IRS Introduces Ship Construction Standards

The International Register of Shipping has submitted goal-based new ship construction standards for verification audit by the International Maritime Organisation.

IRS is the only Recognized Organisation outside the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) to have developed and submitted MSC 296(87)-compliant structural rules for bulk carriers and oil tankers in time to meet the IMO December 2013 deadline.

Speaking on behalf of IRS Management, Group Vice President Panos Kirnidis said, “IRS has overcome considerable technical and commercial challenges to meet the deadline, but our substantial investment in the research and development of new goal-based rules and standards will enable us to capture a significant share of the 30 percent of vessels outside the purview of IACS.”

In total, 13 classification societies submitted GBS verification requests. The outcome of the audits will be submitted to the MSC in May 2016 and, if approved, those construction rules will be applied to bulk carriers and oil tankers built on or after July 1, 2016, limiting the survey and certification of these ship types to this group of 13 societies.

In addition to the development of Goal-Based Standards, IRS has invested heavily in new information technology platforms, including the latest in Enterprise Resource Planning software and a bespoke system called E-Ships.

IRS Technical Director Jay Karumathi said, “E-Ships will catapult IRS into the big league. It’s a unique customized software solution that enables our in-house teams and external users, such as shipowners, flag states and port authorities, to access data in order to monitor and manage workflows in real time. The software also meets the stringent transparency requirements set by IMO in its RO Code.”

Primary benefactors of the IRS Goal Based Standards and its investment in the latest information systems software will be the owners and managers of the 1,500 vessels under IRS Class.