Classification of Ships

Classification of Ships

Classification Societies. A Classification Society exists to classify such ships as are built according to its rules or are offered for classification. Ships are graded into “classes” depending on type of ship, service for which the ship was designed, compliance with the society’s rules, anchoring and mooring equipment carried on board, details of machinery, details of strengthening for navigation in ice and status of the “Special Surveys” which are usually required every four years of the vessel’s life. The classification is carried out by means of surveying and certifying that the vessel complies with specified standards and is maintained to those standards.

The purposes of classification are mainly for the assistance of the shipowners whose ships are classed. This assistance may be necessary, for example, to obtain finance for the purchase or building of a vessel. The shipowner may also be helped by his ship’s being classed with a society that has good, acceptable standards if he wishes to seek permission from a government to man and operate a ship under the flag of that country.

A very important benefit to the shipowner is connected with insurance for the hull and machinery of the vessel. Under the Termination Clause in the “Institute Time Clauses (Hulls)—l/l 0/83”, the insurance terminates automatically at the time of:

“Change of the Classification Society of the vessel, or change, suspension, discontinuance, withdrawal or expiry of her Class therein, provided that if the vessel is at sea, such automatic termination shall be deferred until arrival at her next port.”

In any event, when a vessel is being insured for the first time with an insurer, the premium is likely to depend not only on whether or not the vessel is classed but also on the society with which the vessel may be classed.

Also connected with insurance, cargo insurance may be subject to a “Classification Clause” where the premium on the cargo will depend on whether the vessel in which the cargo is to be carried is seaworthy as evidenced by its being classified with prominent classification societies. A “floating policy” is a policy, which describes the insurance in general terms and leaves the name of the ship or ships and other particulars to be defined by subsequent declaration. This policy may be used by large shippers or by freight forwarders who group cargo into unitised shipments. No name of any special vessel may be inserted in the policy but the “Institute Classification Clause” is usually incorporated into the policy. Indeed, special conditions are imposed on a floating policy or open cover for shipments over an agreed period or within an agreed value and these can be contained in the “Institute Standard Conditions for Cargo Contracts—l/4/82” in which a clause states: “This contract is subject to the Institute Classification Clause.” (See also Chapter 8 on “Marine Insurance”.)

It may be most unlikely that a vessel can be chartered if its Classification is deficient or suspended or cancelled. Most charterparties include the class in the description of the vessel. Indeed, in the “Owners to provide” clause in the New York Produce Exchange form the shipowners “... shall maintain vessel’s class…”. If, because of a suspension of class, a port authority refuses to allow a vessel to use the port or even to leave the port (detention) payment of hire ceases for the time lost; the vessel can be “off-hire”.

Classification can provide yet another form of assistance to the shipowner and also to the purchaser of

a second-hand vessel if the purchaser wishes to ensure that the vessel he may consider buying is built and maintained to good standards.

Ship classification by the traditional societies consists fundamentally of:

(a)establishing standards of structural strength;

(b)approving material, machinery, structural designs, electrical equipment;

(c)supervising construction in any shipyard in the world to ensure proper standards of workmanship and materials;

(d)to issue the classification certificate, from which the shipowner, insurer and other interested parties can be confident that the vessel is of the standard required by the society’s rules. Maintenance of classification requires periodical inspections and surveys throughout the service life of the vessel.

There are classification societies within most of the major maritime nations of the world and some are listed below:

China Corporation Register of Shipping, Taipei.

Czechoslovak Register of Shipping, Prague.

DSRK, DDR-Schjffs-Revision und-Klassifikation, DDR (East Germany).

Some are international, e.g., LR, ABS, NV, BV, NK and GL, and others are more nationally structured, e.g., ZC and the Philippines Register. There may be some government involvement in these, and they may be set up for reasons of national prestige and also to assist national shipping, especially in Third World countries, which have foreign exchange controls. The traditional classification societies are businesses, autonomous and independent of the governments, yet theoretically “non-profit-making”. This gives them some advantage in obtaining new clients.

For example, LR is the world’s largest, having started as a society to give technical protection to insurers of vessels in 1760. The original purpose of the society was to obtain for the use of merchants, shipowners and underwriters a faithful and accurate classification of merchant shipping. It still fulfils that original purpose and performs other, additional functions. The services offered by classification societies are listed below. In addition to technical functions, LR also publishes various Statistical Tables, which are

of immense value to all persons involved in the maritime industries, and also an annual Year Book, which is of great value. Lloyd’s Register of Shipping provides a Shipping Information Service in a joint venture with Lloyd’s of London Press, which is the publishing arm of Lloyd’s of London, the marine insurance market place. The “Register” is published in three volumes and this also is of great use, e.g., to a charterer who wishes to check the details of a vessel he may consider chartering.

Consultation between the societies takes place on matters of common interest through the International Association of Classification Societies.

Classification societies exist to provide services and operate under three principal characteristics:

(a)impartiality because of the variety of interests in the ship, requiring standards to be maintained to reflect the needs of all parties;

(b)technical competence—shipbuilding is now a complex science with new materials, new techniques and new functions used;

(c)a desire to assist the industry as a whole because it is a service organisation and therefore initiates innovations and developments through considerable research.

However, classification societies may find that they have to choose between two opposing interests, e.g., their client may be the owners but they have to ensure that underwriters are faced with fair claims. Also, they may have to choose between shipowners and builders. One area where a conflict of interest may arise is where a vessel is being sold, the classification society represents the original owner but may be asked by the purchaser to carry Out detailed inspections and report to the purchaser. Unless classification societies act to do justice to both sides in some matters the confidence of the industry can be severely shaken. In the late 1980s many classification societies were seen to be competing with one another and this did lead to considerable criticism. Indeed, during the shipping recession of 1975—1985 many ships may have been transferred away from traditional, high-standards societies. For example, Lloyd’s Register of Shipping experienced such a transfer because their determination to apply the proper standards thoroughly could not always be reconciled with the desire of some shipowners to keep their expenditure to a minimum. When the recession showed signs of ending, the trend was reversed as economic pressures eased and more owners came to realise the value of reliable, technical assessment of their vessels.

The classification societies operate by publishing rules and regulations relating to the structural efficiency and the reliability of the propelling machinery and equipment. These rules are the result of years of experience, research and investigation into ship design and construction. They are in fact a set of standards.

The operation and organisation of Lloyd’s Register of Shipping, the oldest classification society, will now be considered. Throughout this chapter references to classification society rules are to those of Lloyd’s Register of Shipping.

This society is run by a general committee composed of members of the world community and the industry, which it services. National committees are formed in many countries for liaison purposes. A technical committee advises the general committee on technical problems connected with the society’s business and any proposed alterations in the rules. The society publishes its Rules and Regulations for the Classification of Ships in book form, which is updated as necessary and also “Extracts” from these rules and “Guidance Notes” relating to more specific structures and equipment. The society employs surveyors who ensure compliance with the rules by attendance during construction, repairs and maintenance throughout the life of classed ships.

Classification. To be classed with Lloyd’s, approval is necessary for the constructional plans, the materials used and the constructional methods and standards, as observed by the surveyor. The rules governing the scantlings of the ship’s structure have been developed from theoretical and empirical considerations. Lloyd’s collect information on the nature and cause of all ship casualties. Analysis of this information often results in modifications to the rules to produce a structure, which is considered to be adequate. Much research and investigation is also carried out by the society, leading likewise to modifications and amendments to the rules.

The assigning of a class then follows acceptance by the general committee of the surveyor’s report on the ship. The highest class awarded by Lloyd’s is 100 Al. This is made up as follows:

100A refers to the hull when built to the highest standards laid down in the rules. The “100” means that the vessel is considered suitable for sea-going service.

The “A” indicates that the vessel is not only built or accepted into class according to LR Rules but is also maintained in good and efficient condition.

1 refers to the anchors and mooring equipment being in good and efficient condition in accordance with the Society’s Rules.

Other symbols can be used, for example:

The 100A1 can be “+100A1”. + is distinguishing mark assigned at the time of classing to new ships constructed under the Society’s Special Survey, in compliance with the rules, and to the satisfaction of the committee.

N will be assigned to a vessel on which anchoring and mooring equipment need not be fitted because of its service.

T will be used on ships that perform their primary designed service only while they are anchored, moored or towed.

The type of vessel may also appear in its “classification”. For example, a vessel may be of “Class 100A1 oil tanker” and the vessel may also have a special ice class, for example, “Ice Class 1” for general service, or just “ICE” for inland waters.

Other abbreviations and symbols can be used for the machinery on board a vessel. For example, + LMC is given to a vessel whose propelling and essential auxiliary machinery have been constructed, installed and tested according to LR Rules . (LMC is “Lloyd’s Machinery Certificate”.) The UMS notation is used to indicate that the vessel can be operated with the machinery space unattended and that the control engineering equipment is arranged, installed and tested according to LR Rules. For refrigerated cargo installations, the notations can be Lloyd’s RMC and if the notation has to be given to a liquefied gas tanker it would be Lloyd’s RMC (LG). If the vessel is fitted with approved inert gas systems, the notation is IGS.

This information regarding the classification of the ship is entered in the Register of Ships. The Register of Ships is a book containing the names, classes and general information concerning the ships classed by Lloyd’s Register of Shipping, and also particulars of all known ocean-going merchant ships in the world of 100 gross tons and upwards. In the Register, the information is shown in seven columns, each column containing abbreviated, descriptive details of the vessel and its classification.

The society is also authorised to act as an assigning authority in the case of freeboards and loadlines and a certifying authority for safety and other certification. This means that it acts as the agent for the government in administering certain of the mandatory requirements for shipping. When the society issues a certificate, the document states that it is issued under the authority of the government whose flag the vessel may fly.

Services offered by some classification societies:

Control of design, specification and construction plans. Technical supervision of new construction and repairs.

Classification of hull, machinery, electrical and refrigeration installations. Tonnage measurement and certification.

Control of compliance with Conventions.

Acting with delegated authority on behalf of governments in respect of statutory requirements and issue of certificates.

Supervision of conversions.

Surveying of machinery, equipment, arrangements and materials.

Technical supervision and certification of containers. Research and development. Advice to clients.

Offshore technology.

Approval of design, surveys and reports on hovercraft; non-mercantile shipping; yachts and small craft.

Classification surveys. Classification societies carry out various surveys on behalf of governments, particularly in order to ensure that the vessel complies with relevant standards that are required to be met for the issue of essential certificates, such as the Cargo Ship Safety Construction Certificate (SAFCON). They also carry out annual and other periodical surveys on behalf of the governments to ensure that the vessels are still entitled to hold valid certificates. In addition to these surveys, the societies also require certain surveys to ensure that the ships classed with them are still entitled to retain their class. Surveys may be carried out when it is intended to build a ship for classification these are new construction surveys. Surveys may also be carried out for existing ships, e.g., when they are transferring between societies or when they are being reclassified either after suspension or cancellation of their original classification certificates. If any damage or casualty occurs to a vessel, repairs and alterations may be carried out. These are also surveyed.

The maintaining of standards is ensured by the society in requiring all Vessels to have annual surveys or examinations. Special surveys are also required every four years from the date of the first survey for classification.

Ships less than 15 years old are to be examined in dry dock on any two occasions every five years but with a period not more than three years between dockings. Older ships must be examined in dry dock at two-yearly intervals with extension to 2.5 years when suitable high resistance paint is applied to the underwater portion of the hull. These are docking surveys and are in addition to annual surveys. Surveys may also be carried out as in-water surveys as alternatives to any one of the two docking surveys required every five years. For in water surveys the vessel must be coated with a high resistance paint below the waterline, it must also be of more than 30 metres breadth and less than 10 years old. The in-water survey is carried out under surveillance of a surveyor with the ship at a suitable draught in sheltered waters. The hull below the waterline must be clean. The survey is carried out usually by a diver who is in communication with the surveyor on deck.

Class surveyors’ assistance to vessel. If a vessel has sustained damage to such an extent that her seaworthiness may be affected, the master will contact the surveyor of the classification society, in order to ascertain what repairs have to be carried out for the maintenance of class. The surveyors are exclusively officers of the society and they are usually not permitted to engage in any other business or employment to avoid a conflict of interest. However, they can recommend certain repair firms depending

on their experience and the quality of work of the firms.

It will entirely depend upon the nature of the damage and facilities available for repairs whether temporary or permanent repairs will be carried out at the port in question, or whether the vessel will be allowed, whilst retaining her class, to continue her voyage to a subsequent port or final destination, where permanent repairs can be effected, each case being considered on its merits.