CLASSIFICATION SOCIETIES

&
RECOGNIZED
ORGANIZATIONS
Paul Sadler
Accredited Observer of IACS to the
International Maritime Organization

paulsadler@iacs.org.uk

HISTORY OF CLASSIFICATION
SOCIETIES
Why is it called Classification?

Second half of the 18th

century, marine insurers,
based at Edward Lloyd's coffee
house in London, want a
system for the independent
inspection of the hull and
equipment of ships presented
for insurance cover.

HISTORY OF CLASSIFICATION
SOCIETIES
A system was wanted to rate
or 'classify' the condition of
each ship.

Ships were to be surveyed on

an annual basis.
In 1760 a Committee was
formed for this purpose and
Lloyd's Register was born.

HISTORY OF CLASSIFICATION
SOCIETIES
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).

HISTORY OF CLASSIFICATION
SOCIETIES
Equipment (masts and rigging
engines later) 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'.

HISTORY OF CLASSIFICATION
SOCIETIES
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classifications has been superseded, with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 Societys
rules or it does
not. As a
consequence,
it is either 'in
or 'out' of 'class'.

SHIP CLASSIFICATION

Development of the Symbols of Class

Ship Classification

Extract from the Register of Ships, 1764

PURPOSE OF CLASSIFICATION
SOCIETIES

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.
(First paragraph of IACS Charter)

OBJECTIVE OF SHIP CLASSIFICATION

The objective of ship classification is

to verify the structural strength and
integrity of essential parts of the ships 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 for the purpose
of safe operation of a ship.
(second paragraph of IACS Charter)

WHAT IS CLASSIFICATION?
Classification is compliance of the design
plans and the vessel with the Rules
developed and published by the
Classification Society.

Ship Classification
Classification Society Rules cover:
structural strength and watertight integrity
of the hull and its appendages structural
safety and reliability of propulsion and
steering systems mechanical
effectiveness of other features and auxiliary
systems to maintain conditions on board
whereby cargoes and personnel can be
safely carried, e.g. electrical and control
systems engineering systems

THE CLASS CYCLE

Design approval

Approved
Plans

Rules

Rule
Development

Research

Feedback

Survey
During
Construction
Survey in Service

CLASS SURVEYS - INTELLIGENT

SAMPLING

CLASS SURVEYS INTELLIGENT

SAMPLING

CLASS SURVEYS INTELLIGENT

SAMPLING

WHAT IS CLASSIFICATION?
It is important to note that

Classification, per se, is voluntary.

Classification Societies verify

compliance with their own Rules.

Classification Societies are the sole

interpreter of, and sole responsibility

for, their Rules.

Classification Societies alone decide as

to whether to accept any equivalent

arrangements to the provisions in their
Rules.

BUT WHAT CLASS DOES NOT DO

Class surveyors are not

permanently on board
the vessel

Class survey regime

does not cover the
whole ship

Class does not

guarantee the ships
seaworthiness

Class is not the

shipping industrys
policeman.

WHAT IS CLASSIFICATION?

www.iacs.org.uk > IACS explained

RECOGNIZED ORGANIZATIONS
Vast majority of flag
States have delegated
their statutory activities
to Class and authorised
them as Recognized
Organizations

Compliance with IMO

conventions

Plan approval

Technical surveys of
vessels

Issuance of statutory
certificates

RECOGNIZED ORGANIZATIONS

More and more delegations - why?

Through its Classification activities a
Classification Society is already on board

International network of a Class Society

and

Recognized Organizations
Provisions of SOLAS
regulation II-1/3-1,
which state that:
ships are to be
designed, constructed
and maintained in
compliance with the
structural, mechanical
and electrical
requirements of a
recognised
classification society
which is recognised
by the Administration
in accordance with
regulation XI/1...

RECOGNIZED ORGANIZATIONS

Consequently, for many ships,

plan approval, newbuilding survey
and in-service survey according to
Classification requirements, are
not voluntary.

RECOGNIZED ORGANIZATIONS
Provisions of SOLAS
regulation XI-1 state
that:
[classification
societies] shall
comply with the
guidelines adopted by
the Organization by
resolution
A.739(18) and the
specifications
adopted by the
Organization by
resolution A.789(19)
...

RECOGNIZED ORGANIZATIONS
These Assembly resolutions include
provisions relating to:
- Adequate resources in terms of
technical, managerial and research
capabilities; formal written
agreements between the
Administration and the RO; record
keeping; instructions in the case of
non-compliance with requirements
(resolution A.739(18)); and
- Minimum specifications in the areas
of management, technical appraisal,
surveys and qualifications and training
(resolution A.789(19))
IMO now developing an RO Code.

RECOGNIZED ORGANIZATIONS

It is not just SOLAS, but

other IMO International
Conventions except
notably the STCW
Convention also permit
the Administration to
delegate the inspection and
survey of ships to a
Recognized Organization.
However,

RECOGNIZED ORGANIZATIONS

Classification Societies, when acting as

Recognized Organizations:

are responsible and accountable to the

Administrations for the work they carry out
on their behalf;

cannot interpret these regulations alone,

nor, without permission, use professional
judgement to accept equivalent solutions;
and

responsibilities are defined in Agreements

with the Administrations.

IMO GOAL-BASED STANDARDS

The idea of having Goal-Based Standards is

not new to IMO. For example:

The Administration shall satisfy itself

that the general structural strength of
the ship is adequate for the draught
corresponding to the freeboard
assigned.
(International Convention on Load Lines
Regulation 1(1)
But

IMO GOAL-BASED STANDARDS

SOLAS includes 36 specific prescriptive
provisions relating to the equipment to be
provided in lifeboats, including:

a jack-knife fitted with a tin-opener to

be kept attached to the boat with a
lanyard;
a rustproof dipper with lanyard; a
rustproof graduated drinking vessel;

two buckets of approved material; and

one set and a half of thole pins or
crutches, attached to the lifeboat by
lanyard or chain.

IMO GOAL-BASED STANDARDS

Initially, GBS methodology will be applied

in relation to new ship construction
standards for bulk carriers and oil tankers.

Longer term, consideration may be given

to how a goal-based regulatory regime
might be applied more widely.

It has been fortuitous in this instance that

there exist IACS Common Structural Rules
(CSR) for these ship types. However:

it should not be assumed that this will

always be the case in the future; and
this does not mean that there will be only
1 rule set to verify (Tier III) IACS
Members may well submit 22 sets of Rules
(13 bulk carrier; 13 oil tanker).

IMO GOAL-BASED STANDARDS

Tier II

Goals

Functional
Requirements

Tier III

Verification
Criteria

Tier IV

ClassRegulations
Rules
International
Prescriptive
Regulations
&
[International
Regulations]
[Class
Rules]
Class
Rules

Tier V

Applicable Industry Standards &

Codes of Practice

IMO GBS

Tier I

IMO GOAL-BASED STANDARDS

Timetable for implementation
Recognised Organizations to submit their rules
for verification by 31 December 2013.

Bulk carriers and oil tankers 150 m in length:

for which building contract is placed on or
after 1 July 2016; or
in absence of building contract, keels laid on
or after 1 July 2017; or
delivery on or after 1 July 2020
to be GBS compliant.

IMO GOAL-BASED STANDARDS

Tier 1 (new SOLAS regulation II-1/3-10)
Ships shall be designed and constructed for a
specified design life to be safe and
environmentally friendly, when properly
operated and maintained under the specified
operating and environmental conditions, in
intact and specified damage conditions,
throughout their life.
[these] requirements shall be achieved
through satisfying applicable structural
requirements of an organization which is
recognized by the Administration conforming
to the functional requirements of the goalbased ship construction standards for bulk
carriers and oil tankers.

IMO GOAL-BASED STANDARDS

Tier 2 (new resolution MSC.287(87))
1. Design life (minimum 25 years)
2. Environmental conditions (North Atlantic)
3. Structural strength
4. Fatigue life
5. Residual strength
6. Protection against corrosion
7. Structural redundancy
8. Watertight and weathertight integrity
9. Human element considerations
10. Design transparency
11. Construction quality procedures
12. Survey during construction
13. Survey and maintenance
14. Structural accessibility
15. Recycling

IMO GOAL-BASED STANDARDS

Tier 4 (Rules and regulations for ship
design and construction)
578 pages of detailed technical Rules just for
bulk carriers (one IACS Member). Example: In
IMOs functional requirements, a sub-section of
structural strength is entitled ultimate strength
and the requirements read as follows:
Ships shall be designed to have adequate
ultimate strength. Ultimate strength calculations
shall include ultimate hull girder capacity and
related ultimate strength of plates and stiffeners,
and be verified for a longitudinal bending
moment based on the environmental conditions
in functional
requirement II.2.

IMO GOAL-BASED STANDARDS

Tier 4 (Rules and regulations for ship
design and construction)
In the IACS Members Rules Ultimate strength
is an issue addressed in a 16 page section of its
Rules; a fundamental equation therein being:
M MU / R
where:
MU : Ultimate bending moment capacity of the hull
transverse section considered, calculated with net offered
scantlings based on gross offered thickness reduced by 0.5
tC, in kN.m:
MU = MUH in hogging conditions
MU = MUS in sagging conditions
M: Bending moment, in kN.m, for the ship in intact, flooded
and harbour conditions
R : Safety factor taken equal to 1.10

THANK YOU