Bureau Veritas Publishes Class Rules for Submarines

New rules to provide a self-supporting set of independent guidelines which can be updated on a regular basis in line with operational experience.

LEADING international classification society Bureau Veritas has published its rules for the classification of naval submarines, which cover verification by an independent third party of everything from design and maintenance requirements to safety of the crew and protection of the environment.

So far as verification at the newbuilding stage is concerned, the BV rules cover design approval, material and equipment certification, and construction surveillance at the yard. The rules cover specific risks which are synonymous with submarines, including the exposure of the hull to seawater pressure, the effects of enclosed atmosphere, and the adaptation of systems for undersea navigation, including snorkeling.

Items covered by the rules include surface and submerged stability, resurfacing, weight control, hull pressure, structure, steering devices, propulsion, power supply, automation, communications and navigation equipment, fire protection, atmospheric control, and emergency and rescue installations.

Operational procedures, combat systems, and spare parts are not covered by classification, and therefore not included in the BV rules.

Yves Legal of Bureau Veritas explains, “The classification of naval submarines takes into account surface navigation, snorkel navigation, and deep-water navigation. Ammunition, weapons and combat systems are outside the scope of classification, except in those cases where they are an integral part of the structural design or the watertight integrity of the submarine, for example in the case of torpedo tubes.

“The rules require the submarine to undergo both quay and sea trials. The trials comprise in-harbour tests designed to validate the submarine’s essential functions as they affect safety and the production and storage of energy. Tests are also carried out at sea to validate the hull, machinery and systems, and to confirm the ability of the submerged submarine to manoeuvre at a range of different depths.”

Each submarine is required to have a safety file as part of its standard documentation. This does not replace the requirements contained in the BV rules, and includes an assessment of the risks associated with the submarine’s operational activity, and an immersion-versus-speed diagram justification file.

Yves Legal says, “The new rules confirm BV’s leading role in the naval classification sector, and provide a self-supporting set of independent guidelines which can be updated on a regular basis in line with operational experience.”

Bureau Veritas is a leading international service provider, dedicated to quality assurance, environmental, health, and safety, (QEHS) management services across a wide range of economic activities: Marine, Industry and Facilities, Government services, and Consumer Products. By far the largest classification and certification society, Bureau Veritas has over 40,000 employees and 850 offices in over 150 countries throughout the world.