Clasification Societies
Every ship must be listed in one Classification Society. The most reputable are associated in IACS, International Association of Classification Societies.
That Society surveys the ship and certifies to the Authorities in the ports where the ship calls that she has the conditions indicated in the Certificates and can carry out the port operations safely, and that the ship is seaworthy and can sail without danger for her crew or the enviroment.
Nowdays these Societies have several activities, not only related to sea, as you can see in their webs.
Here are the Societies integrated in IACS. There are 10 Members and 2 Associate Members.
Members
LR
Lloyd's Register of Shipping It is the oldest and the very well known. It was founded in 1760.
DNV
Det Norske Veritas It is Norweigian and has plenty ships in its list because there are many ships controlled by Norweigian companies, flagged under many different flags, and normally they prefer the Society from their country.
BV
Bureau
Veritas This is French and has very
strong implatation all around the world.
GL
Germanischer
Lloyd This is German. I have been in Spanish ships classed by them.
ABS
American
Bureau of Shipping Another big one, in this case from USA.
NKK
Nippon
Kaiji Kyokai The Japanese.
As Japan has a very big fleet, normally flagged in another countries, her
ships are normally in this Society.
RINA
Registro Italiano Navale It
is clear that this is Italian.
KR
Korean Register
of Shipping Korea has an important fleet,
the most of it classified by this Society.
CCS
China Classification Society
RS
Russian Maritime Register of Shipping
Associate Members
CRS
Hrvatski Registar Brodova
(Croatian Register of Shipping)
IRS
Indian Register of Shipping
