CLASSIFICATIO

N SOCIETY
 CLASSIFICATION
SOCIETIES
It is a non- CLASS
governmental body
that establishes and
maintainstechnica
IFICAT
l standardsfor
constructionand ION
SOCIE
operationof
marine vesselsand
offshore structures.
TY
 PURPOSE
To provide classification and
statutory services and
assistance to the maritime
industry and regulatory bodies
in regard to maritime safety
and pollution prevention,
based on the accumulation of
maritime knowledge and
technology.
 RESPONSIBILITIES
- setting technical rules based on
experience and research,
- confirming that designs and
calculations meet these rules
- surveying ships and structures
during the process of construction
and commissioning,
- checkingvesselsperiodically to
ensure that they continue to meet
the rules
CLASSIFICATION SOCIETY
HISTORY (1760)

IT ALL STARTED AT
EDWARD LLOYDS
COFFEE HOUSE IN
LONDON, UK. IT WAS
AN AGREEMENT AMONG
CAPTAINS AND MARINE
INSURERS TO PROTECT
THEIR INTERESTS.
Lloyds Register of British and
Foreign Shipping

As a result, the
first classification
society was born:

Lloyds Register
of British and
Foreign Shipping.
 QUESTION:

How do you classify a ship?

 HULL
A , E, I, O, or U ( according to the
excellence of its construction)
 EQUIPMENT
G, M, or B (Good, Middling or Bad)

G,M, or B were later replaced by 1, 2

or 3.
Such manner of classification is
the origin of the well-known
expression A1 meaning first
or highest class.

In 1834, Classification Society

slowly spread globally.
 International
Association of
Classification Societies
 International Association of
Classification Societies
It provides guidance and technical
supportand develops unified
interpretations of the international
statutory regulations developed by the
member states of the IMO. Once adopted,
these interpretations are applied by each
IACS member society, when certifying
compliance with the statutory regulations
on behalf of authorizing flag States.
 ORIGIN OF IACS

The International Loadline

Convention of 1930 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".
IACS was founded in
Hamburg, Germany on
September 11, 1968.
Theclassification
standardsset by the thirteen
member societies of IACS are
covering more than90%of the
world's cargo carrying ships
What is role of CS with respect
to IMO?
IACS has consultative status with
the IMO, and remains the only
non-governmental organization
with status as the observer which
also develops and applies
technical rules that are reflective
of the aims embodied within IMO
conventions.
13 LARGEST MEMBERS OF IACS

American Bureau of Shipping

(1862)

Bureau Veritas
(France, 1828)

China Classification Society

(1956)

Croatian Register of
Shipping
(1949)
Det Norske Veritas
(Norway, 1864)

Germanischer Lloyd
(Germany, 1867)

Indian Register of
Shipping
(1975)

Korean Register of
Shipping (1960)
Lloyd's Register (1760)

Nippon Kaiji Kyokai

(1899)

Polish Register of
Shipping (1936)

Registro Italiano Navale

(1861)

Russian Maritime
Register of Shipping
PHILIPPINE CLASSIFICATION
SOCIETIES
REGISTERED LOCAL CLASSIFICATION
SOCIETIES
 FUNCTIONS OF A
CLASSIFICATION SOCIETY
1. It determines structural and
mechanical fitness of ships.
2. It surveys ships for
classification purposes.
3. It applies rules and technical
maritime standards.
4. It issues Classification
Certificate on behalf of IACS.
 CLASSIFICATION
It is a procedure which
certifies adherence to the
Rules and Standards, thus
representing that the ship or
other marine structure
possesses the structural and
mechanical integrity required
for its intended service.
 CLASS RULES
These are Rules and Standards
established, developed and
updated by the IACS to
contribute to the structural
strength and integrity of the
ships hull and reliability of
propulsion machinery, power
generation, steering system
etc.
 CLASSED VESSEL
A classed vessel is one that
meets the standards and
provides for the safety of
personnel, passengers and
cargoes carried, as well as
helps to protect the marine
environment in which it
may operate.
CLASSIFICATION PROCEDURE
CLASSIFICATION PROCEDURE

1. The owner may request for ship

classification.
2. The shipyard or design agent to
present systematic design
drawings and calculations to CS.
3. CS technical staff to review the
plans to verify that the structural
and mechanical details conform
to the Rule requirements.
4. Construction, installation and testing of
principal structural members, mechanical
and electrical systems are also surveyed.
5. When completed, a vessel undergoes
sea trial attended by a CS surveyor to
verify that the vessel performs
satisfactorily in accordance with the Rules.
6. The surveyors report will be submitted
to Classification Committee for vessels
performance and compliance evaluation.
7. The committee assigns the
vessels symbols, marks and
notations and approves the
issuance of Class Certificate.
8. Lastly, the classification
information, characteristics
and other particulars are
entered in the Registry Book.