This post is based and linked on DNV Classification Services (http://www.dnv.com), adding my own coments and adaptations to contribute for a better understanding about these important issues in maritime affairs.
CLASSIFICATION SERVICES
Definitions:
Classification is a comprehensive verification service providing assurance that a set of requirements laid down in rules and standards established by the classification society are met during design and construction, and maintained during operation of an offshore unit.
The rules and standards are aimed at ensuring safety against hazards to the unit, personnel, and against hazards to the environment.
Ship classification implies an activity, in which a ship or an offshore unit is surveyed during construction on the basis of design approval, tested before being taken into service, and surveyed regularly during its whole operational life.
A classified "Full Container" type ship crossing the Panamá Canal.
The aim is to verify that the required safety standard is built in, observed and maintained. Classification has gained world-wide recognition as representing an adequate level of safety and performing approval and surveys.
Around the world most countries has its own classification societies. Companies as DNV, Bureau Veritas, Lloyds Register are some of the biggest.
MAIN SHIP TYPES ON OPERATIONS
Bulk Carrier:
Are ships designed for carriage of solid bulk cargoes. In gross tonnes, bulk carriers amount for almost one third of the world's sailing fleet.
A Bulk Carrier loading soybeans in Paranaguá port, Brazil.
Classification societies services have to focus on safety of the ship, cargo and crew, combined the efficient operations.
The modern bulk carrier originated in 1954 (M/S "Cassiopeia", designed by Ole Skaarup), and currently more than 7000 bulk carriers are sailing the seas, and they carry the vast majority of the world's dry bulk cargoes.
Total seaborne dry bulk transports amounts more than 2500 million tonnes per year, including bulk cargoes as iron ore, coal, grain, bauxite/alumina, phosphate, steel products, cement, petcoke, forest products, fertilizers, sulphur and other dry bulk cargoes.
Often seen as "workhorses of the seas", bulk carriers are indeed designed to be sturdy cargo ships, but their demanding duties mean that they must be built, loaded and operated with keen attention. Good classification society must to be in the forefront of risk management for bulk carriers, and currently the following selected topics are high on agenda:
Combination Carriers:
These ships types included:
· Ships intended for separate carriage of oil and dry cargoes in bulk (notation: Bulk Carrier or Tanker for Oil)
· Ships intended for separate carriage of oil and ore in bulk (notation: Ore Carrier or Tanker for Oil)
· Combination of the two above, so-called OBO (Oil/Bulk/Ore carrier)
A classification society services normally focus on safety of the ship, cargo and crew, combined with efficient operations.
A Capesize combinated carrier may load minerals, ore, grains and others merchandises.
The combination carriers are subject to demanding duties, which mean that they must be built, loaded and operated with keen attention. A good classification society must to be in the forefront of risk management for combination carriers, and currently the following selected topics are high on an responsable agenda:
Condition Assessment Program
Hull Integrity Management
Protective coating
Software support for design
Software support for maintenance
Vetting
Tanker Management Self Assessment
Trading in cold climate
Container Ships:
Called "full containers" ships are exclusively intended for the carriage of containers. A modern classification society must to invest heavily in R & D, and in to document the results of these R & D efforts, helping clients to stay on top of current technologies and trends influencing the container carrier business.
Full Containers ships: growing faster than others types.
Investment in new containerships has been substantial in the last decades. The world fleet has grown by more than 10% per year on average - an unparalleled growth rate in modern shipping.
Classification services focus on safety of the ship, cargo and crew, combined with cost efficient operation.
New, bigger designs are emerging rapidly and the value of cargo is increasing. Therefore, it is necessary with a proactive approach to deal effectively with the hazards associated with containerships.
Traditionals e experienced classification societies must have history of addressing risk management for container ships, and currently the following selected topics are high on an classification agenda:
Gas Carriers:
A gas carrier ship. High security technology construction and requirements.
These ships intended for transportation of compressed or liquefied gas. In the forefront of technology for gas carriers for many years, global classification societies have accumulated experience and knowledge about risk management for gas carriers, and must attend the following selected topics are high on an agenda:
Class notations for gas carrierCompressed Natural Gas Condition Assessment ProgrammeHull Integrity ManagementProtective coatingSoftware support for designSoftware support for maintenanceTrading in cold climateGeneral Cargo Carriers and Ro/Ro ships:
A Ro/Ro ship scheme, a multipurpose ship.
General Cargo Carriers are ships arranged for lift on/lift off cargo handling and intended for carriage of general dry cargoes. Ships arranged for roll-on roll-off cargo handling are denoted additional notation Ro/Ro. A classification society services must focus on safety of the ship, cargo and crew, combined with efficient operations.
New, bigger designs are emerging rapidly and the value of cargo is increasing. Therefore, it is necessary with a proactive approach to deal effectively with the hazards associated with general cargo carriers.
A Grimaldi Ro/Ro liner operating vehicles in Paranaguá port, Brazil.
A traditional classification society is recommended to have a history of addressing risk management for general cargo carriers, and below is list of links to some of the topics high on a classification agenda:
Minerals are the main productos carried by these ships. Ore Carriers are ships designed for carriage of ore cargoes in centre holds. The last years have seen a dramatic increase of the newbuilding orders for Very Large Ore Carriers (VLOC), mainly driven by the increasing demand for iron ore imports from Australia and Brazil to the steel mills in China.
A typical Ore Carrier (VLOC)A typical and traditional classification society services must to focus on safety of the ship, cargo and crew, combined with efficient operations.
A Capesize giant ship
The ore carriers are the giants of the seas, and are indeed designed to be sturdy cargo ships, but their demanding duties mean that they must be built, loaded and operated with keen attention. A experienced and traditional classification society must have been in the forefront of risk management for ore carriers, and currently the following selected topics are high on an agenda to attend requirements:
Passengers Ships:
Passengers ships: beauty and high technology on the seas.
They are primarely ships designed for carriage of passengers and Car and Train Ferries designed for regular transport of passengers and vehicles.
New, innovative, faster and bigger designs are emerging rapidly. Therefore, it is necessary with a proactive approach to deal effectively with the hazards associated with passenger ships. A experienced classification society may have a long history of addressing risk management for passenger ships, and below is list of links to some of the topics high on an expertise´s agenda:
A skilled classification and long experience in this ship type can made leaders in this kind of classification of passenger ships and various Ro/Ro designs. In particular our abilities within direct wave load and strength analysis has made especial companies preferred class for new, innovative designs. We have special experience with ship types as:
* Coastal Express - Ship designed for carriage of passengers and cargo for domestic trade.
* Cruise Ships - Ship intended for carriage of passengers only.
* Ferries - Ships intended for regular transport of passengers and vehicles.
*Ropax - Ships intended for carriage of heavy cargo, vehicles and a limited number of passengers. The cargo is transferred to and from the ship and between cargo spaces onboard by means of vehicles.
Tanker for Chemicals:
They are ships intended for transportation of all types of liquid chemicals.
In gross tonnes, tankers (including gas carriers and chemical tankers) amount for more than one third of the worlds sailing fleet has classification services focused by only one classification society.
Tankers and chemicals carriers ships operating in the liquid bulks terminal in Paranaguá port, Brazil.
Safety of the ship, cargo and crew, must to be combined with efficient operations.
Tankers must be operated safely and with minimum spills and loss of life and cargo.
Being the leading class for tankers for many years, we have accumulated unique experience and knowledge about risk management for tankers, and currently the following selected topics are high in a classification service agenda:
Class notations for chemical tankers
Common Structural Rules
Condition Assessment Program
Fatigue challenges
Hull Integrity Management
Protective coating
Software support for design
Software support for maintenance
Vetting
Tanker Management Self Assessment
Trading in cold climate
Tanker for Oil:
Oil carriers are ships intended for transport of oil in bulk, whereas oil product carriers are ships intended for transport of all types of oil products except crude oil. In gross tonnes, tankers (including gas carriers and chemical tankers) amount for more than one third of the worlds sailing fleet, that´s what only one classification society portfolio´s have.
A very large oil tanker ship.
A good classification services must focus on safety of the ship, cargo and crew, combined with efficient operations.
Being the leading class for tankers for many years, a classification society must have accumulated unique experience and knowledge about risk management for tankers, and currently the following selected topics are high on our agenda to maintain this lead:
This ship type market share is still growing, and currently we classify close to 49 million gt of tankers, ranging from ULCC and VLCC’s to Aframax and smaller vessels. Current orderbook for newbuildings amounts to 21 million gt for tankers. About 80% of all shuttle tankers operating in the North Sea by DNV classification society.
