 How to become member of IACS

 To become an associate member of IACS it requires the following:

-          Minimum 15 years of experience. -          More then 750 sea going
vessel. -          Total Gross Tonnage must be minimum 2 million.
-          Should have 75 surveyors and 50 technical staff.   There are several
classification societies working all over the world but minimum requirements
to become a full member of IACS are: -          Minimum 30 years of
experience. -          More then 1500 sea going vessels registered.
-          All vessels must be over 100 GT with total 8 million GT.
-          Should have 150 exclusive surveyors and 100 technical staff.
IACS Membership Criteria are as follows given in IACS charter: (i)
Demonstrated ability of the Classification Society to develop, apply, maintain,
regularly up-date and publish its own set of classification rules in the English
language covering all aspects of the ship. (ii) Demonstrated ability to provide
surveys of ships under construction in accordance with the Classification
Societys rules and periodic surveys of ships in service, including statutory
surveys in accordance with IMO and Flag State requirements; classification
process (design appraisal, construction survey and ships-in-service periodical
survey); (iii) Sufficient international coverage by exclusive surveyors relative
to the size of the Classification Societys construction programme and classed
fleet in service; (iv) Extensive documented experience in assessing the
design and construction of ships (v) Significant in-house managerial,
technical, support and research staff commensurate with the size of the
Classification Societys classed fleet and its involvement in the classification of
ships under construction (vi) Technical ability of the Classification Society to
contribute with its own staff to the work of IACS in developing minimum
rules and requirements for the enhancement of maritime safety (vii)
Contribution of the Classification Society on an ongoing basis with its own
staff to the work of IACS as described in (vi) above (viii) Maintaining in
electronic form and updating at least annually a register of classed ships in
the English language (ix) Independence from ship-owning, ship-building and
other commercial interests which could undermine the Classification Societys
impartiality (x) Compliance with the IACS Quality System Certification
Scheme.
condition of class, withdrawal of class?
 Class does so by issuing a "Condition of class", Which means that to be able to retain
the class, the said defect need to be renewed before the specified period. This way the
"certificate of class" remains valid but with a condition. When the defect is
rectified, class surveyor will attend the vessel and verify that.
  Memoranda?

Classification society's memoranda to the ship owners are the notes for them. These
notes highlight something to the ship owner that is within the acceptable limits but
may require their attention because it can go out of the limit in near future.

 What does a classification Society does?

Classification societies set technical rules based on experience and research, confirm that
designs and calculations meet these rules, survey ships and structures during the process of
construction and commissioning, and periodically survey vessels to ensure that they
continue to meet the rules. Classification societies are also responsible for classing oil
platforms, other offshore structures, and submarines. This survey process covers diesel
engines, important shipboard pumps and other vital machinery. Since the 1950s, the USSR
(now Russian) Register of Shipping has classified nuclear ships, the only classification
society to do so.
Classification surveyors inspect ships to make sure that the ship, its components and
machinery are built and maintained according to the standards required for their class.
 IACS main function.
Although IACS is a non-governmental organization, it also plays a role within
the International Maritime Organization (IMO), for which IACS provides technical support and
guidance and develops unified interpretations of the international statutory regulations
developed by the member states of the IMO. Once adopted, these interpretations are
applied by each IACS member society, when certifying compliance with the statutory
regulations on behalf of authorizing flag states.
IACS has consultative status with the IMO, and remains the only non-governmental
organization with observer status which also develops and applies technical rules that are
reflective of the aims embodied within IMO conventions. The link between the international
maritime regulations, developed by the IMO and the classification rule requirements for a
ship’s hull structure and essential engineering systems is codified in the International
Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS).