Lloyd's Register of Shipping is voluntarily maintained by the shipping community, and is governed by a committee composed of the most representative men in the various branches of the industry—shipowners, underwriters, and ship and engine builders. It has similar committees in the United States, France, Holland, Sweden, and Japan. It thus forms a link between the sea-faring communities of the world which cannot be supplied by inter national political means, and forms a community of sea-faring interests whose purpose is to ensure the fitness of ships. Its highly trained technical experts are to be found in every centre of shipping activity in the world. (See LLOYD'S REGISTER OF SHIPPING.) Classification Societies.—Most countries have set up their own national classification societies, in some instances partly under Government direction. These comprise the Bureau Veritas, with headquarters in France; the Norske Veritas, with head quarters in Norway; the Germanischer Lloyd, with headquarters in Germany; the American Bureau, which was resuscitated when the United States entered the World War; the Registro Italiano in Italy; and a Society in Japan of very recent origin; these societies differ somewhat in the particular symbols which they attach to the various classes. Although their printed regulations for the con struction of ships and machinery do not differ greatly, there are differences of practice in regard to the administration of the various rules. The principal classification societies in 1927, and the tonnage of vessels (steam, motor and sail) classed, were:— where shipowning or shipbuilding existed. In 1851 rules were drawn up for the construction of wood ships, and about 1867 for iron. Rules for steel came later, and also rules for the construc tion of machinery, and as circumstances arose provision was made for special types, such as oil-tank vessels, turret vessels, and dredgers, as well as for the testing of materials. These rules have been revised from time to time, and special rules issued for ships intended for inland waters, for yachts and for motor boats.
The British Corporation was founded in 189o, and obtained its charter under the Merchant Shipping Acts for the assignment of freeboards; its first rules were issued in 1893. Its inception was due to the enterprise and influence of a number of leading ship owners, shipbuilders and engineers more particularly connected with Glasgow and the west of Scotland, the first aim of the founders being to provide an independent society thoroughly capable of dealing with the complicated questions which were likely to arise under the Load Line Act then coming into operation. The Liverpool Registry, which had once been independent, had been absorbed into Lloyd's Register some years before, and it was thought that the enormous shipbuilding interests of the country demanded the existence of a society whose friendly rivalry with the great society of Lloyd's Register would have a beneficial in fluence on the shipbuilding of the country. The British Corpora tion have a working agreement with the Registro Italiano, the American Bureau of Shipping, and the Imperial Japanese Corpora tion, which provides for the mutual recognition by these bodies of the classification and survey of vessels conducted by them.
The American Bureau of Shipping, established in 1867 as the Record of American and Foreign Shipping, was resuscitated as the result of the large construction of merchant ships built by the United States for their use in the World War, and is officially supported by the United States Government.
The Norske Veritas was established in 1894 by the various marine insurance clubs of Norway. Previously each club had its own separate staff of surveyors, on whose report depended the class of the vessel and the premium to be paid. As ships rose in value and reinsurance became the rule, a desire for mutual pro tection led to the establishment of the Norske Veritas with one uniform system of classification and valuation.
The Germanischer Lloyd was established in 1867, and reorgan ized as a joint-stock company in 1889. Its functions are carried out by officers at the central office in Berlin, assisted by a staff of surveyors in Germany and at the principal foreign ports—the latter under control of agents, who are mostly consuls. In all foreign parts in which the Germanischer Lloyd has no representa tive, the German consuls are required by order of their Govern ment to exercise the functions of an agent of the Germanischer Lloyd.
The Registro Italiano was first founded in 1861, and has passed through many changes of late years, the first of which occurred in 191o, when it was reconstituted as the Registro Nazionale Italiano. Later it became the Registro Navale Italiano, and after the World War, was amalgamated with the other Italian institu tion, the Veritas Adriatico, by the wishes of the Italian Govern ment, in order that one Italian Register of Shipping should be established, under the name Registro Italiano.
The highest class assigned by the societies upon the completion of a ship is marked as follows :— It will be seen that the major portion of the total tonnage owned in the world, which in 1927 was some 63 million tons gross, plies under the aegis of one or other of the principal classification societies—a clear indication that, to the world's mercantile marine, classification is an indispensable adjunct.
The Bureau Veritas was founded in Antwerp in 1828, to make known to underwriters the qualities and defects of ships frequent ing Dutch and Belgian ports. In 1832 the headquarters were moved to Paris, and in due time its influence spread to countries The star or cross in each case denotes special survey during con struction. In Lloyd's Register 100A refers to conformity with the rule requirements ; the figure 1 to the efficiency of the equipment of anchors and cables; LMC denotes Lloyd's Machinery Cer tificate. In the Bureau Veritas the encircled I expresses the first division of classification (out of three), the two rings denoting that the ship is divided into a sufficient number of watertight compartments to enable her to float in still water with any two open to the sea; expresses completeness and efficiency of hull and machinery; the letter following indicates the navi gation for which the vessel is intended, L signifying unrestricted ocean trading; the first 1 shows that the wood portions of the hull are entirely satisfactory, while the second 1 has the same significance in respect to the equipment of masts, spars, rigging, anchors, cables and boats. In the British Corporation Register, B.S. signifies conformity with all requirements, these letters stand ing for British Standard; M.B.S. signifies that the machinery also conforms. In the Norske Veritas 1A1 denotes compliance with rule requirements as regards the hull; MV and KV signify that the vessel has a Norske Veritas certificate for engines and boilers. The third figure A denotes the efficient state of the equipment. In the Germanischer Lloyd the mark i oo A signifies that the ship, including equipment, fulfils the requirements of the highest class of the society. The figure 4 indicates, that the class is to be regu larly renewed after special surveys held in periods of four years each. MC signifies that the machinery conforms with the rules and has obtained a separate certificate. In the Registro Italiano 100A refers to conformity with the rules, the first 1 to the equip ment of the hull, and the second 1 to the equipment of the pro pelling power (whether sails or machinery). The letter following the class indicates the navigation for which the ship is intended, L signifying unrestricted ocean trading. In the American Bureau, Al denotes conformity with the rules, E referring to the equip ment, and AMS signifies American Machinery Survey.