Ship Registration & Classification

Question 1

Ship Registration - what does this mean?

Answer 1

• all ships must have nationality and be registered to home port
• for tax and crewing reasons owners fly flags of convenience from countries with open registries
• should follow international safety conventions

Question 2

International safety conventions ratified by more traditional maritime country registries:

Answer 2

• IMO
• SOLAS
• Marpol (marine pollution)

Question 3

Ship Classification

Answer 3

• acts as certificate of quality
• necessary for insurance and any prudent charterer would not entrust a cargo to a vessel without
• given by RSO’s (registered classification societies). Such: Lloyd’s Register, Bureau Veritas

Question 4

IACS members:

International Association if Classification Societies

Answer 4

American Bureau of Shipping 
Bureau Veritas
China Classification Society
DNV GL group
Indian Register of Shipping 
Korean Register
Lloyd’s Register