Answer
Brief History :
Founded in 1968 by 7 leading class. Societies of the time (ABS, BV, NK, LR, German. Lloyd, RINA, DNV) Safety at sea and pollution prevention, promote cooperation b/w relevant national & international maritime orgs.
General cooperation within the global maritime industry.
12 members now. More than 90 % global tonnage.
Structure : Refer to the picture above
| Council is the governing body Quality committee to manage quality Project teams PTs under each panel to address specific technical matters. |
Surveys and Certificates
Classification societies carry out a variety of surveys to ensure the safety, reliability, and compliance of ships and offshore structures. Here are the main types:
Annual Surveys:
Conducted every year to ensure the vessel's condition continues to meet classification standards. These surveys typically include checks on the hull, machinery, and equipment.
Intermediate Surveys:
Occurring midway through the five-year classification cycle, these surveys involve a more detailed inspection than annual surveys but are less comprehensive than special surveys.
Special (or Renewal) Surveys:
These extensive surveys take place every five years and involve a thorough examination of the hull, machinery, and equipment. The ship often needs to be dry-docked for parts of this survey.
Bottom (or Docking) Surveys:
Inspections of the underwater parts of the ship, generally conducted in dry dock, to check for damage, corrosion, and other issues.
Continuous Surveys:
A system where parts of the vessel are inspected at regular intervals over the five-year cycle, spreading the survey load and maintaining continuous compliance.
Damage Surveys:
Performed after an Incident such as a collision or grounding, these surveys assess the extent of damage and determine necessary repairs to restore the ship's classification status.
Statutory Surveys:
These are required by international maritime conventions (e.g., SOLAS, MARPOL) and cover various aspects such as safety equipment, pollution prevention, and loadline compliance.
Occasional Surveys:
These are unscheduled surveys conducted at the request of the shipowner or when deemed necessary by the classification society, often due to changes in the ship's structure or equipment.
Modification survey or Conversion Surveys: These surveys assess the impact of modifications or conversions on the ship’s classification and ensure that any changes comply with the relevant standards.
In-Water Surveys:
An alternative to dry-docking, these surveys involve divers or remote-operated vehicles to inspect the underwater parts of the vessel while it remains afloat.
IACS Role :
• Minimum technical standards & requirements that address maritime safety & environ. Protection. Ensures their application.
Principal technical advisor to the IMO.
Consultative status as well as observer status with the IMO
Participation in the MSC, MEPC, ISM management as well as subcommittees.
Minimum standards set for all class societies w.r.t the design, construction and through life compliance rules.
Forum for member societies to discuss, research and adopt technical criteria to enhance maritime safety. Forum for exchange of knowledge & technical developments.
Harmonize class rules & survey procedures.