About 250 years ago, the London insurance industry put forward the concept of classification society. The basic idea is that the classification society evaluates the technical standards of insured ships on a neutral basis. Subsequently, the concept of classification society survived for 250 years. This can be said to be a successful example of industrial adaptability. However, this adaptability is only possible when the classification society shows that it can meet the changing expectations of the competent authorities, the shipping industry and even the whole society during this whole period. Today, the classification society calls it "customer-centered". However, customer-centric does not mean that classification societies promise to meet the needs of all commercial customers. Classification societies exist because, as an independent third party that meets safety and technical needs rather than commercial needs, they have impartial functions and are trusted and respected. Classification societies must balance the different needs of shipowners and shipyards according to the statutory requirements of maritime safety and their own norms and conditions acceptable to development and research institutions. And this kind of meaning is a function that a society expects and can accept at any given time. This is why the concept of ship classification always changes with time, and the business scope of classification society is far more than just related to hull and turbine.
(2) Risk control function
On the one hand, although luxury mail ships have developed rapidly, due to the rapid air transportation, the number of tourists crossing the ocean has decreased; On the other hand, although the air freight volume has increased, the long-distance transportation of bulk goods still mainly depends on safe, effective and reliable maritime transportation. Due to the increase of global trade volume, the tonnage and cargo capacity of the world merchant fleet have also increased due to the improvement of efficiency and effectiveness. Therefore, for world trade, maritime transportation is the most important, and this kind of transportation is always accompanied by risks. Not only the crew or cargo will suffer losses, but also the transported passengers will be injured by swords. As far as successful operation is concerned, operators are faced with many other risks and must find ways to avoid unbearable risks; If it is impossible or uneconomical to avoid risks, we must find ways to mitigate them. As early as ancient times, people felt the necessity of controlling marine risks. /kloc-Kyle in the 0/3rd century? Poirot first reported the application of watertight barrier in China. It was not until 1854 that the legal requirements for watertight partition were first put forward. At that time, the British maritime law required the use of partitions in the forepeak and engine room. In the past half century or so, maritime regulations, norms and requirements have not only become international, but also greatly increased in content and complexity. Generally speaking, they still retain the method of controlling the risk of maritime navigation with rice today. These specifications, procedures and requirements mainly include four aspects:
Code for ship inspection
1.IM0 Conventions, regulations and guidance documents
Unilateral demand
Industry practice
According to the merchant fleet records and accident data published by Lancaster, Lloyd's Register of Shipping, the world fleet has grown rapidly since 1950, but the accident rate has been declining. The annual ship loss rate calculated by Lancaster decreased by 2.4%, from 3.5% in 189 1 year to 0.3% in 1990. Although the average ratio is still high at present, the general trend is encouraging. The shipwreck situation has been greatly improved, and the average loss rate has also dropped significantly, while the average ship age has increased by 60% in the same period. Through the classification of ships, classification societies have played and will continue to play an important role in maritime safety. Classification is based on the research, publication and supplement of ship design, construction and maintenance specifications. Today, classification still plays a key role in reducing maritime risks. Classification societies have made great contributions to controlling maritime risks. Nowadays, classification societies not only pay attention to the traditional business of ship classification societies, that is, the verification and control based on their own specifications or on behalf of the flag state, but also pay attention to the role of classification societies as risk reduction factors by formulating specifications and providing ship construction and operation consulting services for the shipping industry. As a vice president of Shell Transportation Company said, "I sleep well at night with the Classification Society".
(3) Knowledge management function
Modern classification society is the manager of technical competitiveness, which may be the most important in today's shipping industry. "Knowledge management" is not a new term. The classification rules of classification societies are the crystallization of the knowledge of ship engineers and shipping industry in past dynasties, and of course it is also one of the best examples of structural capital that can be found in any industry. When it is combined with the human capital represented by the staff of classification society, classification society has an unparalleled knowledge management system in today's shipping industry. The shipping industry expects that these knowledge and capabilities can be used to improve the overall competitiveness of the whole industry. Therefore, it will be a trump card to ensure that the classification society can stand in the forest of Dingcheng Company to provide the world with comprehensive services that are compatible with the traditional classification society business and extensive consulting business. The answer of classification society to this challenge is to invest in the development of classification society qualification. Classification societies collect and analyze all the information of all ships from cradle to grave through classification society standards, so as to extract and transform it into knowledge, and then use it for customers and employees of classification societies all over the world. This process of obtaining technical information and knowledge has greatly enhanced the confidence of making correct decisions than before. Not only the total amount of information, but also the composition and expression of information, so that customers of classification societies have a solid foundation to make correct technical and economic decisions, which is a modern form of risk management. Classification society is an important factor in the self-control system of shipping industry. At any time, classification societies always try their best to find a balance between social expectations for maritime safety and economic reality. The role of classification society as knowledge manager is as important as the traditional role of classification society, that is, control and verification business. It is this aspect of classification society business that ensures the future existence of classification society. The value of classification society lies in its knowledge management ability and the ability to share this knowledge with customers, thus making the shipping industry have a stable future.
Generally speaking, the main tasks of China Classification Society are: to undertake the classification inspection, impartial inspection and evidence collection inspection of ships, offshore facilities, containers and related industrial products at home and abroad, to carry out specific inspection services such as statutory inspection authorized by the competent authorities of China government and foreign governments (regions), and other services approved by relevant competent authorities. On June 27th, 2006, after the election of the 53rd Board of Directors of IACS held in New York, USA, Li Kejun, President of China Classification Society (CCS), became the President of IACS Board of Directors from July 1 2006 for a term of one year. This is the second time that the Asian Classification Society from the East has served as the chairman of IACS in recent years after coming from the Japan Shipping Association (NK). China Classification Society has 39 branches and offices in major coastal and riverside ports in China, and 19 branches, inspection rooms and inspection stations in 14 countries and regions abroad, with more than 60 inspection outlets worldwide. It has been authorized by the governments of 38 countries or regions to carry out statutory inspections on ships flying the national flags of these countries or regions, and has also signed mutual inspection cooperation agreements with 20 overseas ship inspection agencies. It has formed a worldwide inspection service network with Beijing as the center, relying on major coastal and riverside ports in China and focusing on Europe, North America, Oceania, the Far East and North Africa. CCS is also an associate member of INTERTANKO and INTERCARGO. China Classification Society has more than 60 inspection outlets at home and abroad, forming a global service network. In 20 10, the total tonnage of CCS ships exceeded 40 million tons.