International Standards for Classification

Interna'onal Standards

for Classica'on

Phoenix Register of Shipping - April 2013

By A.N. Arvanitakis Technical Director Phoenix Register of Shipping (PHRS) E-mail: [email protected]

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What ClassicaJon is ?

Phoenix Register of Shipping - April 2013 3

Classica'on is the technical categorizaJon of ships with respect to their compliance with certain technical requirements provided by ClassicaJon SocieJes.


Origin of Classica'on can be found back to the second half of 18th century at Lloyds coee house in London where a system was developed for the independent technical assessment of the ships presented to them for insurance cover.


Why Classica'on is needed, while?


It is not mandatory It is a Jme consuming process It is imposing, usually, a high nancial cost It is requiring a lot of man hours of work in order to be achieved and maintained

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So, what is Classica'ons added value?


...The ability of a ship to be insured..

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Classica'on: The Technical Concept


InternaJonal MariJme OrganizaJon (IMO) provides the regulatory regime for building and maintaining safe ships IMO, imposing mandatory convenJons SOLAS, MARPOL, ILLC etc and other numerous Codes and ResoluJons, is regulaJng through IMO member states the appropriate legislaJon with respect to the technical principles governing ships construcJon and equipment

...BUT not in technical details...

ClassicaJon SocieJes are providing the technical experJse required to design, built and maintain properly a ship based on their established Rules and RegulaJons

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Classica'on: The Purpose


Classification Societies, being respected, for their technical expertise are recognized by member states to act on their behalf, as Recognized Organizations (RO), in order to provide statutory certification services.

So, 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 very best of Classification Societies have created an association, known as IACS International Association of Classification Societies. IACS members are sharing a common quality system and common rules being equal its other.

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Classica'on: The Objec've


The objective of ship classification is to verify:

The structural strength and integrity of essential parts of the ships hull and its appendages,

The reliability and function of the propulsion and steering systems, power generation,

Other features and auxiliary systems which have been built into the ship in order to maintain essential services on board.

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Classica'on: The Objec've


Classification Societies aim to achieve this objective through:

The development and application of their own Rules and Regulations

By verifying compliance with international and/or national statutory regulations on behalf of flag Administrations.

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Classica'on: The tricky point


A Classification certificate should NOT be: Construed as a warranty of safety, Fitness for purpose or Seaworthiness of the ship.

A Classification certificate is: An attestation only that the vessel is in compliance with the Rules that have been developed and published by the society issuing it.

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Classica'on: The tricky point


Classification Societies are not: Guarantors of safety of life or property at sea or the seaworthiness of a vessel

because

Although the classification of a vessel is based on the understanding that the vessel is

loaded, operated and maintained in a proper manner by competent / qualified personnel,

the Classification Society has NO control over how a vessel is

operated and maintained between the surveys it conducts. 13

Classica'on: The Class Nota'on


Classification Notation at earlier time 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'.

Nowadays, the practice of assigning different classifications has been superseded, with some exceptions. Today a ship either meets the

relevant class societys Rules or it does not. As a consequence it is either

'in' or 'out' of 'class'.

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Classica'on: The Scope


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;

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Classica'on: The Scope


The classification process consists of:

Attendance by a Class 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 issuance of a class certificate will be considered by the Classification Society and, if

deemed satisfactory, the assignment of class shall be approved and

a certificate of classification shall be issued;

Once in service, the vessel must follow a specified program of periodical class surveys, carried out onboard the vessel, to verify that

the ship continues to meet the relevant Rule requirements for

maintenance of class.

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Classica'on: Maintenance of Class


Initial Classification: At the time where a ship, firstly is being classed, either as new building or as in service

Maintenance of class: On going compliance with Classification Societys Rules & Regulations. Compliance is subject to the successful fulfillment

of all survey requirements, imposed by the Society, with satisfactory

results

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Classica'on: Unied Requirements


International Association of Classification Societies (IACS): The alliance of Classification Societies, members of IACS, has produce a

common set of minimum technical requirements concerning a wide field

of technical requirements and operational procedures.

Unified Requirements (UR), constitute an excellent source of technical knowledge for shipping industry, while can be a landmark for all

classification societies which are not member of IACS as well.

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Classica'on: IACS Heritage


Procedural Requirements

Common Structural Rules

Unified Requirements

Unified Interpretations

Recommendations

Databases 19

Classica'on: Non IACS Socie'es


About 115 Organizations worldwide, except IACS members are mentioned into Global Integrated

Shipping Information System, known as GISIS

database, within International Maritime Organization

as Recognized Organizations for the provision of

statutory surveys and/or classification work.

Information submitted by Member States under MSC/Circ.1010-MEPC/Circ.382

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Classica'on: IACS vs. NonIACS Socie'es


IACS members

88%

Non-IACS members

12%

Worldwide Shipping Classica'on Status

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IACS members advantages: High Quality Standards is a must expectation in shipping industry. Easy going acceptance for insurance purposes. Favorable treatment by some PSCs Leaders in specialized knowledge and technical expertise Able to cover all types of ships

IACS members disadvantages: High financial service cost not tolerated by small companies Occasionally, heavy bureaucracy beyond a reasonable level Impersonal attitude Vessels condition not always as expected to be

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Non - IACS members advantages: Considerably lower services cost Personal attitude Quick response, less bureaucratic processing Hard dealing with reasonable quality of services to overage ships

Non - IACS members disadvantages: Difficulty to get insurance coverage Occasionally no worldwide coverage Occasionally, not able to cover all types of ships PSCs, occasionally, seem to be prejudiced against class society

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International Standards for Classification

Documents

technical principles

technical details

technical expertise

technical experjse

origin of classicaon

classification society

certain technical requirements

safe ships imo