Statutory Services

Statutory Surveys and Related Services

More than one hundred government Administrations around the world recognize and authorize ClassNK to act on their behalf to conduct surveys and issue certificates in accordance with international conventions and codes as well as national requirements pertaining to ship safety and the prevention of marine pollution. Please contact ClassNK External Affairs Department for more information.

Major international conventions and codes directly relevant to the surveying and certification activities of the Society include the following.

  • International Convention on Load Lines (ICLL)
  • International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS)
  • Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREG)
  • International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL)
  • International Convention on Tonnage Measurement of Ships (TONNAGE)
  • International Safety Management Code (ISM Code)
  • International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS Code)

Assignment of Safe Working Loads for Cargo Handling Appliances

ClassNK is also engaged in the evaluation of drawings and documentation related to cargo loading appliances together with the assignment of safe working loads of both new and existing ships in accordance with the Rules of the Society based on relevant International Labor Organization (ILO) conventions.

Approval of Freight Containers

Freight containers used in the carriage of cargo at sea must be built to ISO requirements and need to have various types of approvals in accordance with international conventions concerned with the safety and clearance of such containers. Another of ClassNK's varied duties consists of work related to the inspection and certification of such containers based on its Rules and these various relevant conventions.

Council Directive 96/98/EC on Marine Equipment (MED) / The EC Directive

In order to improve wider product compatibility and to promote safety and environmental protection, the European Union, in working towards the unification of product technology and test standards, develops EC Directives for technological standardization in various fields, which are then adopted as domestic law by member nations. Accordingly, the EC Directive called Council Directive 96/98/EC on Marine Equipment (MED) has been implemented since the 1st of January 1999.
The EC Directive requires that a group to be appointed as Notified Body be established in the EU area. NK Rotterdam office has been designated by the Government of the Netherlands as a Notified Body in related to the MED Assessment/Certification service by ClassNK. ClassNK can now carry out MED Assessment/Certification services for materials and equipment in Annex 1 of the Directive related to life saving appliances, fire fighting, fire protection, and marine-pollution (not navigation, radio communication and COLREG) according to the type of module requested in an application and issue a Conformity Certificate.

The list for the latest applicable material and equipment is COMMISSION DIRECTIVE 2014/93/EC of 18 July 2014.