P r o f i l e

S e t t i n g S t a n d a r d s o f E x c e l l e n c e

O U R M I S S I O N

The mission of the American Bureau of Shipping is to serve the public interest

as well as the needs of our clients by promoting the security of life, property

and the natural environment primarily through the development and verification

of standards for the design, construction and operational maintenance of

marine-related facilities.

It is the policy of the American Bureau of Shipping to be responsive to the

individual and collective needs of our clients as well as those of the public

at large, to provide quality services in support of our mission, and to provide

our services consistent with international standards developed to avoid,

reduce or control pollution to the environment.

All of our client commitments, supporting actions, and services delivered

must be recognized as expressions of Quality. We pledge to monitor our

performance as an on-going activity and to strive for continuous improvement.

We commit to operate consistent with applicable environmental legislation

and regulations and to provide a framework for establishing and reviewing

environmental objectives and targets.

Q U A L I T Y & E N V I R O N M E N T A L P O L I C Y

A B S P R O F I L E •• 1

C O N T E N T SWelcome to ABS 5

A Brief History 13

Organization & Management 17

Classification Services 21

Certification Services 49

Offshore & Energy Services 51

Statutory Services 61

Naval Vessel Standards 71

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ABS Americas Headquarters

ABS Europe Headquarters

ABS WORLD HEADQUARTERS

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ABS WorldwideLocations

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ABS Pacific Headquarters

A B S P R O F I L E •• 3

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SAFETY, SERVICE, SOLUTIONS –

These three goals define the activities of ABS. They are the bedrock

upon which our commitment to set standards of excellence

as one of the world’s leading ship classification societies is founded.

From its inception in 1862, setting safety standards for the marine

industry has been the core commitment of ABS. This is achieved

through the establishment and application of technical standards,

known as Rules, for the design, construction and operational

maintenance of ships and other marine structures. Classification

is a process that certifies adherence to these Rules.

From its World Headquarters in Houston, ABS delivers services

and solutions to a worldwide client list through a network of local

representative offices in 70 countries. ■

WelcomeTO ABS

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IT IS THE GOAL OF ABS TO PROVIDE THE MOST

RESPONSIVE LOCAL SERVICE TO OUR CLIENTS.

We have met that customer-oriented objective through a decentralized

management structure, supported by a network of representative

engineering and survey offices around the world.

Over 1,650 people, of many nationalities, working from more than

150 offices in 70 countries, are the heart of ABS. As a provider

of safety services and operational solutions to the marine and

offshore energy industries, we recognize that our employees are

our most important attribute. These employees represent a

remarkable breadth of knowledge, experience and talent. Their

diversity is our strength. ■

Global Reach LOCAL RESPONSE

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THE CORE COMPETENCIES OF THIS WORLDWIDE

NETWORK OF ABS PROFESSIONALS LIE IN THE FIELDS

OF SURVEY, ENGINEERING AND AUDITING. Our engineers

offer a spectrum of skills from naval architecture to hydrodynamics

to ergonomics.

Our marine surveyors bring experience and professional judgment

to their task of assessing the compliance of a vessel or structure with

the ABS Rules and relevant statutory regulations throughout its life,

from drawing board to scrapyard.

Our auditors specialize in management and security systems,

particularly those conforming to the International Safety Management

(ISM) and International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Codes.

Backing these field representatives is an unequivocal commitment

to research and development. Our Technology Department is

recognized as a leader of technical innovation in the marine and

offshore sectors. ■

CoreCOMPETENCIES

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ABS IS COMMITTED TO BEING THE MOST

EFFICIENT PROVIDER OF MARINE AND OFFSHORE

CLASSIFICATION SERVICES. We have been able to achieve

that goal through the innovative thinking, enthusiasm and

professionalism of our staff.

Our clients have been the beneficiaries. Our service levels and

pricing structure are reflective of those efficiencies.

Wherever in the world our clients are located ABS can be there,

able to offer quick, practical solutions to their operational

challenges. ■

PracticalSOLUTIONS

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FROM THE TIME IT WAS FIRST CHARTERED IN THE

STATE OF NEW YORK IN 1862, ABS has been committed to

the maritime industry and deeply involved in its technical development

and the improvement of its safety standards.

Born out of a need for industry self-regulation, ABS published its first

technical standards, Rules for Survey and Classing Wooden Vessels,

in 1870. When the era of wooden ships gave way to iron, ABS

established standards for these structures, published as Rules for

Survey and Classing of Iron Vessels.

Similarly, when iron gave way to steel, ABS Rules for Building and

Classing Steel Vessels were established and published in 1890. These

Steel Vessel Rules continue to be revised and published annually,

embodying the service, experience and technological advancements

accumulated since that first edition. ■

A BriefHISTORY

A B S P R O F I L E •• 1 3

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FROM THE OUTSET ABS HAS BEEN A LEADER IN

ESTABLISHING TECHNICAL STANDARDS FOR THE

INDUSTRY. ABS was the first society to publish Rules for Building

and Classing Mobile Offshore Drilling Units; the first to develop Rules

for Building and Classing Submersibles; and the first to offer Rules for

Building and Classing Aluminum Vessels.

It was the first classification society to class SWATH vessels; the first

to class FPSOs; the first to publish Rules on CD-ROM; and the first

to develop dynamic based criteria for the design and evaluation of

ship structures.

Most recently ABS has contributed to the development of more

efficient marine transportation systems and technically advanced

energy exploration and production units through the establishment

of comprehensive, risk-based standards. ■

A LegacyOF LEADERSHIP

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THE AMERICAN BUREAU OF SHIPPING, A NOT-FOR-

PROFIT CORPORATION, HAS NO CAPITAL STOCK AND

PAYS NO DIVIDENDS.

All funds generated from fees for classification services are used solely

for the performance of such services, and any surplus of receipts in

any one year is used for the extension and improvement of such

services, including research and development.

Management responsibilities are vested in the Board of Directors

the members of which are selected for their broad experience

of the maritime, offshore and insurance industries, and the Council,

chosen from the more than 800 Members of ABS. This membership

is drawn from persons considered to be eminent within their

maritime field of endeavor, principally shipowners, shipbuilders,

naval architects, marine engineers, marine underwriters and

government representatives. ■

Organization& MANAGEMENT

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AS AN INTERNATIONAL TECHNICAL ORGANIZATION,

IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT ABS STAYS INFORMED OF

AND, WHEN APPROPRIATE, LEADS MARINE-RELATED

DEVELOPMENTS WORLDWIDE.

ABS accomplishes this through a general committee structure

consisting of individuals prominent in marine and related industries.

The general committees, which may be either national or regional

in nature, also serve as a forum for ABS Members and management.

ABS develops and updates its Rules through a structure of special

technical committees comprising individuals prominent in the marine,

offshore and related industries. These committees permit ABS to

maintain close contact with the numerous technological and scientific

disciplines associated with the design, construction and maintenance

of ships and other marine structures.

Organized and managed in this manner, and reflective of the wide

spectrum of interests of its Members, ABS provides the industry

with a recognized organization for self-regulation. ■

IndustryADVISORS

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THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CLASSIFICATION

SOCIETY IS TO VERIFY that merchant ships and marine

structures presented to it comply with Rules that the society

has established for design, construction and periodic survey.

Classification itself does not judge the economic viability of a

vessel. Neither is the society in a position to judge whether a

vessel is ultimately employed according to the stated intended

purpose for which it was classed.

The classification society records, reports and recommends in

accordance with what it has seen at the time of a vessel’s

construction and subsequent surveys.

If a vessel is found not to comply with the Rules, and the

recommendations of ABS are not followed, then the society

will suspend or cancel classification. ■

ClassificationRESPONSIBILITIES

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THE PRIMARY MEANS BY WHICH ABS PURSUES ITS

MISSION IS THROUGH CLASSIFICATION OF SHIPS AND

OTHER MARINE STRUCTURES.

Classification is a procedure involving:

the development of standards, known as Rules

technical plan review and design analysis

surveys during construction

source inspection of materials, equipment and machinery

acceptance by the Classification Committee

subsequent periodic surveys for maintenance of class

survey of damage, repairs and modifications ■

ClassificationPROCEDURE

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RULES ARE DERIVED FROM PRINCIPLES OF NAVAL

ARCHITECTURE, MARINE ENGINEERING AND

ASSOCIATED DISCIPLINES.

A new Rule, or a proposed change to an existing Rule, originates

with one of the ABS technical committees, from in-service experience,

from a new IACS Unified Requirement or from the ongoing research

conducted by the technology staff at ABS.

Research projects are conducted either directly by ABS or are

undertaken jointly with industry, with academic and governmental

organizations or with other appropriate partners to best draw on

the most qualified sources available. ■

RuleDEVELOPMENT

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ABS IS DEDICATED TO PROVIDING LEADERSHIP

IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES

INTENDED TO IMPROVE THE SAFETY STANDARDS

OF THE MARINE INDUSTRY.

At any one time more than 100 research and development projects are

underway in the ABS Research and Product Development Department,

ranging from detailed structural analysis to the impact of human

factors on the ergonomic design of the marine workplace.

ABS recognizes that the classification world is changing with more

emphasis on complex structures, life cycle management, unified

standards and safety equivalencies.

To address these issues, increasing emphasis within the ABS

technology strategy is being given to areas that will improve the

integration of classification into both the design process and life

cycle operations, while addressing safety equivalencies through

greater emphasis on risk and reliability methods. ■

RESEARCH &PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

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WHEN AN OWNER FIRST REQUESTS THAT THE VESSEL

OR STRUCTURE BE CLASSED, the shipyard or design agent

presents drawings and calculations to ABS for a systematic detailed

review for compliance with the Rules.

ABS engineers review the plans to verify that the structural and

mechanical details conform to the Rule requirements. Their review

may also include sophisticated computer-based analytical procedures.

In this way, ABS is able to determine whether the design is adequate

in its structural and mechanical concept.

During the entire review process ABS is available for consultations

with the owner and designer. ■

Plan Review& DESIGN ANALYSIS

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ADVANCES IN COMPUTING TECHNOLOGY HAVE

MADE POSSIBLE INCREASINGLY SOPHISTICATED

PROCEDURES FOR DESIGN ASSESSMENT leading to greater

safety, efficiency and economy of ships and offshore structures.

ABS has developed and routinely applies technologically advanced

methods to solve complex engineering problems. The following

engineering analyses, in support of vessel design, are available:

FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSES FOR HULL STRUCTURES

SafeHull design evaluation

dynamic load approach (DLA)

MACHINERY ANALYSES

pressure vessel analysis

tank support analysis

crankshaft analysis

short circuit analysis

coordination study

flange analysis

torsional vibration analysis

TechnicalANALYSES

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STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS

finite element analysis

stress analysis

thermal stress analysis

vibration prediction studies

fatigue and fracture mechanic analyses

Rule scantling analysis

buckling analysis

hull girder analysis

environmental loading and hydrodynamic analyses

design load prediction

seakeeping and motion studies

springing and slamming studies

sloshing analysis

wind loading analysis

grillage analysis

double bottom analysis

plane frame analysis

racking analysis

webframe analysis

mooring strength analysis

permissible speed-in-ice analysis ■

TechnicalANALYSES

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AFTER A DESIGN HAS BEEN APPROVED BY ABS

ENGINEERS, ABS FIELD SURVEYORS ATTEND THE

VESSEL AT THE SHIPYARD FROM KEEL LAYING

TO DELIVERY.

The surveyors verify that the approved plans are followed and

the Rules are adhered to.

During the construction of a vessel built to ABS class, surveyors

witness, at the place of manufacture or fabrication, the tests of

materials for the hull and certain items of machinery as required by

the Rules. They also survey the building, installation and testing of

the structural and principal mechanical and electrical systems.

Throughout construction ABS maintains an ongoing dialogue with

the owner and the builder to make sure the Rules are understood and

adhered to, and to assist in resolving differences that may arise. ■

SurveysDURING CONSTRUCTION

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WHEN COMPLETED, A VESSEL UNDERGOES SEA

TRIALS ATTENDED BY AN ABS FIELD SURVEYOR.

The vessel is then presented to the ABS Classification Committee

which assesses the vessel’s compliance with the Rules based on

the collective experience of the Committee members and

recommendations from the ABS staff.

The Classification Committee is comprised of ABS Members drawn

from the maritime industry, United States Coast Guard and ABS

officers. When accepted by the Committee, formal certification

is issued to the vessel.

The vessel’s classification information, characteristics and other

particulars are then entered into the ABS Record – the electronic

register of vessels classed by ABS maintained and updated on the

ABS web site. ■

AcceptanceINTO CLASS

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ABS RULES REQUIRE THAT EVERY CLASSED VESSEL

BE SUBJECT TO PERIODIC SURVEYS TO DETERMINE

WHETHER IT IS MAINTAINED IN ACCORDANCE WITH

CLASSIFICATION STANDARDS.

Surveys are based on a five-year cycle of Annual Surveys, an

Intermediate Survey to be completed between the second and third

years of the five-year period, and a comprehensive Special Survey

including dry docking at each fifth anniversary from

the time of the vessel’s delivery. ■

SurveysAFTER CONSTRUCTION

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SHOULD AN ABS CLASSED VESSEL SUSTAIN DAMAGE

THAT MAY AFFECT ITS CLASSIFICATION STATUS,

THE OWNER IS REQUIRED TO INFORM THE SOCIETY.

Upon request, ABS surveyors then survey the vessel to determine

whether the structure and machinery continue to meet the ABS

Rules and, if not, verify that repairs made are in accordance with

class requirements.

Similarly, any structural modification of the vessel must be carried

out in accordance with ABS requirements for the vessel to remain

in class. ■

Survey of Damage,REPAIRS & MODIFICATIONS

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ENHANCED SAFETY

The ultimate goal of classification is to promote the safety of the

passengers, the crew, the cargo, the vessel and the environment

in which it operates.

PROTECTION OF CAPITAL INVESTMENT

As a measure of protection of their capital investment, financiers

usually require that a vessel has been designed, built and maintained

to appropriate classification standards.

CONFORMANCE WITH UNDERWRITING REQUIREMENTS

Classification signifies that a vessel complies with industry-developed

standards. This is usually mandated by insurance underwriters.

INDICATION OF DUE DILIGENCE

Classification is one indication that the shipowner has exercised

due diligence during the construction and service life of the vessel.

INDICATION OF PROPER MAINTENANCE

To remain in class, a vessel must undergo periodic surveys to verify

that it is maintained to class standards and in conformance with

the Rules.

CONFORMANCE WITH STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS

In most nations the governing authorities have mandated that certain

vessels entering into their registry be classed. ■

ReasonsTO CLASS

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MORE THAN A CENTURY OF EXPERIENCE

ABS has been in existence since 1862. It has a proven ability to meet

the needs of the shipping industry. The ABS Rules incorporate the

knowledge gathered from more than 140 years of operating experience

and from the most advanced technological research.

ADVANCED TECHNOLOGICAL CAPABILITIES

ABS has some of the most respected research and development

resources in the marine industry, and is dedicated to providing greater

understanding of marine design and construction.

A NETWORK OF REGIONAL TECHNICAL OFFICES

ABS technical staff are located in Busan, Genoa, Hamburg, Houston,

London, Istanbul, New Orleans, New York, Piraeus, Rio de Janeiro,

Shanghai, Singapore, Taipei and Yokohama, providing fast, local

response to client needs.

A NETWORK OF FIELD SURVEYORS

ABS is able to offer quick, professional, 24 hours a day – seven days

a week, multilingual survey services to clients around the world from

an impressive network of more than 170 offices in 70 countries.

Reasons ToCLASS WITH ABS

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STATUTORY RECOGNITION OF ABS STANDARDS

Many flag States require vessels on their register to be classed with

one of a selected number of approved classification societies. ABS

is recognized by every major flag State. The ABS Classification Rules

address many of the standards relating to overall strength, stability,

machinery, safety equipment and pollution prevention contained in

the statutory regulations of those flag States. By classing with ABS,

these particular areas of the overall design could also meet national

authority requirements.

PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS

ABS has an intimate understanding of the commercial pressures

that confront clients and has developed an unparalleled reputation

for developing rapid, practical solutions to help clients avoid

costly delays. ■

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ABS ALSO OFFERS CERTIFICATION TO SPECIFIED

STANDARDS. Whereas classification requires periodic surveys of

the classed vessel or offshore unit throughout its life, certification

verifies that the item conforms to designated standards at a specified

time. Certification can establish compliance with ABS, national,

international, industry or other standards.

While ABS has developed standard certification programs for most

applications, it can also tailor programs to meet specific needs.

Typical standard certification programs offered by ABS can cover

such items as:

thruster systems

elevators

refrigeration machinery

diving systems and decompression chambers

drilling equipment

deck machinery

mass produced equipment and machinery

container lashings

cargo handling equipment

oil and gas production facilities

process systems

vapor emission control systems

controlled atmosphere systems

cargo containers ■

Certification

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ABS IS ACKNOWLEDGED BY THE INDUSTRY AS THE

LEADER IN DEVELOPING AND APPLYING TECHNICALLY

ADVANCED, COMMERCIALLY PRACTICAL STANDARDS

for the design, construction and operational maintenance of offshore

drilling and production units and for gas carriers of all types. It has

been the preferred classification society for the offshore and energy

industry for more than 50 years.

It was the first society to class jackup rigs and still classes the majority

of jackups in service. The ABS Rules for Building and Classing Mobile

Offshore Drilling Units were the first of their kind and still form the

template from which other codes and regulations have been developed.

It was the first society to class spars and is the preferred society for the

classification of TLPs.

ABS standards also cover offshore facilities, installations, pipelines,

risers, mooring systems, FPSOs and SPMs. Updated Guides for floating

production installations and facilities now take into account the latest

risk analysis techniques to assess novel concepts and new design

innovations. ■

Offshore &ENERGY SERVICES

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ABS TECHNICAL STAFF HAVE APPROVED THE

MAJORITY OF OFFSHORE AND ENERGY RELATED

INSTALLATIONS, FACILITIES AND VESSELS IN

THE WORLD. Where necessary they have developed and applied

leading edge risk assessment methodologies to review and approve

the many novel concepts that characterize the advanced technological

developments in this sector.

Technical services include:

design and structural review

global strength, fatigue and redundancy analysis

stability analysis

sloshing analysis for LNGs

seakeeping and mooring analysis

electrical and mechanical systems review

statutory reviews ■

Offshore TECHNICAL SERVICES

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ABS PROVIDES COMPREHENSIVE SURVEY SERVICES

TO THE OFFSHORE ENERGY SECTOR. ABS surveyors

are located in every major offshore energy area in the world,

from Kazakhstan to the Australian North West Shelf to the

Gulf of Mexico.

With more than 70 percent of the world’s offshore units and

facilities classed with ABS, no one can offer more experienced

or responsive survey services than ABS including:

surveys during fabrication

installation surveys

hookup and commissioning surveys

periodic surveys for the life of the offshore structure

survey of damage, repairs and modifications ■

OffshoreSURVEY SERVICES

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RAPID ADVANCEMENTS IN GAS HANDLING AND

TRANSPORTATION METHODS ARE CREATING

OPPORTUNITIES FOR LARGER LNG TERMINALS,

many located offshore, significant size increases in LNG carriers,

groundbreaking LPG FPSO vessels and the development of novel

compressed natural gas (CNG) and gas-to-liquids (GTL) concepts

with which ABS is deeply involved.

ABS has issued or conducted detailed development work on new

standards and guidelines for building and classing these new gas

transport and storage facilities. Developments include the application

of ABS SafeHull to membrane-type LNG carriers to approve designs

for a 40-year North Atlantic fatigue life and the development of

advanced sloshing analysis programs to evaluate partial loading.

With the growing interest in offshore terminals, ABS issued the

industry’s first standards, contained in the ABS Guide for Building

and Classing Offshore LNG Terminals.

ABS has also granted “approval in principle” for the majority of the

proposed designs for the transport of CNG. The first LPG FPSO has

also been built to ABS criteria. ■

gas handling TECHNOLOGY

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ABS HAS BEEN ACCEPTED BY MORE THAN 100 FLAG

STATES AND NATIONAL JURISDICTIONS TO PROVIDE

STATUTORY REVIEW TO THOSE GOVERNMENTS’

REQUIREMENTS. Principal among the authorizing bodies are the

US Coast Guard and US Minerals Management Service (MMS), the

UK HSE, the Norwegian NPD, Indonesia’s MIGAS, DPC of Brazil,

CNSOPB and CNOPB of Canada and Nigeria’s NMA/DPR.

ABS has also participated in the development of technical standards

for the design and construction of platforms in Azerbaijan and

Kazakhstan waters.

ABS’ understanding of the statutory requirements of governments

around the globe means we are able to guide operators towards quick,

complete compliance. The Alternate Compliance Program (ACP) for

MODUs was jointly developed by ABS and the USCG in a unique

example of regulator and industry cooperation. ■

OffshoreREGULATIONS

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MORE THAN 100 GOVERNMENTS HAVE RECOGNIZED

THE PROFESSIONAL INTEGRITY AND EXPERIENCE

OF ABS by authorizing the classification society to act as a Recog-

nized Organization (RO) or Recognized Security Organization (RSO).

These duties include the conduct of surveys and the issuance of

certificates in accordance with various international and national

maritime Conventions and Codes, such as Load Line, Safety of Life

at Sea (SOLAS), Tonnage, Marine Pollution (MARPOL), ISM Code

and the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code.

These governments have recognized that ABS possesses a global

network of exclusive, qualified surveyors and extensive resources in

manpower and technology to conduct the technical reviews, audits

and surveys necessary to fulfill the various Convention requirements.

These activities have given ABS a comprehensive knowledge of

national and international maritime regulations. It is able to draw

on this knowledge in advising clients on how best to meet the

documentation needs and accurately apply the criteria. ■

statutorySERVICES

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ABS ENGINEERS AND SURVEYORS, WORKING WITH

INDUSTRY AND GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES,

can verify that the vessel is built and provided with the necessary

equipment and features required by the SOLAS Convention.

At the time of construction and throughout a vessel’s service life,

based on a satisfactory review and survey of the vessel, certificates can

be issued indicating compliance with the requirements of the SOLAS

regulation. These include:

Safety Construction Certificate (SLC)

Safety Equipment Certificate (SLE)

Safety Radio Certificate (SLR)

Passenger Ship Safety Certificate (SLP)

Additionally, document review and appropriate audits are also carried

out by ABS verifying that the safety and security management systems

comply with:

International Management Code for the Safe Operation

of Ships and for Pollution Prevention (ISM)

International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code ■

SOLASCERTIFICATES

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AS A PART OF THE REVIEW AND SURVEY PROCESS

RELATING TO THE ISSUANCE OF SOLAS CERTIFICATES

ABS WILL, upon request, perform review and survey of those details

relating to the issuance of the following MARPOL certificates:

International Oil Pollution Prevention (IOPP) Certificate

IMO Certificate of Fitness for Ships Carrying Liquefied

Gases in Bulk (IGC)

IMO Certificate of Fitness for Carriage of Dangerous

Chemicals in Bulk (IBC)

International Air Pollution Prevention (IAPP) Certificate ■

MARPOLCERTIFICATES

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A LOAD LINE CERTIFICATE IS ISSUED ON BEHALF

OF AN ADMINISTRATION TO INDICATE THAT A VESSEL

is capable of carrying its intended cargo in a stable condition. The

load line itself is a hull mark that indicates the maximum draft to

which a vessel is permitted to safely load. ■

Load LineCERTIFICATES

IN ADDITION TO THE NATIONAL OR INTERNATIONAL

TONNAGE CERTIFICATES, PANAMA AND SUEZ CANAL

TONNAGE CERTIFICATES can be issued by ABS on behalf

of those authorities. SOLAS and MARPOL regulations specify

arrangements and equipment requirements based on the ship’s

gross tonnage. ■

TonnageCERTIFICATES

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ABS HAS MAINTAINED A LONG AND CLOSE

RELATIONSHIP WITH THE US COAST GUARD.

A formal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was completed

in 1981 which authorized ABS to act on behalf of the Coast Guard

in the review of certain structural, mechanical and electrical plans

for vessels which are both ABS classed and require USCG

certification. This initial MOU has been periodically revised and

expanded throughout the 1980s and 1990s.

The development of the Alternative Compliance Program (ACP)

expanded the scope of plan review and inspection activities delegated

to ABS and eliminated the duplication of tasks performed by both

the USCG and ABS.

Representatives from the USCG serve on ABS technical committees

contributing to the updating of ABS Rules and Guides. The US Coast

Guard Commandant is also a member of the ABS Council, one of the

governing bodies of ABS. ■

ABS & THE US GOVERNMENT

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THE NEXT GENERATION OF COMBATANTS AND

SUPPORT VESSELS BUILT BY THE US NAVY ARE

BEING CONSTRUCTED in accordance with technical guidelines

developed by ABS in close cooperation with Naval Sea Systems

Command (NAVSEA).

The ABS Rules for Building and Classing Naval Vessels and associated

Guide for naval high speed craft are the result of a multi-year project

that has involved representatives from ABS, NAVSEA, the Naval

Warfare Center other Navy commands, shipyards, design agents

and academia.

The standards address the bulk of hull, mechanical, electrical,

environmental and safety related criteria for the vessels. It merges

commercial processes with naval technical requirements to produce

a ship classification approach tailored specifically to the needs of

the military. ■

Naval Vessel STANDARDS

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