Classification societies play a vital role in ensuring the safety, reliability, and quality of ships and offshore structures, provides services such as surveying, inspection, and certification to assess and verify compliance with international maritime regulations and industry standards. While there isn't a specific quality certification exclusively for classification societies, these organizations undergo various accreditation and certification processes to demonstrate their competence and adherence to industry best practices.
WISE Register of Shipping (WRS Class), a fast-growing classification society, has been successfully audited under the latest quality management system standard (ISO 9001:2015). WRS Class’s ISO 9001:2015 certificate is issued by the prominent management system certification body, QFS Management Systems LLP, who are accredited by International Accreditation Service (IAS). IAS is a United States accreditation body who is a member of International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and a signatory to IAF Multilateral Recognition Agreement (MLA).
The Commercial Director of WRS Class Ms. Gail Stoll said, “We are pleased to receive attestation of our commitment to quality. WRS Class is committed to maintaining quality and consistency in all the services provided to our customers.”
Here are some relevant certifications and accreditations that classification societies may pursue:
International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) Membership: The International Association of Classification Societies is an international organization that represents major classification societies worldwide. Membership in IACS signifies that a classification society meets certain standards and is committed to promoting maritime safety and environmental protection.
ISO 9001: The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) provides the ISO 9001 certification for quality management systems. Classification societies can seek ISO 9001 certification to demonstrate their ability to consistently provide services that meet customer requirements and regulatory obligations.
ISO 17020: This ISO certification is specifically for inspection bodies. Classification societies often perform inspection activities as part of their services, and ISO 17020 accreditation ensures that they meet specific criteria related to impartiality, competence, and consistent inspection processes.
Flag State Authorizations: Classification societies may also seek authorization from flag states (countries where ships are registered) to carry out statutory surveys and issue relevant certificates on behalf of the flag state. These authorizations serve as a recognition of the classification society's competence and compliance with flag state regulations.
Recognitions from Port State Control Authorities: Port State Control (PSC) authorities are responsible for inspecting foreign ships that enter their ports to ensure compliance with international maritime conventions. Recognitions from PSC authorities demonstrate that a classification society is trusted and recognized for conducting effective surveys and inspections.
It's important to note that the requirements and certifications may vary slightly between different classification societies and the jurisdictions in which they operate.However, these certifications and accreditations help to establish credibility, trust, and the ability to provide high-quality services in the maritime industry.
In addition to internal controls, WRS Class is subjected to external audit by QFS Management Systems LLP annually. WRS Class is also subjected to audits by various flag administrations as part of delegation of statutory certification authorities.