Chairman Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen sets out transformation of IACS at CMA Shipping 2018 (FOTO)

Stamford/Hamburg (ots) -

Speaking at Shipping 2018, the Connecticut Maritime Association's
(CMA) annual conference, Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen, IACS Chairman and CEO
of DNV GL - Maritime, looked at some of the initiatives taken at the
International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) that
were changing the organisation.

"It is my duty and honour to encourage the world's biggest
classification societies to pull together to adapt to this rapid pace
of change and create a strong foundation for IACS as the leading
maritime technical association," said Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen. The
changes at IACS were not a "sudden revolution, where we throw
everything we know overboard and start back at one", he said, but
rather "an evolution, a gradual transformation to becoming more
advanced, more transparent and more efficient in serving our
industry."

IACS was embracing the challenges of the digital transformation of
shipping and had already launched several projects to help the
industry adapt to recent shifts in markets, regulations and
technologies, Ørbeck-Nilssen noted. In a dedicated working group,
IACS has examined all the relevant resolutions, to identify which
standards present potential regulatory barriers to autonomous ship
operations. In addition, IACS is supporting the industry by leading
the work on the development of a common terminology for different
levels of autonomy.

To help the maritime community ensure the cyber-resilience of
their assets, IACS established and is taking the lead in an industry
working group focused on cyber safety. The working group addresses
common safety issues with interconnected systems, sharing best
practices and keeping up to date with new developments. To facilitate
the use of modern survey technology, IACS is also taking a fresh look
at its survey requirements. Potential revisions could cover advanced
non-destructive testing and remote inspection techniques.

IACS itself was a focus of the changes as well, added
Ørbeck-Nilssen: "As our way of working changes, the Association has
taken a fresh look at its internal procedures. Our focus i to ensure
that the services delivered by both new and existing members keep up
with regulatory developments and meet the highest quality standards."

But even in a rapidly changing world, IACS and the classification
societies would stay true to their ideals, said Ørbeck-Nilssen: "And
when everything around us is in motion, class aspires to be a beacon
of light setting the course ahead - with modern requirements,
transparent processes and the highest quality of service. The
industry is changing. Our ways of working may be changing. But the
purpose of classification remains the same: To protect life, property
and the environment."

Contact:
Media contact DNV GL:
Nikos Späth, Head of Media and Public Relations
DNV GL Maritime Communications
Tel.: +49 (0)40/36149-4856
E-Mail: nikos.spaeth@dnvgl.com

Original-Content von: DNV GL, übermittelt durch news aktuell