Classification societies are organizations that establish and enforce standards for the design, construction and operation of ships. Their responsibilities have expanded over time beyond just classifying ships to include statutory surveys, research, software development and more. Their main goals are to ensure ships comply with established safety rules and prevent vessels from falling into a substandard condition through regular classification surveys. Some of the major classification societies include Lloyd's Register, American Bureau of Shipping, Bureau Veritas, Det Norske Veritas and others.

1. What is CLASSIFICATION
SOCIETY
 A body that ensures that class of a ship,
however, with increasing demands from
all quarters of the industry and the
continuous development of ship
technology, the societies have changed
in form as a consequences of accepting
the additional responsibilities

2. Present Role of
Classification Societies
 To assign a Class
notation
 Maintenance of class
 Relevant research
work
 Statutory surveys
(marine
administration)
 Charter surveys
 Profitability advice
(to owner)
 Development of
computer software
 Set up worldwide
networks
 Carry out surveys
 Certification
 Emergency technical
services

3. Classification Responsibilities
 To ensure that merchant ships and marine
structure presented to it comply with rules
that the society had established for
design, construction and periodic survey
 Trough it classification survey procedure it
is the intent of the society to prevent
vessel from falling into a substandard
condition.

4. Major Classification
Societies in the world
 Lloyd's Register (LR)
 American Bureau of Shipping (ABS)
 Bureau Veritas (BV)
 Det Norske Veritas (DNV)
 Registro Italiano Navale (RINA)
 Class NK Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (NK)
 Germanischer Lloyd (GL)
 Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RS)
 China Classification Society (CCS)
 Türk Loydu Turkish Register of Shipping (TL)
 Indian Register of Shipping (IRS)
 Polski Rejestr Statków (PRS)
 Korean Register of Shipping (KR)
 Hellenic Register of Shipping (HRS)

5. Surveys Areas for Container
Ships
LWL
Bow flare impact
pressure
High stress at
hatch corners in
forward hold
Watertight
bulkheads
Large distortion of
hatch opening for
hatch cover design
High stress at hatch
corners forward of
machinery room
Cross deck structure Hatch brackets
Connection of cross
deck beam to
longitudinal girder
Connection of cross
deck beam to upper
deck
Pillar
bulkhead
Bottom slamming
impact pressure
Transverse strength & fatigue
of longitudinal frame

6. One year survey after
construction
 Deck features and
integrity
 Overboard discharge
arrangement
 Vent piping
 Bilge level detection
(UMS)
 Anchoring / mooring
equipment
 Water-tight doors and
bulkhead penetrations
 Steering test
 Emergency escape
routes
 Bilge pumping system
 General conditions –
hull and machinery
 Satutory surveys
 Surveys of continuous
survey items

7.  Testing of tanks (FO,
LO, FW & DB tank)
- Pressure test
- Internal condition
- Stagger (tankers)
- Transverse webs
(cargo tank)
* Can be done in a float
condition
 Annual surveys
 Statutory surveys
 Continuous surveys
 Hull gauging –
where necessary
Ten years survey after
construction