International Association of Classification Societies
Encyclopedia
The International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) is a technically-based organization consisting of thirteen marine classification societies headquartered in London
.
. Its membership is comprised, as of September
2011, of the thirteen largest marine classification societies in the world. More than 90% of the world's cargo carrying ships’ tonnage is covered by the classification standards set by the thirteen Member Societies of IACS. (Source: IACS Website)
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 and unique level of technical knowledge and experience was quickly recognized when, in 1969, IACS was given consultative status by the IMO. Its membership has steadily increased since that time to the current twelve members.
, it also plays a unique role within the International Maritime Organization
(IMO), for which IACS provides technical support and guidance and develops unified interpretations of the international statutory regulations developed by the Member States of the IMO. Once adopted, these unified interpretations are applied by each of the IACS member societies, in a harmonized manner, when certifying compliance with the statutory regulations on behalf of authorizing flag States. IACS has consultative status with the IMO, and remains the only non-governmental organization with observer status which also develops and applies technical rules that are reflective of the aims embodied within IMO conventions. The link between the international maritime regulations, developed by the IMO and the classification rule requirements for a ship’s hull structure and essential engineering systems is codified in the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea
(SOLAS).
Dedicated to promoting maritime safety and clean seas, IACS and its individual members make a unique contribution to the marine and offshore industries by carrying out extensive research and development on marine-related topics, providing technical support and verifying compliance with published standards.
Marine classification is a system for promoting the safety of life, property and the environment primarily through the establishment and verification of compliance with technical and engineering standards for the design, construction and life-cycle maintenance of ships, offshore units and other marine-related facilities. These standards are contained in relevant rules established by each Society. IACS provides a forum within which the member societies can discuss, research and adopt technical criteria that enhance maritime safety.
The classification process begins with the evaluation by the class society of a submitted design to determine its compliance with the applicable rules. During construction, classification society surveyors attend the vessel to verify that it is built in conformance with the approved drawings and to the relevant rules. On delivery, the vessel enters a regimen of periodic surveys by the society to verify that it is being maintained to a standard that is in compliance with the applicable classification rules. These periodic surveys generally follow a five-year cycle of annual, intermediate and special surveys with the extent of the survey varying depending upon the age of the vessel or offshore unit and the type of survey being conducted.
For a vessel to remain ‘in class’ it must be determined to have met the applicable class rule requirements at the completion of each survey. Should a vessel sustain in-service damage, the vessel’s owner is required to advise the classification society of record so that a damage survey can be arranged as soon as is practical. Should the surveyor determine that the damaged vessel no longer meets the applicable rule requirements, the owner will be required to carry out the necessary repairs to bring the vessel back into compliance if it is to remain in class.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
History
It was founded on September 11, 1968 in the city of HamburgHamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
. Its membership is comprised, as of September
September
September is the 9th month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian Calendars and one of four months with a length of 30 days.September in the Southern Hemisphere is the seasonal equivalent of March in the Northern Hemisphere....
2011, of the thirteen largest marine classification societies in the world. More than 90% of the world's cargo carrying ships’ tonnage is covered by the classification standards set by the thirteen Member Societies of IACS. (Source: IACS Website)
IACS can trace its origins back to the International Load Line
Waterline
The term "waterline" generally refers to the line where the hull of a ship meets the water surface. It is also the name of a special marking, also known as the national Load Line or Plimsoll Line, to be positioned amidships, that indicates the draft of the ship and the legal limit to which a ship...
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
Rina
Rina is a Mexican telenovela, which was produced by and broadcast on Televisa in 1977. It was written by Inés Rodena and starred Ofelia Medina as a hunchback named Rina and Enrique Álvarez Félix as her love interest....
hosted the first conference of major societies in 1939 - also attended by ABS
American Bureau of Shipping
The American Bureau of Shipping is a classification society, with a mission to promote the security of life, property and the natural environment, primarily through the development and verification of standards for the design, construction and operational maintenance of marine-related facilities...
, BV
Bureau Veritas
Bureau Veritas S.A. is a multinational company providing conformity assessment, certification and consulting services to industry, government and individuals. Originally formed in Antwerp in 1828 as Bureau de Renseignements pour les Assurances Maritimes , the Bureau Veritas name was adopted in 1829...
, DNV
Det Norske Veritas
Stiftelsen Det Norske Veritas is a classification society organized as a foundation, with the objective of "Safeguarding life, property, and the environment". The organization's history goes back to 1864, when the foundation was established in Norway to inspect and evaluate the technical condition...
, GL
Germanischer Lloyd
The Germanischer Lloyd SE is a classification society based in the city of Hamburg, Germany. As a technical supervisory organization Germanischer Lloyd conducts safety surveys on more than 7,000 ships with over 100 Mio GT...
, LR
Lloyd's Register
The Lloyd's Register Group is a maritime classification society and independent risk management organisation providing risk assessment and mitigation services and management systems certification. Historically, as Lloyd's Register of Shipping, it was a specifically maritime organisation...
and NK
Nippon Kaiji Kyokai
is a ship classification society.It is also known by the brand name “ClassNK” or often in the industry as just “NK”. It is a not for profit society dedicated to ensuring the safety of life and property at sea, and the prevention of pollution of the marine environment.The principal work of the...
- 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 and unique level of technical knowledge and experience was quickly recognized when, in 1969, IACS was given consultative status by the IMO. Its membership has steadily increased since that time to the current twelve members.
Purpose
Although IACS is a non-governmental organizationNon-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
, it also plays a unique role within the International Maritime Organization
International Maritime Organization
The International Maritime Organization , formerly known as the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization , was established in Geneva in 1948, and came into force ten years later, meeting for the first time in 1959...
(IMO), for which IACS provides technical support and guidance and develops unified interpretations of the international statutory regulations developed by the Member States of the IMO. Once adopted, these unified interpretations are applied by each of the IACS member societies, in a harmonized manner, when certifying compliance with the statutory regulations on behalf of authorizing flag States. IACS has consultative status with the IMO, and remains the only non-governmental organization with observer status which also develops and applies technical rules that are reflective of the aims embodied within IMO conventions. The link between the international maritime regulations, developed by the IMO and the classification rule requirements for a ship’s hull structure and essential engineering systems is codified in the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea
International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea
The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea is an international maritime safety treaty. The SOLAS Convention in its successive forms is generally regarded as the most important of all international treaties concerning the safety of merchant ships.- History :The first version of the...
(SOLAS).
Organization
IACS is governed by a Council, with each Member represented on the Council by a senior management executive. The position of Chairman of the Council is rotated between the members on an annual basis. Reporting to the Council is the General Policy Group (GPG), made up of a senior management representative from each member society. The GPG 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. Much of the technical development work of IACS is undertaken by a number of working parties (WP), the members of which are drawn from the technical, engineering, survey or quality management staff of the member societies as appropriate.Duty and responsibility for membership
More than 50 organizations worldwide define their activities as providing marine classification. Any classification society that meets the qualitative conditions of membership may apply for membership within IACS. To remain a member of IACS, all members are required to demonstrate continued compliance with strict quality standards as determined by periodic audits.Dedicated to promoting maritime safety and clean seas, IACS and its individual members make a unique contribution to the marine and offshore industries by carrying out extensive research and development on marine-related topics, providing technical support and verifying compliance with published standards.
Marine classification is a system for promoting the safety of life, property and the environment primarily through the establishment and verification of compliance with technical and engineering standards for the design, construction and life-cycle maintenance of ships, offshore units and other marine-related facilities. These standards are contained in relevant rules established by each Society. IACS provides a forum within which the member societies can discuss, research and adopt technical criteria that enhance maritime safety.
The classification process begins with the evaluation by the class society of a submitted design to determine its compliance with the applicable rules. During construction, classification society surveyors attend the vessel to verify that it is built in conformance with the approved drawings and to the relevant rules. On delivery, the vessel enters a regimen of periodic surveys by the society to verify that it is being maintained to a standard that is in compliance with the applicable classification rules. These periodic surveys generally follow a five-year cycle of annual, intermediate and special surveys with the extent of the survey varying depending upon the age of the vessel or offshore unit and the type of survey being conducted.
For a vessel to remain ‘in class’ it must be determined to have met the applicable class rule requirements at the completion of each survey. Should a vessel sustain in-service damage, the vessel’s owner is required to advise the classification society of record so that a damage survey can be arranged as soon as is practical. Should the surveyor determine that the damaged vessel no longer meets the applicable rule requirements, the owner will be required to carry out the necessary repairs to bring the vessel back into compliance if it is to remain in class.
Member of organization
The members of IACS are:- American Bureau of ShippingAmerican Bureau of ShippingThe American Bureau of Shipping is a classification society, with a mission to promote the security of life, property and the natural environment, primarily through the development and verification of standards for the design, construction and operational maintenance of marine-related facilities...
(ABS) - Bureau VeritasBureau VeritasBureau Veritas S.A. is a multinational company providing conformity assessment, certification and consulting services to industry, government and individuals. Originally formed in Antwerp in 1828 as Bureau de Renseignements pour les Assurances Maritimes , the Bureau Veritas name was adopted in 1829...
(BV) - China Classification SocietyChina Classification SocietyChina Classification Society is a classification society of ships, started in 1956 as a non-profit making body in the People's Republic of China to perform classification survey, certification survey and notarial survey of ships including offshore installations, containers and related industrial...
(CCS) - Croatian Register of ShippingCroatian Register of ShippingCroatian Register of Shipping , also known as CRS, is an independent classification society established in 1949. It is a non-profit organisation working on the marine market, developing technical rules and supervising their implementation, managing risk and performing surveys on ships...
(CRS) - Det Norske VeritasDet Norske VeritasStiftelsen Det Norske Veritas is a classification society organized as a foundation, with the objective of "Safeguarding life, property, and the environment". The organization's history goes back to 1864, when the foundation was established in Norway to inspect and evaluate the technical condition...
(DNV) - Germanischer LloydGermanischer LloydThe Germanischer Lloyd SE is a classification society based in the city of Hamburg, Germany. As a technical supervisory organization Germanischer Lloyd conducts safety surveys on more than 7,000 ships with over 100 Mio GT...
(GL) - Indian Register of ShippingIndian Register of ShippingIndian Register of Shipping is an internationally recognized independent ship classification society, founded in India in 1975. It is a member of the International Association of Classification Societies ....
(IRS) - Korean Register of ShippingKorean Register of shippingThe Korean Register of Shipping is a classification society founded in Korea offering verification and certification services for ships and marine structures in terms of design, construction and maintenance. Founded in 1960, the society employs 560 people. Its headquarters in Daejeon, Korea and...
(KR) - Lloyd's RegisterLloyd's RegisterThe Lloyd's Register Group is a maritime classification society and independent risk management organisation providing risk assessment and mitigation services and management systems certification. Historically, as Lloyd's Register of Shipping, it was a specifically maritime organisation...
(LR) - Nippon Kaiji KyokaiNippon Kaiji Kyokaiis a ship classification society.It is also known by the brand name “ClassNK” or often in the industry as just “NK”. It is a not for profit society dedicated to ensuring the safety of life and property at sea, and the prevention of pollution of the marine environment.The principal work of the...
(NK/ClassNK) - Polish Register of ShippingPolish Register of ShippingPolish Register of Shipping, , also known as PRS, is an independent classification society established in 1936. It is a non-profit organisation working on the marine market, developing technical rules and supervising their implementation, managing risk and performing surveys on ships...
(PRS) - Registro Italiano NavaleRegistro Italiano Navale"For over 140 years at the service of the shipping and industrial world."RINA was founded in Genoa in 1861 under the name REGISTRO ITALIANO NAVALE, by the "Associazione della Mutua Assicurazione Marittima" [established in Genoa in 1857 by ship managers and shipowners , to cover risks related to...
(RINA) - Russian Maritime Register of ShippingRussian Maritime Register of ShippingThe activities of Russian Maritime Register of Shipping are aimed at providing the safety of navigation, safety of life at sea, security of ships, safe carriage of cargo, environmental safety of ships, prevention of pollution from ships, performance of authorisations issued by Administrations and...
(RS)