists of:
• an overall examination of the items identified in the Rules
for survey;
• detailed checks of selected parts, on a sampling basis;
• witnessing tests, measurements and trials where applicable.
When a surveyor identifies corrosion, structural defects or
damage to hull, machinery
and/or piece of equipment which, based on the Society’s Rules
and in the opinion of the
surveyor, affects the ship’s class, remedial measures and/or
appropriate
recommendations/conditions of class are specified in order to
retain class.
‘Recommendation’ and ‘condition of class’ are different terms
used by IACS Societies for
the same thing i.e. requirements to the effect that specific
measures, repairs, request for
surveys etc., are to be carried out within a specified time
limit in order to retain class.
Each classed vessel is subject to a specified programme of
periodic surveys after delivery.
These are based on a five-year cycle and consist of annual
surveys, an intermediate SAFER AND CLEANER SHIPPING
9
survey and a class renewal/special survey (held every 5 years).
The rigour of each
specified survey increases with the age of the vessel.
The class renewal surveys/special surveys include extensive
in-water and, in most cases,
out-of-water examinations to verify that the structure, main and
essential auxiliary
machinery, systems and equipment of the ship remain in a
condition which satisfies the
relevant Rules. The examination of the hull is supplemented,
when specified, by ultrasonic
thickness measurements and the witnessing of tests as specified
in the Rules and as
deemed necessary by the attending surveyor. The survey is
intended to assess whether
the structural integrity remains in conformance with the
standards contained in the
relevant Rules and to identify areas that exhibit substantial
corrosion, significant
deformation, fractures, damages or other structural
deterioration.
Depending upon the age, size, type and condition of the vessel,
the renewal/special survey
may take several weeks to complete.
The intermediate survey (held approximately half way between
special surveys) includes
examinations and checks as specified in the Rules to determine
whether the ship remains
in a general condition which satisfies the Rule requirements.
According to the type and
age of the ship, drydocking may be required and the examinations
of the hull may be
supplemented by ultrasonic thickness measurements as specified
in the Rules and where
deemed necessary by the attending surveyor.
At the time of annual surveys, the ship is generally examined.
The survey includes an
external general inspection of the hull, equipment and machinery
of the ship and some
witnessing of tests, so far as is necessary and practical in
order to determine whether the
ship remains in a general condition which satisfies the Rule
requirements. Older ships of
certain types may also be subject to a general examination of
some specified internal
areas of the hull. Depending upon the age, size, type and
condition of the vessel, an
annual survey may take from several hours to a few days to
complete.SAFER AND CLEANER SHIPPING
10
C DEVELOPMENT OF RULES, REGULATIONS AND GUIDANCE
C1 Historical development
Classification Rules have been developed over many years by each
Society through
extensive research and development and service experience. In
addition, certain Unified
Requirements have been agreed by IACS Members and transposed
into the individual
Members’ Rules.
As outlined later, ‘statutory’ requirements are developed at IMO
and where necessary,
Unified Interpretations of them are adopted by IACS.
C2 Future development
Rules and Regulations are subject to constant refinement based
upon additional research
or practical experience.
Ultimately it is up to the international community, as expressed
through their
governmental representation at the IMO, to determine the
acceptable level of risk
associated with the conduct of marine transport. These standards
may be prescriptive or
goal-based. In the former case, the Class Societies may develop
Unified Interpretations,
under the aegis of IACS, which clarify the intent and
application of the international
standards. In the latter case of goal-based standards, the IMO
may establish broad
requirements and then leave it to the Classification Societies
to develop the detailed Rules
that will allow industry to meet those targets. The current
focus of the IMO is a new and
transparent goal-based regulatory framework for hull structures
of oil tankers and bulk
carriers. This represents a significant change to the current
complex system of largely
prescriptive statutory international and national regulations,
classification rules and
industry standards.
The basic principle is to establish
clear, demonstrable and verifiable
goals to the effect that a properly
built, operated and maintained ship
should provide minimal risk to its
cargo and crew and to the
environment for a specified
operational life. This goal-based
approach aims at moving the
regulatory framework from a culture
of compliance, governed by
prescriptive Rules, to a culture of
benchmarking, backed by functional
risk-based requirements. It is
intended that those goals may be
achieved by alternative designs that
offer an equivalent level of safety,
while promoting new technology and
greater innovation within the shipping
industry.
Within the framework set at the IMO, it is the role of IACS
Members to develop the specific
Rule criteria to support the goals. It is intended that these
Rules will be "common" to all
IACS Societies.
Existing Common Rules for hull structures of oil tankers and
bulk carriers were adopted in
December 2005 for implementation on 1 April 2006. This was an
ambitious project and SAFER AND CLEANER SHIPPING
11
one of the most important single steps in the development of
maritime Rules that IACS
has been involved with.
C3 IACS Resolutions
C3.1 General
In addition to the Common Rules projects, IACS Resolutions on
technical or procedural
matters may be developed, generally through specialist Working
Groups overseen by the
General Policy Group (GPG).
The categories of Resolution are listed below and may be found
on the IACS website.
C3.2 Unified Requirements
As defined in Annex 4 of the IACS Charter, Unified Requirements
(UR) are minimum
technical requirements adopted by the IACS Members which,
subject to ratification by the
governing body of each Member, are to be incorporated in their
Rules and practices. URs
set forth minimum requirements; each IACS Member remains free to
adopt more stringent
requirements.
URs are relevant to matters directly connected to or covered by
specific Rule requirements
and practices of Classification Societies and the general
philosophy on which the Rules and
practices of Classification Societies are established.
The existence of a UR does not oblige a Member Society to issue
respective Rules if it
chooses not to have Rules for the type of ship or maritime
structure concerned.
Reservations: Since each Member has its own Governing Body, a
situation may arise
where certain aspects not foreseen during the draft UR
development process, or external
review, are found unsuitable to the Governing Body of a Member
Society. In such a case,
that Society is obliged to notify the others of the situation by
declaring a reservation to all
or part of the UR and provide technical reasons for the
reservation. The status of each UR
is posted on the IACS website.
C3.3 Common Rules
Common Rules are IACS URs covering broad areas of classification
requirements which,
once adopted by IACS Council, shall be applied by all Members
without the possibility of
reservations.
As defined in Annex 4 of the IACS Charter, IACS Common
Structural Rules (CSR) are a
comprehensive set of minimum requirements for the classification
of the hull structures of
bulk carriers and double-hull oil tankers, in relation to which
the contract for construction
was signed on or after 1 April 2006.
C3.4 Unified Interpretations
As defined in Annex 4 of the IACS Charter, Unified
Interpretations (UIs) are Resolutions on
matters arising from implementing the requirements of IMO
instruments. They provide
uniform interpretations of Convention Regulations or IMO
Resolutions on those matters
which in the Convention are left to the satisfaction of the flag
Administration or where
more precise wording is found to be necessary.
UIs are circulated to the flag Administrations concerned, as
appropriate, and submitted to
IMO for information and any follow-up action.SAFER AND CLEANER
SHIPPING
UIs shall be applied by Member Societies to ships whose flag
Administration has not issued
definite instructions on the interpretation of the Regulations
concerned.
C3.5 Procedural Requirements
As defined in Annex 4 of the IACS Charter, IACS Procedural
Requirements (PRs) are
Resolutions on technical matters of procedure.
Requirements under this category are to be followed by Members
and, for parts of some
PRs, by the IACS Permanent Secretariat.
PRs adopted shall be incorporated in the practices and
procedures of the Members within
the periods agreed.
C4 Other Publications
IACS also produces Guidelines and Recommendations, not
necessarily on matters of class,
on issues which IACS Members consider advice or guidance may be
beneficial to the
industry.
D SURVEYORS
D1 Qualities and qualifications of Surveyors
A memorandum of 1834 has not
been bettered:
“The utmost care and
discrimination have been
exercised by the Committee in
the selection of men of talent,
integrity, and firmness as
Surveyors, on whom the practical
efficacy of the system and the
contemplated advantages must so
materially depend; the Committee
have in their judgement
appointed those persons
only…who appeared to them to be
most competent to discharge the
important duties of their
situations with fidelity and ability,
and to ensure strict and impartial
justice to all parties whose
property shall come under their
supervision.”
The training, qualification and
monitoring of surveyors and
auditors is governed by the
relevant IACS Procedural
Requirements. SAFER AND CLEANER SHIPPING
E STATUTORY CERTIFICATION OF SHIPS
E1 Framework
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) is
an umbrella convention
concerned with many aspects of the sea and its uses, including
the granting of registration
of a ship by a State. Once a ship is registered, the flag State
has certain duties laid out in
UNCLOS. In particular, under Article 94, the flag State must
“effectively exercise its
jurisdiction and control in administrative, technical and social
matters over ships flying its
flag” and take “such measures for ships flying its flag as are
necessary to ensure safety
at sea…..”
Under the auspices of the IMO, International Conventions have
been agreed which set out
uniform requirements in order to facilitate the acceptance of a
ship registered in one
country in the waters and ports of another and in the general
furtherance of safety at sea
and the protection of the environment. These requirements are
commonly referred to as
‘statutory’ requirements. Broadly, they cover four distinct
areas:
1) Aspects of the ship’s design and its structural integrity –
load line and stability in the
intact and damaged condition, essential propulsion, steering
equipment, etc.;
2) Pollution control with regard to normal ship operation;
3) Accident prevention, including navigational aids and
pollution and fire prevention;
4) The situation after an accident (fire, flooding) including
containment and escape.
Some or all of these may also be covered in a particular Class
Society’s Rules.
SOLAS Ch II-1, Reg 3-1 states that, in addition to the
requirements of the other (SOLAS)
regulations, ships shall be designed, constructed and maintained
in compliance with the
structural, mechanical and electrical requirements of a
Classification Society which is
recognised by the Administration in accordance with the
provisions of regulation XI/1 (see
E2 below), or with applicable national standards of the
Administration which provide an
equivalent level of safety.
Where the result of the classification survey is taken as
evidence of compliance with the
corresponding statutory requirement, e.g. load line or safety
construction (hull,
machinery, boilers, electrical equipment, etc.), this survey is
de facto given the status of a
statutory survey on behalf of the flag Administration, if the
Society is acting as its
recognised organization in this respect.
When a ship is suspended or withdrawn from class, the IACS
Member concerned notifies
the relevant flag Administration and publishes the information
e.g. on its website and on SAFER AND CLEANER SHIPPING
Equasis1
. As a consequence, the flag Administration generally
invalidates the statutory
certificates concerning construction and equipment.
E2 Recognised Organizations
SOLAS and the other International Conventions permit the flag
Administration to delegate
the inspection and survey of ships to a Recognised Organization
(RO). This is in
recognition of the fact that many flag Administrations do not
have adequate technical
experience, manpower or global coverage to undertake all the
necessary statutory
inspections and surveys using its own staff. The degree to which
a flag State may choose
to delegate authority to a RO (Class Society) is for each flag
State to decide, with the
authority granted being clearly identified in the relevant
memoranda of understanding
agreed between the Class Society and the Administration. In most
cases the RO is
empowered to require repairs or other corrective action to a
ship and to withdraw or
invalidate the relevant certificate if the necessary action is
not taken (e.g. SOLAS Chapter
I, Reg 6).
IMO Resolution A.739(18) lays down
mandatory minimum requirements for
ROs.
Fundamentally it requires the
organization to demonstrate its technical
competence and to be governed by the
principles of ethical behaviour. The RO
is to be subject to the certification of its
quality system by an independent body
of auditors accepted by the
Administration.
A.739(18), together with Resolution A.789(19), which presents
specifications on the
survey and certification functions of ROs, provides the criteria
and framework which a flag
must be satisfied is met by their ROs. IACS Members have been
found to meet
Resolutions A.739(18) and A.789(19) by all of the
Administrations (approximately 100)
that are Parties to SOLAS.
The RO is responsible and accountable to the flag Administration
for the work that it
carries out on its behalf. The principles of the inspection and
survey work are to a very
large extent the same as in respect of classification surveys,
that is, the verification by the
RO that a ship is in compliance with applicable requirements at
the time of the survey or
inspection. The scopes of these inspections and surveys are laid
down by the relevant
national laws based on International Conventions to which the
Government is a signatory,
together with additional instructions that may be issued by the
flag Administration.
IACS Members generally do not undertake ‘statutory’ work on
ships that they do not
themselves class. The significant exceptions to this policy are
International Safety
Management (ISM) Code and International Ship and Port Facility
Security (ISPS) Code
certification where it may be efficient for a Company to
implement a common Safety
Management System (SMS) or Ship Security Plan (SSP) on a fleet
basis as that fleet may
be classed by more than one Society. However, systems are in
place for the classing
Society to inform the owner, the ISM certifying Society and/or
the flag Administration in
cases where there is reason to doubt the continuing
effectiveness of the SMS or SSP.
**********
1
www.equasis.orgSAFER AND CLEANER SHIPPING
APPENDIX 1 – THE LANGUAGE OF CLASSIFICATION AND SURVEYS
1 CLASSIFICATION SOCIETIES - DEFINITION
The following definition applies in respect of the membership of
IACS.
A Classification Society is an organisation which:
(i) publishes its own classification Rules (including technical
requirements) in relation
to the design, construction and survey of ships2
, and has the capacity to (a) apply, (b)
maintain and (c) update those Rules and Regulations with its own
resources on a
regular basis;
(ii) verifies compliance with these Rules during construction
and periodically during a
classed ship's service life;
(iii) publishes a register of classed ships;
(iv) is not controlled by, and does not have interests in,
ship-owners, shipbuilders or
others engaged commercially in the manufacture, equipping,
repair or operation of
ships; and
(v) is authorised by a Flag Administration as defined in SOLAS
Chapter XI-1,
Regulation 1 and listed accordingly in the IMO database, Global
Integrated Shipping
Information System (GISIS).
2 CLASSIFICATION NOTATIONS
Classification notations are indicative of the specific Rule
requirements which have been
met. Additional voluntary notations are offered by individual
Societies and may be
selected by an owner wishing to demonstrate that the vessel
conforms to a particular
standard that may be in excess of that required for
classification. Depending on the
Classification Society, the classification notations are
assigned to the ship according to ship
type, service, navigation and/or other criteria which have been
provided by the owner
and/or builder, when requesting classification.
Classification notations assigned to a
ship are indicated on the certificate of
classification as well as in the Register of
Ships published by the Society. These
notations can be generalized by the
following types which may be used in
combination:
• main class symbol;
• construction marks;
• service notations with additional
service features, as applicable;
• navigation notations;
• geographic notations;
• additional class notations.
2
"ships" are defined as any ships subject to SOLAS
safety certification and capable of unrestricted navigation. SAFER AND CLEANER
SHIPPING
2.1 Class symbol
The main class symbol indicates the compliance of the ship with
specific Rule requirements
regarding its construction.
2.2 Construction mark
The construction mark, when assigned, identifies the procedure
under which the ship and
its main equipment or arrangements have been surveyed for
initial assignment of the
class.
2.3 Service notations
The service notations, when assigned, define the type and/or
service of the ship which has
been considered for its classification.
A ship may be assigned several different service notations. In
such case, the specific Rule
requirements applicable to each service notation will have been
complied with.
2.4 Navigation and operating area notations
Navigation notations
Some Classification Societies define limiting areas for
navigation (e.g. coastal waters, and
sheltered waters), and/or limiting environmental conditions for
certain types of ships and
marine structures.
The assignment of restricted navigation notations may include
the reduction of scantlings
or specific arrangements.
The assignment of a navigation notation by Classification
Societies does not absolve the
owner from compliance with any applicable international and/or
national regulations
established by the Administrations for ships operating in
national waters, or a specific
area, or a navigation zone.
Operating or service area notations
The operating area notation specifies the service area where the
ship (e.g. dredgers, crane
pontoons, port tugs) can operate as regards its assigned class.
2.5 Additional class notations
Each of the Classification Societies has developed a series of
notations that may be
granted to a vessel to indicate that it is in compliance with
some additional voluntary
criteria that may be either specific to that vessel type or that
are in excess of the standard
classification requirements.
3 ASSIGNMENT, MAINTENANCE, SUSPENSION AND WITHDRAWAL OF CLASS
3.1 Assignment of class
Class is assigned to a ship upon the completion of satisfactory
surveys, held to verify that
the vessel is in compliance with the relevant Rules of the
Society. This assignment may
be given in the following cases:
• on completion of the new building, after satisfactory surveys
have been performed;
• on completion of a satisfactory survey of an existing ship
carried out in accordance
with the agreement developed by the IACS Member Societies for
ships transferring
class between Members; orSAFER AND CLEANER SHIPPING
• on completion of a satisfactory specific class survey of an
existing ship not classed
with an IACS Society, or not classed at all.
3.2 Maintenance of class
Classed ships are subject to surveys for maintenance of class.
These surveys include the
class renewal (also called “special survey”), intermediate,
annual, and bottom/docking
surveys (either a survey in dry dock or an in-water survey) of
the hull, tailshaft survey,
boiler survey, machinery surveys and surveys for the maintenance
of additional class
notations, where applicable. Such surveys are carried out at the
intervals and under the
conditions given below.
The surveys are to be carried out in accordance with the relevant
requirements in order to
confirm that the condition of the hull, machinery, equipment and
appliances comply with
the applicable Rules. It is the owner’s duty to ensure that the
ship’s maintenance is kept
at a satisfactory level in order to maintain the condition
between surveys.
The extent of any survey depends upon the condition of the ship
and its equipment. In
addition to the minimum required extent of surveys specified in
the Rules, should the
surveyor have a doubt as to the maintenance or condition of the
ship or its equipment, or
be informed by the owner of any deficiency or damage which may
affect class, further
examination and testing may be conducted as considered
necessary.
3.3 Suspension of class
Class may be suspended following a decision made by the Society
when one or more of
the following occurs:
• when a ship is not operated in compliance with the Rule
requirements;
• when a ship proceeds to sea with less freeboard than that
assigned;
• when the owner fails to request a survey after having detected
defects or
damages affecting the class;
• when repairs, alterations or conversions affecting the class
are carried out without
requesting the attendance of a surveyor.
In addition, class is automatically suspended:
• when the class renewal/special survey has not been completed
by its due date or
within the time granted in special circumstances for the
completion of the survey,
unless the ship is under attendance by the Society’s surveyor(s)
with a view to
completion prior to resuming trading;
• when the annual or intermediate surveys have not been
completed by the end of
the corresponding survey time windows.
Suspension of class with respect to the above cases will remain
in effect until such time as
the due surveys and any other survey deemed appropriate by the
Society have been
completed.
In addition to the circumstances for which automatic suspension
may apply, the class of a
ship will be subject to suspension procedures following a decision
of the Society:
• when a recommendation/condition of class is not dealt with
within the time limit
specified, unless it is postponed before the due date by
agreement with the
Society;
• when one or more other surveys are not held by their due dates
- or the dates
stipulated by the Society also taking into account any
extensions granted;
• when, due to the nature of reported defects, the Society
considers that a ship is
not entitled to retain its class even on a temporary basis
(pending necessary
repairs or renewals, etc.);
• in other circumstances where the owner fails to submit the
ship to a survey in
accordance with a special requirement.SAFER AND CLEANER SHIPPING
In all cases suspension will remain in effect until such time as
matters are rectified and the
class is reinstated or class is withdrawn.
Depending on the Society’s procedures, the suspensions of class
which are not automatic
may take effect either when they are decided by the Society or
from the date when the
conditions for suspension occurred. However once the conditions
for class
suspension/withdrawal are met and before any decision by the
Society can be taken,
either because the Society is not aware of the circumstances
(surveys dates, etc. are
recorded but not systematically monitored) or because the
decision is not yet taken,
maintenance of class cannot generally be confirmed by the
Society during this period.
3.4 Withdrawal of class
The Society will withdraw the class of a ship when:
• requested by the owner;
• the class has been suspended for more than six months;
• the ship is reported as a constructive total loss and the
owner does not advise his
intention to repair the ship for re-instatement of class;
• the ship is reported lost;
• the ship will not trade further as declared by its owner.
Withdrawal of class takes effect from the date on which the
circumstances causing such
withdrawal occur or when it is decided.
3.5 Notification of suspension or withdrawal
When class is suspended or withdrawn, the Society will at the
same time:
• inform the owner, flag Administration and underwriters (the
latter at their request);
• publish the information on its website and convey the
information to appropriate
databases (Equasis, etc.).
4 SURVEYS – AN OVERVIEW OF REQUIREMENTS AND CERTIFICATION
4.1 Definitions and procedures related to classification surveys
Period of certificate of class
The period of the certificate of class starts either from the
date of initial classification or
from the credited date of the last class renewal/special survey,
and expires at the due date
assigned for the next class renewal/special survey.
The due date is the end of the time window for that survey.
Anniversary date
The anniversary date is the day and the month given in the
certificate of class which
corresponds to the expiry date of the certificate.
Survey time window
The survey time window is the fixed period during which the
annual and intermediate
surveys are to be carried out.SAFER AND CLEANER SHIPPING
Overdue surveys
Each periodical survey is assigned a due date specified by the
relevant Rules by which it is
to be completed.
A survey becomes overdue when it has not been completed by its
due date. For example,
with an anniversary date of 15th April, the annual survey can be
validly carried out from
16th January to 15th July. If not completed by 15th July, the
annual survey becomes
overdue and class will be suspended automatically.
Recommendations/Conditions of Class
‘Recommendation’ and ‘Condition of Class’ are different terms
used by IACS Societies for
the same thing, i.e. requirements to the effect that specific
measures, repairs, surveys
etc. are to be carried out within a specific time limit in order
to retain class.
Memoranda
Other information of assistance to the surveyor and owners may
be recorded as
‘memoranda’ or a similar term. They may, for example, include
notes concerning
materials and other constructional information. A memorandum may
also define a
condition which, though deviating from the technical standard,
does not affect the class
(e.g. slight indents in the shell which do not have an effect
upon the overall strength of
the hull or minor deficiencies, which do not affect the
operational safety of the machinery).
In addition, memoranda could define recurring survey
requirements, such as annual
survey of specified spaces, or retrofit requirements, which have
the de-facto effect of
conditions of class.
Specific questions in relation to the meaning of memoranda /
recommendations /
conditions of class are to be addressed to the Classification
Society concerned though the
owner of the ship.
4.2 Class surveys periodicity and scope
Class renewal survey / special survey
Class renewal surveys/special surveys are carried out at
five-year intervals. However,
consideration may be given by the Society, in exceptional
circumstances, to granting an SAFER AND CLEANER SHIPPING
extension for a maximum period of three months after the due
date. In such cases the
next period of class will start from the due date for the
previous class renewal survey
before the extension was granted.
The special survey may be commenced at the 4th annual survey and
be progressed with a
view to completion by the 5th anniversary date.
The class renewal surveys/special surveys include extensive
examinations to verify that
the structure, main and essential auxiliary machinery, systems
and equipment of the ship
are in a condition which satisfies the relevant Rules. The
examinations of the hull are
generally supplemented by thickness measurements and witnessing
of tests as specified in
the Rules, and as deemed necessary by the attending surveyor, to
assess that the
structural condition remains effective and to help identify
substantial corrosion, significant
deformation, fractures, damages or other structural
deterioration.
Annual survey
Annual surveys are to be carried out within a window from three
months before to three
months after each anniversary date.
At the time of annual surveys, the ship is generally examined.
The survey includes an
inspection of the hull, equipment and machinery of the ship and
some witnessing of tests,
so far as is necessary and practical in order to verify that, in
the opinion of the attending
surveyor(s) the ship is in a general condition which satisfies
the Rule requirements.
Intermediate survey
An intermediate survey is to be carried out within the window
from three months before
the second to three months after the third anniversary date.
The intermediate survey includes examinations and checks on the
structure as specified in
the Rules to verify that the vessel is in compliance with the
applicable Rule requirements.
The Rule criteria become more stringent with age.
According to the type and age of the ship the examinations of
the hull may be
supplemented by thickness measurements as specified in the Rules
and where deemed
necessary by the attending surveyor.
Bottom / Docking survey
A bottom/docking survey is the examination of the outside of the
ship's hull and related
items.
This examination may be carried out with the ship
either in dry dock (or on a slipway) or afloat: in the
former case the survey will be referred to as drydocking survey,
while in the latter case as in-water
survey. The conditions for acceptance of an in-water
survey in lieu of a dry-docking survey will depend on
the type and age of the ship and the previous history.
The outside of the ship's hull and related items are to
be examined on two occasions in the five-year period
of the certificate of class with a maximum of 36
months between surveys.
One of the two bottom/docking surveys to be performed in the
five-year period is to be
concurrent with the class renewal/special survey.SAFER AND
CLEANER SHIPPING
For ships subject to the Enhanced Survey Programme (ESP) and 15
years of age and
above, the intermediate bottom/docking survey is to be carried
out in a dry-dock.
Tailshaft survey
A tailshaft survey is the survey of screwshafts and tube shafts
(hereafter referred to as
tailshafts) and the stern bearing.
The different types of surveys to which tailshafts may be
subjected and the intervals are:
• complete survey;
• modified survey;
• partial survey.
Tailshaft complete survey
Tailshafts are to be submitted to complete examination at a
periodicity based on the type
of shaft and its design. “Complete” means that the shaft is
drawn up for examination or
that other equivalent means of examination are provided.
Tailshaft modified survey
A modified survey of the tailshaft is an examination which may
be accepted at alternate
five-yearly surveys for tailshafts provided that the shaft
arrangement is in accordance with
specific requirements.
Tailshaft partial survey
A partial survey allows a postponement of the complete survey,
having a periodicity of 5
years, for 2.5 years.
Boiler surveys
Boilers and thermal oil heaters are to be surveyed twice in
every five-year period. The
periodicity of the boiler survey is normally 2.5 years.
Steam boilers, superheaters and economisers are examined
internally and externally. To
this end, boilers are to be drained and suitably prepared for
the examination of the watersteam side and the fire side. Where necessary, the
external surfaces are to be made
accessible for inspection by removal of insulation and
lining.SAFER AND CLEANER SHIPPING
Non-periodical surveys
Such surveys are carried out for example:
• to update classification documents (e.g. change of owner, name
of the ship,
change of flag);
• to deal with damage or suspected damage, repair or renewal
work, alterations or
conversion, postponement of surveys or outstanding
recommendations/conditions
of class;
• At the time of port State control inspections.
In the event of damage which affects or may affect the
class of the ship, the owner is to advise the Society without
delay.
Arrangements are then made at the earliest opportunity for
a surveyor to attend and ascertain the extent of the
damage and determine if it is such that the vessel no
longer complies with the applicable Rule requirements.
Following repair, the surveyor will again assess the status
of the vessel to determine if it has been returned to a
condition that is in compliance with the applicable Rule
requirements.
Any damage in association with wastage over the allowable limits
(including buckling,
grooving, detachment or fracture), or extensive areas of wastage
over the allowable limits,
which affects or, in the opinion of the surveyor, will affect
the vessel’s structural,
watertight or weathertight integrity, is to be promptly and
thoroughly repaired thereby
removing the need for the imposition of any associated condition
of classification.
Otherwise, damages and partial or temporary repairs considered
acceptable by the
surveyor for a limited period of time are covered by the
issuance of an appropriate
recommendation/condition of class.
Damages or repairs required by the surveyor to be re-examined
after a certain period of
time are also covered by an appropriate recommendation/condition
of class.
4.3 Class certificate
Issue of the certificate of classification
A certificate of classification, bearing the class notations
assigned to the ship and an expiry
date, is issued to all classed ships. This certificate may also
be provided with annexes
supplying information sufficient for the management of the
certificate, for determining the
class surveys date and for immediate assessment of possible
irregularities (overdue
recommendations, etc.).
An interim/provisional certificate of classification may serve
as a certificate of classification
in certain situations when deemed necessary by the Society.
Validity of the certificate of classification
A certificate of classification, properly endorsed, is valid
until the expiry date unless
advised otherwise by the Society or provided there are no
grounds for suspension or
withdrawal of class.
Endorsement of the certificate of classification
When annual and intermediate surveys are satisfactorily
completed, the certificate of
classification is:
• endorsed for the periodical surveys;SAFER AND CLEANER SHIPPING
• according to the practice of some Societies, endorsed
accordingly with the
relevant entries in the appropriate annexes attached to the
certificate concerning
the outstanding recommendations/conditions of class, if any, and/or
the surveys
held.
Where applicable, memoranda are also endorsed in the appropriate
annex.
4.4 Definitions and procedures related to statutory surveys and
inspections
General
A number of the Conventions require an initial survey before a
vessel is put in service for
the first time and receives its first certificate, and a
certificate renewal survey at one, two
or five year intervals thereafter, depending on the certificate
and type of ship. In addition,
for those certificates valid for more than one year, surveys at
annual intervals are
required, one of which, at approximately half way and termed
‘intermediate’, may be of
greater extent than an ordinary ‘annual’. The ‘Harmonised System
of Survey and
Certification’ (HSSC) implemented by many Administrations under
IMO resolution
A.997(25), as amended, brings all SOLAS (except for passenger
ships), MARPOL and Load
Line Convention surveys into a five-year cycle. With respect of
safety equipment surveys,
HSSC uses the term ‘periodical’ instead of ‘intermediate’, and
for radio, ‘periodical’ instead
of ‘annual’. These latter take the place of the renewal surveys
held under the shorter
certificate renewal cycles.
The scope of survey can generally be harmonized with the extents
of the classification
surveys detailed above and, as far as possible, are held
concurrently with them.
The scope of each statutory survey or
inspection is laid down by IMO
resolutions and generally increases with
age. It is to include sufficiently
extensive examinations and checks to
verify that the structure, machinery,
systems and relevant equipment such as
the life saving, fire fighting or pollution
prevention equipment are in a
satisfactory condition and in compliance
with the applicable standards.
Between surveys, the Conventions
require the flag Administration to make
it compulsory for the owner to maintain
the ship in conformance with the
regulations so that the ship will remain
fit to proceed to sea without danger to
the ship or persons on board or
unreasonable threat of harm to the
marine environment.
Initial statutory survey
An initial survey is an inspection of the design and
construction of the relevant structure,
machinery and equipment of the ship to verify that it complies
with the requirements of
the applicable regulations.SAFER AND CLEANER SHIPPING
Renewal statutory survey
A renewal survey is an inspection of the structure, machinery
and/or equipment, as
applicable, to verify that their condition is in compliance with
the requirements of the
regulations. Modifications to the ship having a bearing on the
conformity of the vessel to
the requirements are to be declared by the owner and inspected.
Annual statutory survey
An annual survey, in principle, includes a general inspection of
the relevant structure and
equipment of the ship to confirm that it has been maintained in
accordance with the
regulations and is in satisfactory condition.
Intermediate statutory survey
An intermediate survey is an inspection of specified items
relevant to the particular
certificate to confirm that they are in satisfactory condition.
Depending on the certificate
concerned and the age of the ship, the scope may range from that
of an annual to the
equivalent of a renewal survey.
Periodical statutory survey
Periodical surveys generally take the place of renewal surveys
for those certificates which
previously were renewed after one or two years. However, in the
case of a Load Line
Certificate which is issued on behalf of, or by, flag
Administrations that have not
implemented the harmonised system of survey and certification,
the five-year renewal
survey may be referred to as the ‘periodical’ survey.SAFER AND
CLEANER SHIPPING
4.5 Statutory certificates
Authorisation
Statutory certificates are issued by the RO in accordance with
the terms of its recognition
by the flag Administration. Variation of the delegation of
statutory authority or certificates
that can be issued by the RO exists between Administrations. The
Administration should
be contacted for specific details of the authorization.
Issue, endorsement and withdrawal
A certificate is issued or endorsed after the relevant surveys
are passed. A certificate may
be issued, valid for a short time period, listing corrective
action to be rectified for minor
deficiencies which do not prevent the issuance of a certificate
to the ship.
For most Conventions, the Administration empowers the RO to
withdraw or invalidate a
certificate if the required corrective action is not taken.
**********
APPENDIX 2
1 The Members of IACS
The criteria for membership of IACS are given in the IACS
Charter which can be found on
the IACS website at ‘IACS explained’
www.iacs.org.uk/explained/default.aspx .
The Members are:
ABS American Bureau of Shipping KR Korean Register of Shipping
BV Bureau Veritas LR Lloyd's Register
CCS China Classification Society NK Nippon Kaiji Kyokai
(ClassNK)
CRS Croatian Register of Shipping PRS Polish Register of Shipping
DNV Det Norske Veritas RINA RINA
GL Germanischer Lloyd RS Russian Maritime Register of Shipping
IRS Indian Register of Shipping
The current membership of IACS, together with website links, can
be found on the IACS
website at ‘IACS explained > Members’ www.iacs.org.uk/Explained/members.aspx
.
2 IACS Permanent Secretariat
36 Broadway
LONDON SW1H 0BH
UNITED KINGDOM
Tel: +44 (0)20 7976 0660
Fax: +44 (0)20 7808 1100
E-mail: permsec@iacs.org.uk
Website: www.iacs.org.uk
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