The classification services of Qualitas Register of Shipping (QRS Class) are carried out in accordance with the General Regulations for the Classification. Classification surveys of vessels in service are regulated by the Rules of Classification Surveys of Vessels in Service, and rules depending on the type of ship.
Classification surveys of various purpose ships are carried out to verify their compliance with QRS rules and the normative technical documents to determine the possibility of assignment, renewal, reassignment, retainment and confirmation of classification, and to ensure the safety of human life at sea, the safe and reliable carriage of cargoes, and the prevention of environmental pollution.
The aim of the initial survey of a ship in service shall determine whether it is possible to assign class to a ship being submitted to QRS Class for the first time, as well as to re-assign QRS Class to a ship whose class has been withdrawn.
Periodical surveys:
- Annual survey for class confirmation is intended for establishing that the ship complies to a sufficient degree with the conditions of class, as well as for checking the operation of machinery, devices and installations covered by the requirements of the Rules for the Classification and Construction of Ocean-Going Vessels.
- Intermediate survey shall be carried out either at or between the second and third annual surveys. Items, which are additional to the items to be surveyed at annual surveys, may be surveyed either at or between the second and third annual survey.
- Special survey for class renewal is intended for determining whether the ship’s technical condition and structural and composition modifications of its items comply with the requirements of QRS Class. Special survey shall be carried out at 5-year intervals to renew the class.
- Survey of the outside of the ship’s bottom shall be carried out to verify whether the technical condition of the following items complies with the requirements of QRS Class:
- underwater hull;
- sea inlets, bottom and side valves;
- underwater parts of rudder and steering gears;
- shafting, propellers and active means of the ship’s steering (AMSS);
- parts of navigational equipment in the underwater hull;
- other items of technical supervision, which survey shall normally be carried out with the ship in a dry dock.
- Continuous survey system (CSS) of a ship: hull, arrangements, machinery, electrical equipment, refrigerating plant. Continuous survey consists of the distribution of survey scope corresponding to the scope of special survey for class renewal between separate surveys, and the whole cycle of survey shall be conducted within the period, for which the class is assigned or renewed.
- Survey on a Planned Maintenance Scheme for Machinery (PMS) basis shall be carried out on the basis of intervals between the maintenance operations (overhauls) recommended by the manufacturer, documented operator’s experience and a condition monitoring system, where fitted.
- Survey on a Condition Monitoring (CM) and a Condition Based Maintenance (CBM) basis. CM and CBM systems are fitted on board the ship at the shipowner’s discretion and shall be approved and subject to the relevant surveys performed by the Register upon the shipowner’s written request.
Occasional surveys
Shall be carried out in connection with reinstatement/retainment of class; changing of class notation, type/subtype and ship’s other characteristics; emergency occurrences; passages.
Other surveys
Subject to special agreement and authorization, the Register may carry out other surveys, such as: surveys carried out on authorization of state authorities (MA, embassy of Flag State, standardization bodies, state technical supervisory bodies, etc.); surveys carried out at the request of companies (shipping, insurance, industrial and others).
