The Bureau Veritas Classification Certification changes

The new classification certificate is simple, easy to read, and highlights the ship's identification and its classification marks and notations, which ultimately define the service for which the ship has been designed and its specific features. In addition, the new classification certificate will be printed in a certified environmentally friend paper contributing to reduce the Bureau Veritas carbon footprint.

But Bureau Veritas is changing more than just the format of the classification certificate. We are changing our certification system.

Indeed, the new certification system, that will be progressively implemented starting from mid June 2012, builds on information technology which provides all information needed on the classification of a vessel in a complete and structured way through the Class Survey Status, with particular emphasis given to user-friendliness.

The new certification system also features on-line communication means with the clients, which allows a closer cooperation between the class surveys and the ship’s planned management system, hence reinforcing the day-to-day working relationship between Bureau Veritas and its customers.

The new system introduces the concepts of planned inspection items. These are items to be dealt with as a result of our surveys. There are two types of planned inspection items: recommendations and observations.

Recommendations are items to be dealt with in order to maintain ship's class.

Observations are planned inspection items relevant to the maintenance system of the vessel, which do not require the endorsement of a recommendation.

The new Bureau Veritas certification system provides means to the ship owners to follow-up on line these planned inspection items.

Another important modification implemented by the new certification system is the fact that it will be possible to carry out the structural examinations required within the framework of annual surveys, in more than one attendance.

This is an old demand from the owners of certain ship types that stay very short periods in ports. With the new system, annual surveys may be carried out in more than one attendance and will be endorsed on the new class certificate when they are completed.

In other words, Bureau Veritas builds on the Information Technology to endeavour and provide a modern service which is always best suited to the operating mode of the vessel.

In summary, the most important features of the new certification system are: the new classification certificate, on-line communication means with the clients, the new enhanced ship status, planned inspection items and class annual surveys performed in more than one attendance.

Our surveyors will be pleased to explain all details of the new system to the ship's masters and superintendents. For any additional information on the new system, please do not hesitate to contact your Bureau Veritas connecting office.

We hope that our new certification system will meet your needs and expectations, and invite you to discover it. Any suggestion you may have for further improvements will be most welcomed

For more information the Bureau Veritas services for the Marine / Maritime industry, or on VeriSTAR