APPENDIX 1 – THE LANGUAGE OF CLASSIFICATION AND SURVEYS
1 CLASSIFICATION SOCIETIES - DEFINITION
The following definition applies in respect of the membership of IACS.
A Classification Society is an organisation which:
(i) publishes its own classification Rules (including technical requirements) in relation
to the design, construction and survey of ships2
, and has the capacity to (a) apply, (b)
maintain and (c) update those Rules and Regulations with its own resources on a
regular basis;
(ii) verifies compliance with these Rules during construction and periodically during a
classed ship's service life;
(iii) publishes a register of classed ships;
(iv) is not controlled by, and does not have interests in, ship-owners, shipbuilders or
others engaged commercially in the manufacture, equipping, repair or operation of
ships; and
(v) is authorised by a Flag Administration as defined in SOLAS Chapter XI-1,
Regulation 1 and listed accordingly in the IMO database, Global Integrated Shipping
Information System (GISIS).
2 CLASSIFICATION NOTATIONS
Classification notations are indicative of the specific Rule requirements which have been
met. Additional voluntary notations are offered by individual Societies and may be
selected by an owner wishing to demonstrate that the vessel conforms to a particular
standard that may be in excess of that required for classification. Depending on the
Classification Society, the classification notations are assigned to the ship according to ship
type, service, navigation and/or other criteria which have been provided by the owner
and/or builder, when requesting classification.
Classification notations assigned to a
ship are indicated on the certificate of
classification as well as in the Register of
Ships published by the Society. These
notations can be generalized by the
following types which may be used in
combination:
• main class symbol;
• construction marks;
• service notations with additional
service features, as applicable;
• navigation notations;
• geographic notations;
• additional class notations.