When DNV was established in 1864, its main task was to safeguard life and property on board ships. Development of the offshore industry added a third principle for DNV: safeguarding the environment.

When DNV was established in 1864, its main task was to safeguard life and property on board ships. Development of the offshore industry added a third principle for DNV: safeguarding the environment.

With the implementation of ISO 9000, DNV became involved in quality assurance for a broad range of industries offshore and onshore. This is one of many new areas that have contributed to widen the variety of DNV services.

The variety of services we offer the maritime industry today is illustrated in this edition of Classification News. We describe six new ro-ro vessels recently delivered from Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft shipyard in Germany, and the many services and parties involved in realising such a project.

Even though a large number of ships are being constructed in Asia, shipbuilding in Europe retains its specialties in ro-pax, ro-ro and passenger ships. DNVs long partnership with Meyer Werft in Germany and their advanced cruise vessels is a good example of successfully applying our three main principles.

DNV has played an active role in the German shipping industry for the past 120 years, with a close relationship to the shipbuilding and shipowners associations, the Hamburg Port Authorities and the German Maritime Directorate. The SMM exhibition taking place at the end of September in Hamburg is evidence of the continuing technical development of European shipbuilding. DNV, too, is proud to be playing its part in this successful market.

Jörg Langkabel
Head of DNV Maritime Service Centre
in Hamburg, Germany