The American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has worked together successfully with the Governments of many nations applying the ship classification process to a wide range of naval, coast guard and other government vessels. In the U.S. alone over one-half of all U.S. Government vessels built have been classed with ABS. In recent years, because of similarities between past naval ship certification practice and ABS commercial classification practice, the U.S. Navy and ABS decided to partner to address the lower risk aspects of designing and certifying non-nuclear naval combatant ships. Such an approach allows in-house navy engineering resources to be focused more on the higher risk mission related aspects of combatants, while maintaining technical control via close collaboration with ABS on the naval Rules which address structural, mechanical, electrical and systems integrity. The US Navy retains technical authority, but uses ABS as a partner to administer the naval Rules, and as an agent in classing ships to the naval Rules.
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