Developing the next generation of class rules for oil tankers

摘要

In 2002, the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), Det NorskeVeritas (DNV) and Lloyd's Register (LR) agreed to initiate a major project to jointly develop a single set of classification rules for the hull structure of oil tankers. The objective of the project to develop common rules is to avoid possible competition on the minimum safety standards. Since that decision, the three classification societies have been working to combine their expertise and experience in order to produce a common set of rules for oil tankers with a length greater than or equal to 150m. This article outlines the philosophy adopted by the project, the project schedule and key technical aspects that are ready for reporting to industry. The article also outlines the relationship with IACS unified requirements and other initiatives within IACS and IMO.