International maritime organizations

The international governing body for the shipping industry was first established in 1948. It was then called the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization but became known as the International Maritime Organization in 1982. Its function has always been to establish a standard international shipping organization which was particularly responsible for controlling maritime safety and pollution. Through the implementation of a number of Conventions, including SOLAS (Safety of Life and Sea) and MARPOL (Maritime Pollution), the IMO has helped to produce standard rules and requirements to improve the maritime industry.

The IMO wants to be able to anticipate events, not just response to them, in an effort to reduce the number of accidents at sea. The IMO says it also wants to attract attention to the problem of human error, as some experts claim 80% of accidents at sea are caused by people making mistakes.

IMO, which has now been in existence for about 65 years, continues its work as the regulatory body concerned with improving all aspects of ships, shipping and the seas. This has resulted in new conventions, amendments to existing conventions, protocols and codes of practice, which progressively enter into force year after year. Classification societies which, likewise, amend their rules and regulations also try to assist by publishing details of forthcoming IMO legislation and when it will enter into force.

With much of the IMO legislation and classification society regulations now available on CD-ROM, requirements are somewhat easier to track. Computers are also being used to monitor and record ship surveys and inspections and document maintenance carried out. Most leading classification societies have developed computer-based systems to assist owners in the design, construction, safe operation and maintenance of their ships.

Enhanced survey programmes are now required for oil tankers and bulk carriers and these can be documented using computer programmes. Paint coating inspections are a part of these special surveys, which has resulted in more care and attention generally to this form of corrosion protection.

Hull protective coating is also under scrutiny, but here because of environmental concerns over the ecologically damaging effects of tin-based antifouling paints. Many restrictions exist regarding the use of these coatings and IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee is now drafting regulations that will phase out and eventually prohibit antifouling paints containing organo-tins such as tributyltin (TBT). Corrosion protection, surveys and maintenance are becoming increasingly important as the world’s fleet progressively ages. Nevertheless, merchant shipbuilding has a busy future ahead and information technology will play an increasing role to make ships safer and more efficient to operate and quicker and cheaper to build.

Notes:

responsible for safety and pollution – ответственный за безопасность и загрязнение окружающей среды

implementation of conventions – выполнение конвенций

reduce accidents at sea – сокращать число несчастных случаев на море

amendments to conventions – поправки к конвенциям

classification society regulations – правила классификационного общества

hull protective coating – защитное покрытие корпуса

draft regulations – составлять правила

antifouling paint – необрастающая (противообрастающая) краска

2.7  Read the text, make a plan and speak about the Lloyd’s Register origin, functions and activity. Ask your groupmates about other classification societies.

LLOYD’S REGISTER

Like the famous international insurance market, Lloyd’s of London, Lloyd’s Register owes its name and foundation to the 17^th century coffee house in London frequented by merchants, marine underwriters, and others, all associated with shipping. The coffee house owner, Edward Lloyd, helped them to exchange information by circulating a printed sheet of all news he heard. In 1760, the Register Society was formed by the customers of the coffee house who assembled the Register of Shipping, the first known register of its type.

The society printed the first Register of Ships in 1764 in order to give both underwriters and merchants an idea of the condition of the vessels they insured and chartered: ship hulls were graded by letters (A being the best), and ship’s fittings (masts, rigging, and other equipment) were graded by numbers (1 being the best). Thus the best classification was “A1”, from which the expression A1, or A1 at Lloyd’s, is derived, first appeared in the 1775-76 edition of the Register.

The Lloyd’s Register Group is a maritime classification society and independent risk management organization providing risk assessment and management systems classification. Historically, as Lloyd’s Register of Shipping, it was a specifically maritime organization. During the late 20^th century, it diversified into other industries including oil and gas, processing industries, nuclear and rail. The Register, with information on all sea-going, self-propelled merchant ships of 100 gross tons or greater, is published annually. A vessel remains registered with Lloyd’s until it is sunk, wrecked, hulked, or scrapped.

Lloyd’s Register provides quality assurance and certification for ships, offshore structures and shore-based installations such as power stations and railway infrastructure. However, Lloyd’s Register is known best for the classification and certification of ships, and inspects and approves important components and accessories, including life-saving appliances, marine pollution prevention, fire protection, navigation, radio communication equipment, deck gear, cables and anchors.

Lloyd’s Rules for ships are derived from principles of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, and govern safety and operational standards for numerous merchant, military and privately-owned vessels all around the world. Lloyd’s Rules govern a number of topics including:

· Materials used for construction of vessel.

· Ship structural requirements and minimum scantlings, dependent upon ship type.

· Operation and maintenance of main and auxiliary machinery.

· Operation and maintenance of emergency and control systems.

Specific editions of the rules are available to provide merchant ships, naval ships, trimarans, special purpose vessels and offshore structures. A ship is known to be in class if it meets all the minimum requirements of Lloyd’s Rules, and such a status affects the possibility of a ship getting insurance. Class can be withdrawn from a ship if it is in violation of any regulations and does not maintain the minimum requirements specified by the company. Any alteration to the vessel, whether it is a structure or machinery, must be approved by Lloyd’s Register before it is implemented.

Ships are inspected on a regular basis by a team of Lloyd’s Register surveyors, one of the most important inspections being a ship’s annual Load Line Survey. Such a survey includes an inspection of the hull to make sure that the load line has not been altered. Numerous other inspections such as the condition of hatch and door seals, safety barriers and guard rails are also performed. Upon completion the ship is allowed to be operated for another year, and is issued a Load Line Certificate.

Notes: charter – фрахтовать

deck gear – палубные устройства

insurance market – рынок страхования

marine underwriter – морской страховщик

hulked ship – старый, не годный к плаванию корабль

hatch and door seal – уплотнение люка и двери

Load Line Survey – проверка грузовой марки

quality assurance – гарантия качества

2.8  Did you know about this interesting fact?

A STRANGE COINCIDENCE

In 1898, a book was published in the USA called The Wreck of the Titan. It told the story of a huge ocean liner, the Titan, which its builders called unsinkable. On its maiden voyage from England to New York, in April, it hit an iceberg and sank. There were not enough lifeboats on the ship and many passengers got drowned. Fourteen years later, on the 15th of April, 1912, the unsinkable Titanic sank on its maiden voyage from England to New York after hitting an iceberg. There were not enough lifeboats and half the passengers died.

Note: maiden voyage – первое плавание