Class is an indicator of the technical status of a ship. In the international shipping industry, all marine vessels with a registered gross tonnage of more than 100 tons must be supervised by a classification society or a ship inspection agency. Before the construction of the ship, the specifications of all parts of the ship must be approved by the classification society or the ship inspection agency. After the construction of each ship is completed, the classification society or the ship inspection bureau shall appraise the hull, machinery and equipment on board, draught marks and other items and performance, and issue a classification certificate. The validity period of the certificate is generally 4 years, and it needs to be re identified after the expiration.
The classification of ships can ensure the safety of navigation, facilitate the state’s technical supervision of ships, facilitate the charterers and shippers to select appropriate ships, meet the needs of import and export cargo transportation, and facilitate insurance companies to determine the insurance costs of ships and cargo.
Classification society is an organization that establishes and maintains relevant technical standards for the construction and operation of ships and offshore facilities. It is usually a non-governmental organization. The main business of the classification society is to conduct technical inspection on newly built ships, and the qualified ones will be given various safety facilities and corresponding certificates; Formulate corresponding technical specifications and standards according to the needs of inspection business; To participate in maritime activities on behalf of their own or other governments. Some classification societies also accept the inspection of onshore engineering facilities.
The world’s top ten classification societies
1、DNV GL Group
2、ABS
3、Class NK
4、Lloyd’s Register
5、Rina
6、Bureau Veritas
7、China Classification Society
8、Russian Maritime Register of Shipping
9、Korean Register of Shipping
10、Indian Register of Shipping
Post time: Nov-10-2022