Classification

Ship classification societies serve as technical review boards. They issue recommendations, guidelines and regulations for designing, building or modifying ships.

The classification societies follow this monitoring process throughout all building phases. This also applies to the project planning phase for a Böning ship alarm system. Plan approvals and factory tests are submitted to the classification societies. This process of project planning, plan approval and factory tests means that the customer’s requirements and desires are explicitly met, but in compliance with all guidelines and regulations of the classification societies.

This close cooperation with the classification societies results in efficient, user-friendly and ultra-modern systems by Böning for safe operation of a vessel. The classification societies test the reliability of all ship systems, including Böning’s systems, during a ship’s commissioning and during ship visits at regular intervals.

If a ship and its systems are approved by the classification societies and thus classified, it is restricted in only minor ways on its shipping routes. Non-classified ships are not permitted in European territorial waters or ports.

Globally, there are more than 30 classification societies, eleven internationally recognized. These eleven are joined in the umbrella organisation, International Organisation of Classification Societies (IACS).

Böning routinely works with the following classification societies:

  • American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), USA
  • Bureau Veritas (BV), France
  • Det Norske Veritas (DNV), Norway
  • Germanischer Lloyd (GL), Germany
  • Lloyd’s Register of Shipping (LRS), United Kingdom
  • Maritime Register of Shipping (RMRS), Russia
  • Registro Italiano Navale (RINA), Italy

The Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) is an additional government agency. This agency monitors compliance with guidelines and laws governing the testing and approval of navigation and radio equipment. Böning monitors that display electronic radar images or sea charts are tested for conformity not only by the classification societies, but also the BSH.

In 1993, the first devices and systems were approved according to the requirements of Germanischer Lloyd. Since then, the number of approved devices and systems has gradually increased and the number of certificates issued by the various classification societies has risen to 50.

There are also various certifications for individual factory acceptance tests. These tests and the resulting certifications prove that the devices and systems, already approved by type certificates, meet the specific requirements of an individual project and may be installed on the ship.