CLASS ROUNDTABLEThe EvolutionThe role of Classi? cation societies is ever changing, with signi? cant material impact on the maritime market. In this edition, MarPro helps set the stage to and through 2020, with insights from leaders in Class on the burning issues.By Greg Trauthweincore safety role. There’s no doubt that we had been providing What has been the biggest evolution of class in this additional support to owners for a long time but now we the past ? ve years?Roberto P. Cazzulo, RINA: Over the past years, there has are seeing the packaging of these services across the board – been a big evolution of class rules into the new Goal Based by class and by other consultants. Standards. The GBS are a way to establish a close link between Now encompassing myriad roles, what is next class rules with goals and functional requirements established for “class?”by the IMO. Nowadays we are establishing this link for design Noboru Ueda, ClassNK: I think the biggest change for and construction of new bulk carriers and oil tankers, contract-ClassNK has actually been the expansion of our role from ed for construction on or after 1 July 2016. The IACS Com-mon Structural Rules, adopted in December 2013 and that will working purely as a regulator, to being an innovator of new technology. The reality today is that we are developing more enter into force in July 2015, will be subject to GBS veri? ca-tion. Within IACS, we are also discussing the development of advanced and rational rules, that are leading to more robust, functional requirements for structural safety of post-Panamax safer, and more ef? cient ships but at the same time new regu-containerships, focusing on hull girder strength and standard lations and higher standards can also mean greater burdens for load case de? nitions. This will be another move towards the shipyards and operators. As organizations dedicated to sup-GBS philosophy in the near future. The GBS approach may porting the maritime industry, it’s not enough to just create better and stricter standards, we also need to proactively in-also be expanded to look at machinery and automation systems in a holistic way, because they are fully integrated and cannot novate new tools and best practices to make it easier for yards and owners to not just reach compliance, but also achieve be seen in isolation, from ship’s performance point of view.higher levels and operations. Tim Protheroe, Lloyd’s Register North America: The Philippe Donche-Gay, BV: Three things have changed for growth in consultancy is a signi? cant evolution. We are seeing an increased focus on operational performance as well as our classi? cation societies. The range and depth of services they 42 | Maritime Professional | 1Q 2014 MP Q1 2014 34-49.indd 42 MP Q1 2014 34-49.indd 42 2/26/2014 1:30:19 PM2/26/2014 1:30:19 PM