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Author Archives: Flume

End User Workshop (EUW)

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When IACS decided, in 2008/9, its members would be audited against IACS Quality Management System Requirements (IQMSR) by independent accredited certification bodies (ACBs), as opposed to the hitherto in-house audit team, it recognised that honest and open feedback on the new arrangements would be vital in ensuring IACS QSCS remains valid, fit for purpose and effective.

To that end and in November every year since 2009, IACS has arranged an annual End User Workshop (EUW).  This annual event brings together all the key stakeholders of the Scheme and other organisations that have an interest in IACS QSCS.  Attendees typically comprise all IACS members, all ACBs that audit IACS members, flag Administrations, the European Commission, the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), QACE, non-IACS classification societies that are interested in adopting QSCS either voluntarily or with a view to applying for membership of IACS and ACBs that may be interested in auditing against IQMSR.

As an impartial yet knowledgeable facilitator, the EUW is chaired by the Advisory Committee Chair.  The format of the workshops is designed to promote free and open discussion with a view to maintaining the robustness, integrity and consistency of the scheme.  To promote discussion, stakeholders are given the freedom to feedback and reflect on their experiences of working in or with the scheme and to propose and discuss any possible adjustments deemed appropriate to ensure QSCS continues to meet fully the demands and needs of all stakeholders for a robust and consistent scheme that is now widely recognised within the shipping industry as the ‘gold standard’ for classification societies and certification of IACS members.

Without exception all EUWs have proved to be positive events.  All participants actively and constructively contribute which has and continues to have, a tangible and meaningful influence on the evolution of IACS QSCS ensuring the Scheme continues to be relevant, up-to-date and meets the needs of all interested parties and stakeholders.

Those organisations or individuals that have a clear interest in IACS QSCS and would like to attend future EUWs, should contact IACS Quality Secretary, Jonathan Spremulli at qscs.ops@iacs.org.uk

Advisory Committee (AVC)

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The purpose of this long established IACS committee is to advise the IACS Quality Committee on the effectiveness of IACS Quality Systems Certification Scheme (QSCS) and its further evolution and improvement.

IACS, as an association, was formed in 1968 to promote high standards of safety and pollution prevention in the maritime industry.   IACS members have never wavered from that objective and in pursuit of ever higher standards of service, in 1991 established the QSCS.  This is the management system that ensures the internal quality management system of each individual IACS member conforms to the requirements of the IACS scheme which is freely available on the IACS web site.  QSCS, widely recognized as the ‘gold standard’ for classification societies, is continually reviewed and updated by IACS and provides an all embracing, structured framework that all IACS members must comply with.

The AVC represents the interests of external stakeholders that have an interest in the services provided by IACS member classification societies within the scope of the QSCS.  This also includes inspections and surveys carried out by the classification society when recognized by the Administration for statutory certification and services work.

Comprised of senior industry figures that have a deep knowledge and understanding of the work of classification societies and the principles of quality management.  The committee meets twice a year and actively contributes to its improvement by providing independent counsel regarding the proper and impartial application of QSCS and ensures no single interest predominates in the decision making process.  Individual members of the AVC are personally appointed to the committee by IACS Council.  In undertaking it’s work the AVC reviews the results of audits, complaints and other relevant information appropriate to the proper functioning of the QSCS.

Taking an impartial view of the work and performance of IACS members, where the AVC considers it appropriate, it will make recommendations to IACS as to what improvements it considers could be made to enhance the policies and working methods regarding the operation of QSCS.  This includes scrutiny of the standard of audit conducted by the independent Accredited Certification Bodies (ACBs) recognised by IACS Members.

In addition to members of the AVC attending at least two audits per year, the Chair of the AVC  submits an annual report to the IACS summer Council meeting, which he also attends for quality matters, when the Quality Secretary presents the annual quality management review.

IACS GPG Chairman, Quality Committee Chairman and Quality Secretary are all ex-officio members of the AVC.  The current membership of the AVC is as follows:

Unified Interpretations

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Definition

Unified Interpretations are adopted resolutions on matters arising from implementing the requirements of IMO Conventions or Recommendations. Such adopted resolutions can involve uniform interpretations of Convention Regulations or IMO Resolutions on those matters which in the Convention are left to the satisfaction of the Administration or vaguely worded.

Interpretations are circulated to Administrations concerned or are sent to IMO for information, as appropriate.

Foreword

    • IACS, as an international Non-Governmental Organization having observer status at IMO, works in co-operation with IMO in order to endeavour that regulations developed at IMO are clear, unambiguous and can easily be applied without the need of interpretations.
    • However, interpretations may still be needed in cases where IMO regulations contain only functional requirements, allow alternative solutions to prescriptive requirements, are left to the satisfaction of Administrations or are generally or vaguely worded.
    • The following Unified Interpretations (UIs) have been developed by IACS to assist the unified implementation of IMO regulations falling in the above-mentioned cases. It should be noted that the development of IACS Unified Interpretations (UIs) is not aiming at introducing additional requirements but at achieving uniform application of IMO regulations.
    • IACS UIs are to be applied by IACS Societies to ships whose flag Administrations have not issued definite instructions on the interpretation of the IMO regulations concerned, in the course of statutory certification on behalf of those flag Administrations.

Role of Class

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IACS is an association of Classification Societies which:

  1. establishes, reviews, promotes and develops minimum technical requirements in relation to the design, construction, maintenance and survey of ships and other marine related facilities.
  2. acts as a catalyst to assist international regulatory bodies and standard organisations to develop, amend and interpret regulations and industry standards in ship design, construction and management, with a view to improving safety at sea and the prevention of marine pollution.
  3. provides a Quality System Certification Scheme (QSCS) that its Members shall comply with, as an assurance of professional integrity and maintenance of high professional standards.

IACS has a wide perspective on relevant matters through monitoring the developments in EU legislation related to shipping safety and environmental performance in addition to its technical advisory role to the IMO and its interaction with the industry and flag states. IACS technical representatives can therefore bring cross-cutting knowledge and experience from one forum to another.

Vessels in Class

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Vessels in Class Documents

This page carries a .CSV (comma separated values) file of ships in class as sent by individual IACS members to Equasis.

The file contains data including:
IMO, Ship Name, Class, Date of Survey, Date of Next Survey, Date of Latest Status, Status Code and Reason for Status

For the full scope please see Procedural Requirement 16

Status Code:
del – in class
sus – suspended
rei – reinstated
wit – withdrawn
rea – reassigned

Reasons for status:
a – Survey overdue
b – Non-compliance with conditions of class / recommendations
c – Casualty
d – by society for other reasons
0 – Transfer of class to another IACS member
1 – Transfer of class to a non-IACS society
2 – Sold for recycling (scrap)
3 – Owner’s request for other reasons

Recommendations

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IACS produces recommendations and guidelines related to adopted resolutions that are not necessarily matters of class but which IACS considers would be helpful to offer some advice to the marine industry.

Submissions to IMO

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Through its dedicated Accredited Representative to the IMO, who is supported by representatives from IACS Members – world-leading technical experts in the matters under consideration – IACS submits papers to, and actively participates in, all the meetings of the IMO’s technical bodies. These experts not only contribute technical input to the development of new IMO requirements, and amendments to existing ones; they also provide an unparalleled degree of insight and feedback on the implementation of the IMO agreed regulatory framework. This is because IACS Members are not only classification societies, they also act as recognised organisations (ROs). In this latter capacity, they act on behalf of IMO Member States to verify compliance with IMO’s statutory regulations and requirements on ships that fly the flag of those countries.

 

 

The strategy of IACS towards the IMO is to effectively respond to technical and societal developments in the global maritime sector in a way commensurate to IACS’ standing in the shipping world, within the remit of classification, and within its role as the IMO’s apolitical principal technical adviser. IACS actively engages in the work at the IMO both proactively and reactively (that is, both to the proposals from Member States/NGOs and to the challenges of implementation) guided by the priorities of IACS strategy, by resourcing the pre-session work and all necessary participation at the IMO meetings with the best expertise available to IACS Members.

Transfer Of Class

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Database users include all IACS Members. Search filters: You can search for an individual ship or groups of ships. Entering data in a field box restricts the search to match that criterion; leaving a box blank will search all data in that field. Thus to find an individual ship enter only one of IMO number, class ID number or name (or part of name). To find groups of ships, fill in one or more of the appropriate boxes (but not IMO number, class ID number nor name)…