A classification society is basically an independent organization that sets the standards for ship safety and construction. They’re not part of any government, but they play a vital role in ensuring that ships are seaworthy.
Key Functions
- Setting technical standards – They develop and publish rules that cover the design, construction, and operation of ships. These rules are based on experience and ongoing research to make sure ships are built to be strong and functional.
- Verification – They check to make sure that a ship’s design and build meet the standards they’ve laid out. This involves reviewing calculations and designs, and surveying ships during construction to confirm everything is being built according to the rules.
- Inspections – They don’t just check new ships. They also carry out regular inspections on existing vessels to make sure they are being maintained properly and continue to meet the safety standards.
IACS
The International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) is an organization that brings together marine classification societies. There are currently twelve member societies, and their standards cover more than 90% of the world’s cargo ship tonnage.
Here are 12 members of IACS (updated on April 9, 2024):
- Lloyd’s Register (LR)
- Bureau Veritas (BV)
- American Bureau of Shipping (ABS)
- Germanischer Lloyd and Det Norske Veritas (DNV)
- Registro Italiano Navale (RINA)
- Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK)
- China Classification Society (CCS)
- Korean Register of Shipping (KR)
- Indian Register of Shipping (IRS)
- Polish Register of Shipping (PRS)
- Croatian Register of Shipping (CRS)
- Türk Loydu （TL）