Large-scale Use and Exchange of Classification Rules in the Maritime Industry

The international maritime industry is governed by strict international regulations managed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Maritime operations are inherently dangerous, with potentially very damaging consequences in terms of loss of lives, environmental consequences and economic loss. Operating at the highest levels of safety in a very competitive industry requires that ships are built, operated and managed in accordance with best practices systematically accumulated in a wide range of fields over many years. At the same time, the maritime business is inherently international, so the industry has always recognized that the best way of improving safety at sea is through international regulations. International regulations state that in order for a vessel to be operated commercially, it must have certain certificates. Such certificates are issued by the ship classification societies in order to ensure that vessels, throughout their entire lifecycle, are built, maintained and operated in strict adherence with the safety regulations and best industry practices. Thus, within the maritime industry, the ship classification societies have a special responsibility for managing risk in implementing the safety regulations through systematic application of ship classification rules. Furthermore, they do continuous improvement of these rules through indepth engineering analysis and systematic gathering and analysis of operational experience. The tools used for this purpose are computer-based.