Information concerning DNV Rules for Classification can be obtained by sending an email to rules@dnv.com

Rule changes published in the July 2004 edition of DNV Rules for Classification will enter into force as stated on the inside front cover of the relevant booklet. The main changes are as follows:

Hull and Equipment - Main Class
Ships built for in-water survey (BIS)
Requests for a special feature class notation, which offers an alternative to dry-docking, has prompted the re-introduction of the notation BIS (“Ships Built for In-Water Survey”).

Machinery and Systems – Main Class
New installations of materials containing asbestos
These rules have been amended to include the implementation of SOLAS 2000 Chapter II-1, Part A-1, Regulation 3-5, with respect to new installations of materials containing asbestos. Regulation 3-5 was added by res. MSC.99 (73) adopted in December 2000, entering into force from 1st July 2002.

Fuel and lubrication oil system – components manufactured in aluminium
Concerning the use of aluminium in the manufacture of components for fuel- and lubrication oil systems:

All reference to the type of material to be used for the manufacture of fuel and lubricating oil system components, has been deleted.

The rules concerning flexible hoses:
Inconsistency between Pt.4 Ch.3, Pt.4 Ch.4 and Pt.4.Ch.6 has been raised as an issue by DNV CMC- surveyors. As a consequence these issues have been clarified in the rules.

New fire safety rules
New fire safety rules have been introduced, since the previous rules were deleted and adapted to “core class principles”. The new rules remain in line with the “core class principles” but DNV’s actual scope of work has been better defined. Additionally, all well-established DNV guidelines and interpretations of SOLAS Ch.II-2, plus all relevant IACS interpretations to Ch.II-2 have been reinserted in the rules as appendices, these being an implicit part of DNV’s scope when so authorised by the flag administration to issue SOLAS Safety Certificates.

Further, DNV’s interpretations of SOLAS on high expansion foam extinguishing systems have also been updated and aligned with accepted industry standards as of today. And in addition, the main class fire safety rules for cargo vessels, of less than 500 gross tonnage, have been updated to be in line with IACS Internal Guideline No.2 for small vessels.

Piping systems
IACS UR F35 (SOLAS Ch.II-2)

The changes to these rules include:

• clarification of the limitation for the use of cast iron piping in lubrication oil systems

• the requirements for the use of plastic pipes in refrigerated seawater (RSW) systems have been written in greater detail for clarification

• the requirements for a specific method for securing valves to the shipside have been deleted, as other methods are now more commonly accepted

• bilge system requirements in accordance with SOLAS XII 13 for bulk carriers, as per MSC 76 and DE 46 have been introduced

• fuel oil system - heating of storage tanks’ has been revised in line with IACS UR F35

• the requirements for valve arrangements on fuel oil tanks have been revised in accordance with latest SOLAS amendments

• the detailed requirements for dimensioning of hydraulic cylinders, which are considered incomplete and superfluous in the current rules have been deleted. These requirements are covered by ‘Type approval program No.201

• the requirements for pneumatic systems have been revised and clarified. The revisions concern duplication of text and clarification of redundancy requirements for air starting systems

• clarification of the general minimum wall thickness requirements for steel pipes, between hull plating and closable or non-return valve, and special requirements applicable to discharges for inert gas scrubber, have been introduced.

Special Service and Type – Additional Class
Storage of recovered oil in double bottom tanks in the engine room
DNV considers that the use of double bottom tanks for the storage of recovered oil, is no longer an acceptable solution. Consequently, this item has been deleted from the rules, where this hitherto had been an option for special consideration.

Supply vessels – deletion of anchoring equipment requirements
The requirements for increased anchoring equipment are no longer considered valid, there being no clear reason to further justify the additional anchoring equipment. Consequently, these rules have been deleted and replaced by a Guidance note.

Special Equipment and Systems - Additional Class
Nautical safety
SOLAS Chapter V Reg. 18.7 requires additional voluntary navigational equipment to conform to the relevant IMO performance standards. This has resulted in a substantial change when such terms as “electronic charts” and “ECS”(Electronic Chart Systems) have been replaced by “ECDIS” (Electronic Chart Display Information System). These changes have been reflected throughout the document.

Relevant paragraphs regulating watch monitoring and alarm transfer systems have been updated for consistency with the latest IMO performance standards for bridge navigational watch alarm systems.

The methods for achieving data on ships manoeuvrability have been revised based on the latest IMO resolutions, as well as strong arguments from the industry that some of the previously required full scale trials have caused unnecessary fatigue on major ship components, such as rudder stocks and main bearings.

Removal of the requirement for carrying LORAN/C has been based on strong inputs from users, industry and the findings of a FSA project for Large Passenger Vessels. Thus indicating that availability of positioning systems is the vital criterion for effectiveness, regarding safety.

The mandatory requirement for including AIS (Automatic Identification System) graphical presentation on radars is a direct result of the FSA study.

Vibration class notation
Vibration class has been introduced as a class notation and includes procedures for where and how to measure vibration levels. These requirements are based on international standards and experience values. Vessels fulfilling the requirements, which will be especially calculated for each particular vessel, and checked through measurements, will be given the class notation VIBR.

Ships in Operation
Hull survey of oil tankers and bulk carriers
IACS UR Z10.
The Rules for Classification of Ships have been amended in line with the latest revisions of IACS Unified Requirements for hull surveys of oil tankers and bulk carriers, as follows:

Nautical safety survey arrangements
Based on experience feedback from ship-owners the existing survey scheme for DNV’s NAUT-notations have been amended as follows:

1) Annual Survey
The scope of the Annual survey is to verify functional status of navigation equipment as well as log changes of software and/or hardware. DNV will now be proactive in assisting ship-owners when changes of software and/or hardware have been identified.

2) Renewal survey every 5 years.
The scope of the renewal survey is inspection and functional testing of all navigational equipment verifying the performance and give professional guidance on the follow-up of the equipment. The survey will be performed by a Nautical surveyor.

3) The scope of survey exceeds the scope of a CEC or PSSC.

Existing SOLAS convention ships – oil fuel arrangements
SOLAS Reg. II-2/15.2.9 to 15.2.12
DNV rules have been aligned with SOLAS consolidated edition 2001 Reg. II-2/15.2.9 to 15.2.12 – Oil Fuel Arrangements. SOLAS Reg. 15.2.9 to 15.2.11 has been applicable for new convention ships constructed on or after 1 July 1998. With effect from 1 July 2003, the requirements apply retroactively to all ships subject to SOLAS.

Survey scope of class notation VCS-3
New vapour (VOC) reduction plants are currently being installed on board shuttle tankers for the North Sea, some of these vessels will have the VCS-3 class notation. Therefore, from 2004, the class notation VCS-3 will include an annual survey. VCS-1 and VCS-2 notations have a very limited classification scope and require 5-yearly surveys. However, VCS-3, which is a complete system for vapour processing, will need both a 5-yearly complete periodical survey as well as an annual survey, with a different, and in effect much more extensive scope than VCS-1 and VCS-2.

Fire protection arrangement
Adoption of MSC Circular 850
The current rules for “Classification of Ships” do not fully cover the requirements given in MSC.Circ.850 which is the basis from which Flag Administrations make their complete list of requirements.

The rules have been amended, in order to include items listed in the above MSC circular, such as annual testing of the breathing air quality for air compressors and hydrostatic testing of all fire hoses.