Lloyd’s Register Admitted to USCG’s Alternate Compliance Program

Lloyd’s Register has been authorized to participate in the U.S. Coast Guard’s (USCG) Alternate Compliance Program (ACP), which enables it to act as a recognised organisation (RO) for US-flagged vessels, capable of verifying compliance with United States design and inspection requirements and issuing statutory certificates. David Moorhouse, Executive Chairman of Lloyd’s Register and RADM Thomas Gilmour, Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety, Security and Environmental Protection, USCG, today signed the agreement at Lloyd’s Register’s London Office. The technical annex to the agreement was signed by Joseph Angelo, Director of Standards, USCG and Alan Gavin, Marine Director, Lloyd’s Register. ACP is a voluntary program available through authorized classification societies for owners, operators, designers and builders of US-flag vessels to comply with USCG design and inspection regulations. The Program is intended to reduce the regulatory burden on the maritime industry while maintaining existing levels of safety and providing the maritime industry with more flexibility in determining how to build and operate US-flag vessels. Under the terms of ACP, USCG will accept surveys performed by an authorised classification society as being equivalent to USCG tests and examinations for initial and in-service inspections for certification, periodic re-examination and drydock examinations. Participating vessel owners and operators can obtain USCG Certificates of Inspection by citing the successful completion of these activities by a classification society which has been authorised to participate in ACP, such as Lloyd’s Register. David Moorhouse said: “We are delighted to have received this authorisation. USCG, as one of the foremost flag state administrations in the world, implements a stringent and rigorous evaluation process, which Lloyd’s Register has successfully negotiated, demonstrating its wide-ranging capabilities in its capacity as a Recognised Organisation.” The authorization to participate in ACP represents the highest level of delegation that USCG can bestow upon a recognized classification society and is the culmination of many years of co-operative effort by both organisations.