Lloyds Register Technical Committee Meets to Discuss Rule Amendments

At a meeting of Lloyd’s Register’s Technical Committee, convened on November 2 and 3, 2009 a total of 33 Rule amendment proposals for hull and engineering systems were discussed and approved by members.

The meeting, held at Devonport House in Greenwich, London, also discussed how Lloyd's Register should develop future Rules to meet the challenge of environmental impact, and mutual recognition of class certificates in relation to the recent EU Regulation covering recognised organisations.

The Rule amendments to be discussed were as a result of industry feedback, responses from external regional and country advisory technical committees, as well as changes to maritime legislation, input from research and development (R&D) and the introduction of new unified requirements from the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS).

Vaughan Pomeroy, Lloyd's Register’s Technical Director, said: “These meetings are an important part of the governance of Lloyd’s Register. They also provide a very effective way of discussing current issues with a cross-section of the marine industry. The members make a major contribution to our work and help us to define future directions.”

The meeting also heard and discussed presentations on ‘safe return to port’, the Hong Kong convention on ship recycling, challenges to classification posed by new power and propulsion technology, and minimum power requirements for ships. There was also a lengthy discussion on the presentation concerning Lloyd’s Register’s research activities into the future of shipping in a climate conscious world.
 

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1. Rule Amendments under discussion at the Technical Committee meeting concerned:

• container stowage rule requirements, and container ship breakwater extent, under Rules and Regulations for the Classification of Ships
• non destructive examination; plates, strips and bars; steel casings; forgings; iron casings; aluminium alloy; plastics and other materials; welding consumables, qualifications and construction, certification requirements in the Rules for materials, under the Rules for the Manufacture, Testing and Certification of Materials
• protective coatings, under Rules and Regulations for the Classification of Ships
• ship Rules – general, under Rules and Regulations for the Classification of Ships, Provisional Rules for the Winterisation of Ships and Rules and Regulations for the Carriage of Liquefied Gases in Bulk
• SSC Rules – general, under Rules and Regulations for the Classification of Special Service Craft
• IACS UR S26 & S31 implementation, under Provisional Rules for Existing Ships
• IMO regulations & IACS UR implementation, under Rules and Regulations for the Classification of Ships. Appropriate notices will be issued to record the Rules changes once they have been adopted by Lloyd’s Register’s Board of Trustees.

2. The Lloyd’s Register Group provides independent assurance to companies operating high-risk, capital-intensive assets in energy and transportation to enhance the safety of life, property and the environment, thereby helping its clients ensure safe, responsible and sustainable supply chains. The Group comprises charities and non-charitable entities, with the latter supporting the charities in their main goal.

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