Fleet Intelligence

Classification Societies

A safety profile for each classification society, built entirely from our own port-state-control detention and marine-casualty records, no new third-party data. It ranks the societies by detention and casualty intensity over the fleet we actually observe under each, with the eleven IACS members separated from the long tail of niche registers.

societies profiled

Across the 3,336 hulls we observe under a class, the 9 IACS majors present carry 1.17 detentions per observed vessel against 1.51 for the 65 smaller registers, the long tail runs about a quarter higher. Casualty records sit mostly with the majors, so casualty intensity is not comparable across the split, but where a non-IACS-classed hull does carry a casualty, 46% are serious against 26% for the majors.

Societies profiled

under a class in our record

IACS majors observed

of 74 profiled

Detentions on record

4,184

port-state-control events

Casualties on observed fleet

683

605 with the majors

IACS majors vs the long tail

Pooled over every observed hull: the aggregate the society-by-society table below never performs, so a single niche register can't tilt a cohort's ratio.

Cohort	Societies	Observed hulls	Det / vessel	Cas / vessel †	Serious share
IACS majorsIACS	9	2,535	1.17	0.24^†	26%
Non-IACS tail	65	801	1.51	0.10^†	46%

† Casualties per vessel is not comparable across the split: the casualty record concentrates in the majors, so the tail’s lower figure reflects thinner casualty coverage, not safer ships. Detentions per vessel and the serious share are pooled over every observed hull and are comparable; the higher figure in each is the adverse one.

Detention vs. casualty intensity

Each society placed by its two risk signals; bubble size is the fleet observed under it. Low-left is safer.

per vessel

Performance by society

Sorted with the IACS majors first, then by detention count. “Observed fleet” is the distinct vessel count we see under each society (a footprint, not a register headcount), so per-vessel figures are an event intensity over that footprint, not a true inspection rate.

Per-vessel intensities for societies with fewer than 3 observed vessels (marked †) are shown for completeness but are not comparable: a single detained hull yields det/vessel = 1.00 or higher. The cohort strip above pools every hull, so those registers cannot tilt the aggregate.

Classification societies by detention and casualty intensity over the observed fleet

Bureau VeritasIACS Observed589Casualties79Serious17Cas / vessel0.13Avg age17.2 yr	589	737	1.25	79	17	0.13	17.2 yr
ClassNK (Nippon Kaiji Kyokai)IACS Observed575Casualties98Serious26Cas / vessel0.17Avg age17.4 yr	575	668	1.16	98	26	0.17	17.4 yr
DNVIACS Observed559Casualties241Serious55Cas / vessel0.43Avg age18.0 yr	559	644	1.15	241	55	0.43	18.0 yr
Lloyd's RegisterIACS Observed395Casualties145Serious51Cas / vessel0.37Avg age17.2 yr	395	450	1.14	145	51	0.37	17.2 yr
American Bureau of ShippingIACS Observed270Casualties32Serious5Cas / vessel0.12Avg age15.5 yr	270	302	1.12	32	5	0.12	15.5 yr
China Classification SocietyIACS Observed70Casualties4Serious1Cas / vessel0.06Avg age15.5 yr	70	85	1.21	4	1	0.06	15.5 yr
Russian Maritime Register of ShippingIACS Observed39Casualties3Serious2Cas / vessel0.08Avg age25.4 yr	39	42	1.08	3	2	0.08	25.4 yr
Korean RegisterIACS Observed28Casualties3Serious1Cas / vessel0.11Avg age21.4 yr	28	32	1.14	3	1	0.11	21.4 yr
Croatian Register of ShippingIACS Observed10Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00Avg age23.2 yr	10	11	1.10	0	0	0.00	23.2 yr
Polish Register of Shipping Observed100Casualties1Serious0Cas / vessel0.01Avg age25.5 yr	100	146	1.46	1	0	0.01	25.5 yr
OTHER Observed85Casualties4Serious4Cas / vessel0.05Avg age36.0 yr	85	144	1.69	4	4	0.05	36.0 yr
PHRS Observed66Casualties1Serious1Cas / vessel0.02Avg age31.3 yr	66	102	1.55	1	1	0.02	31.3 yr
KR Observed88Casualties8Serious2Cas / vessel0.09Avg age16.5 yr	88	101	1.15	8	2	0.09	16.5 yr
INSB Observed58Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00Avg age33.9 yr	58	97	1.67	0	0	0.00	33.9 yr
DBS Observed50Casualties30Serious18Cas / vessel0.60Avg age32.8 yr	50	65	1.30	30	18	0.60	32.8 yr
BRS Observed39Casualties1Serious0Cas / vessel0.03Avg age35.2 yr	39	63	1.62	1	0	0.03	35.2 yr
IS Observed29Casualties1Serious1Cas / vessel0.03Avg age32.8 yr	29	40	1.38	1	1	0.03	32.8 yr
International Register of Shipping Observed29Casualties1Serious1Cas / vessel0.03Avg age21.5 yr	29	40	1.38	1	1	0.03	21.5 yr
TL Observed22Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00Avg age23.6 yr	22	35	1.59	0	0	0.00	23.6 yr
CRSCLASS Observed19Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00Avg age30.8 yr	19	31	1.63	0	0	0.00	30.8 yr
AR Observed10Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00Avg age34.5 yr	10	28	2.80	0	0	0.00	34.5 yr
MSR Observed18Casualties1Serious0Cas / vessel0.06Avg age41.4 yr	18	28	1.56	1	0	0.06	41.4 yr
SRU Observed19Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00Avg age37.8 yr	19	28	1.47	0	0	0.00	37.8 yr
OMCS Observed17Casualties1Serious0Cas / vessel0.06Avg age35.4 yr	17	23	1.35	1	0	0.06	35.4 yr
HNBS Observed13Casualties1Serious1Cas / vessel0.08Avg age36.5 yr	13	18	1.38	1	1	0.08	36.5 yr
International Naval Surveys Bureau Observed6Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00Avg age49.8 yr	6	18	3.00	0	0	0.00	49.8 yr
PMDS Observed8Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00Avg age30.8 yr	8	14	1.75	0	0	0.00	30.8 yr
ML Observed10Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00Avg age41.1 yr	10	13	1.30	0	0	0.00	41.1 yr
Isthmus Bureau of Shipping Observed5Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00Avg age30.5 yr	5	11	2.20	0	0	0.00	30.5 yr
VRS Observed7Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00Avg age34.8 yr	7	11	1.57	0	0	0.00	34.8 yr
PSR Observed7Casualties3Serious0Cas / vessel0.43Avg age33.2 yr	7	10	1.43	3	0	0.43	33.2 yr
DL Observed4Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00Avg age38.3 yr	4	9	2.25	0	0	0.00	38.3 yr
MBS Observed6Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00Avg age43.0 yr	6	9	1.50	0	0	0.00	43.0 yr
Bulgarian Register of Shipping Observed6Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00Avg age44.5 yr	6	7	1.17	0	0	0.00	44.5 yr
IBS Observed5Casualties1Serious1Cas / vessel0.20Avg age37.9 yr	5	7	1.40	1	1	0.20	37.9 yr
MC Observed4Casualties19Serious5Cas / vessel4.75Avg age23.5 yr	4	7	1.75	19	5	4.75	23.5 yr
Panama Maritime Documentation Service Observed5Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00Avg age31.9 yr	5	7	1.40	0	0	0.00	31.9 yr
IMB Observed4Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00Avg age20.2 yr	4	6	1.50	0	0	0.00	20.2 yr
RSA Observed5Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00Avg age37.8 yr	5	6	1.20	0	0	0.00	37.8 yr
VR Observed5Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00	5	6	1.20	0	0	0.00	·
COLAMREG Observed4Casualties3Serious2Cas / vessel0.75Avg age44.5 yr	4	5	1.25	3	2	0.75	44.5 yr
GBS Observed3Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00Avg age18.0 yr	3	5	1.67	0	0	0.00	18.0 yr
ICS Observed3Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00Avg age34.0 yr	3	5	1.67	0	0	0.00	34.0 yr
NASHA Observed2Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†Avg age27.0 yr	2	5	2.50^†	0	0	0.00^†	27.0 yr
ASIA Observed3Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00Avg age25.8 yr	3	4	1.33	0	0	0.00	25.8 yr
Intermaritime Certification Services Observed3Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00Avg age36.0 yr	3	4	1.33	0	0	0.00	36.0 yr
National Shipping Adjusters Observed2Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†Avg age50.8 yr	2	4	2.00^†	0	0	0.00^†	50.8 yr
OMROS Observed2Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†Avg age34.5 yr	2	4	2.00^†	0	0	0.00^†	34.5 yr
QRS Observed2Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†Avg age32.0 yr	2	4	2.00^†	0	0	0.00^†	32.0 yr
Dromon Bureau of Shipping Observed1Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†Avg age56.0 yr	1	3	3.00^†	0	0	0.00^†	56.0 yr
HRS Observed2Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†Avg age47.0 yr	2	3	1.50^†	0	0	0.00^†	47.0 yr
URACOS Observed1Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†Avg age20.0 yr	1	3	3.00^†	0	0	0.00^†	20.0 yr
VG Register of Shipping Observed1Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†	1	3	3.00^†	0	0	0.00^†	·
BKI Observed1Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†	1	2	2.00^†	0	0	0.00^†	·
CMB Observed2Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†Avg age46.8 yr	2	2	1.00^†	0	0	0.00^†	46.8 yr
DC Observed1Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†Avg age29.0 yr	1	2	2.00^†	0	0	0.00^†	29.0 yr
ICBC Observed1Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†	1	2	2.00^†	0	0	0.00^†	·
INTERMARBU Observed1Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†Avg age26.0 yr	1	2	2.00^†	0	0	0.00^†	26.0 yr
IRCS Observed2Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†Avg age22.5 yr	2	2	1.00^†	0	0	0.00^†	22.5 yr
NUMS Observed1Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†Avg age22.0 yr	1	2	2.00^†	0	0	0.00^†	22.0 yr
Novel Classification Society Observed1Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†	1	2	2.00^†	0	0	0.00^†	·
RCB Observed1Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†Avg age24.0 yr	1	2	2.00^†	0	0	0.00^†	24.0 yr
Tsunami Marine Limited Observed1Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†	1	2	2.00^†	0	0	0.00^†	·
CASRS Observed1Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†Avg age42.0 yr	1	1	1.00^†	0	0	0.00^†	42.0 yr
CLLC Observed1Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†	1	1	1.00^†	0	0	0.00^†	·
CR Classification Society Observed1Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†Avg age33.0 yr	1	1	1.00^†	0	0	0.00^†	33.0 yr
HCS Observed1Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†Avg age53.0 yr	1	1	1.00^†	0	0	0.00^†	53.0 yr
HINSIB Observed1Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†	1	1	1.00^†	0	0	0.00^†	·
LMS Observed1Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†	1	1	1.00^†	0	0	0.00^†	·
Macosnar Corporation Observed1Casualties2Serious0Cas / vessel2.00^†	1	1	1.00^†	2	0	2.00^†	·
Overseas Marine Certification Service Observed1Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†	1	1	1.00^†	0	0	0.00^†	·
RBS Observed1Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†	1	1	1.00^†	0	0	0.00^†	·
TASNEEF Observed1Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†	1	1	1.00^†	0	0	0.00^†	·
UBS Observed1Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†Avg age5.0 yr	1	1	1.00^†	0	0	0.00^†	5.0 yr

Snapshot computed 15 Oct 2026.

Method & caveats

Observed fleet is the distinct count of vessels we hold under each society in our port-state-control detention record. It is biased toward ships that have been detained at least once, so it is a footprint, not a true register fleet count. Named “observed” and treated as such.
Detentions per vessel and casualties per vessel are an event intensity over that observed footprint, not an inspection-normalised rate. The source carries only the detained rows, so there is no inspections denominator. A higher number means more recorded events per observed vessel, nothing more.
Serious casualties are those flagged Serious or Critical, mapped to the IMO “very serious casualty” notion. Average age is the DWT-weighted mean age of the observed vessels that resolve to a row in our fleet database (broker convention).
Society names in the raw feeds are messy (four spellings of one register, FoC aliases) and are canonicalised to one name each before aggregation; the eleven IACS members are flagged so the majors are legible against the long tail.

Classification Societies

Cohort

Societies

Observed hulls

Det / vessel

Cas / vessel †

Serious share

IACS majorsIACS

2,535

1.17

0.24^†

26%

Non-IACS tail

801

1.51

0.10^†

46%

Bureau VeritasIACS

Observed589Casualties79Serious17Cas / vessel0.13Avg age17.2 yr

737

1.25

ClassNK (Nippon Kaiji Kyokai)IACS

Observed575Casualties98Serious26Cas / vessel0.17Avg age17.4 yr

668

1.16

DNVIACS

Observed559Casualties241Serious55Cas / vessel0.43Avg age18.0 yr

644

1.15

Lloyd's RegisterIACS

Observed395Casualties145Serious51Cas / vessel0.37Avg age17.2 yr

450

1.14

American Bureau of ShippingIACS

Observed270Casualties32Serious5Cas / vessel0.12Avg age15.5 yr

302

1.12

China Classification SocietyIACS

Observed70Casualties4Serious1Cas / vessel0.06Avg age15.5 yr

1.21

Russian Maritime Register of ShippingIACS

Observed39Casualties3Serious2Cas / vessel0.08Avg age25.4 yr

1.08

Korean RegisterIACS

Observed28Casualties3Serious1Cas / vessel0.11Avg age21.4 yr

1.14

Croatian Register of ShippingIACS

Observed10Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00Avg age23.2 yr

1.10

Polish Register of Shipping

Observed100Casualties1Serious0Cas / vessel0.01Avg age25.5 yr

146

1.46

OTHER

Observed85Casualties4Serious4Cas / vessel0.05Avg age36.0 yr

144

1.69

PHRS

Observed66Casualties1Serious1Cas / vessel0.02Avg age31.3 yr

102

1.55

Observed88Casualties8Serious2Cas / vessel0.09Avg age16.5 yr

101

1.15

INSB

Observed58Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00Avg age33.9 yr

1.67

DBS

Observed50Casualties30Serious18Cas / vessel0.60Avg age32.8 yr

1.30

BRS

Observed39Casualties1Serious0Cas / vessel0.03Avg age35.2 yr

1.62

Observed29Casualties1Serious1Cas / vessel0.03Avg age32.8 yr

1.38

International Register of Shipping

Observed29Casualties1Serious1Cas / vessel0.03Avg age21.5 yr

1.38

Observed22Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00Avg age23.6 yr

1.59

CRSCLASS

Observed19Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00Avg age30.8 yr

1.63

Observed10Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00Avg age34.5 yr

2.80

MSR

Observed18Casualties1Serious0Cas / vessel0.06Avg age41.4 yr

1.56

SRU

Observed19Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00Avg age37.8 yr

1.47

OMCS

Observed17Casualties1Serious0Cas / vessel0.06Avg age35.4 yr

1.35

HNBS

Observed13Casualties1Serious1Cas / vessel0.08Avg age36.5 yr

1.38

International Naval Surveys Bureau

Observed6Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00Avg age49.8 yr

3.00

PMDS

Observed8Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00Avg age30.8 yr

1.75

Observed10Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00Avg age41.1 yr

1.30

Isthmus Bureau of Shipping

Observed5Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00Avg age30.5 yr

2.20

VRS

Observed7Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00Avg age34.8 yr

1.57

PSR

Observed7Casualties3Serious0Cas / vessel0.43Avg age33.2 yr

1.43

Observed4Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00Avg age38.3 yr

2.25

MBS

Observed6Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00Avg age43.0 yr

1.50

Bulgarian Register of Shipping

Observed6Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00Avg age44.5 yr

1.17

IBS

Observed5Casualties1Serious1Cas / vessel0.20Avg age37.9 yr

1.40

Observed4Casualties19Serious5Cas / vessel4.75Avg age23.5 yr

1.75

Panama Maritime Documentation Service

Observed5Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00Avg age31.9 yr

1.40

IMB

Observed4Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00Avg age20.2 yr

1.50

RSA

Observed5Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00Avg age37.8 yr

1.20

Observed5Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00

1.20

COLAMREG

Observed4Casualties3Serious2Cas / vessel0.75Avg age44.5 yr

1.25

GBS

Observed3Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00Avg age18.0 yr

1.67

ICS

Observed3Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00Avg age34.0 yr

1.67

NASHA

Observed2Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†Avg age27.0 yr

2.50^†

ASIA

Observed3Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00Avg age25.8 yr

1.33

Intermaritime Certification Services

Observed3Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00Avg age36.0 yr

1.33

National Shipping Adjusters

Observed2Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†Avg age50.8 yr

2.00^†

OMROS

Observed2Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†Avg age34.5 yr

2.00^†

QRS

Observed2Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†Avg age32.0 yr

2.00^†

Dromon Bureau of Shipping

Observed1Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†Avg age56.0 yr

3.00^†

HRS

Observed2Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†Avg age47.0 yr

1.50^†

URACOS

Observed1Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†Avg age20.0 yr

3.00^†

VG Register of Shipping

Observed1Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†

3.00^†

BKI

Observed1Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†

2.00^†

CMB

Observed2Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†Avg age46.8 yr

1.00^†

Observed1Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†Avg age29.0 yr

2.00^†

ICBC

Observed1Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†

2.00^†

INTERMARBU

Observed1Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†Avg age26.0 yr

2.00^†

IRCS

Observed2Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†Avg age22.5 yr

1.00^†

NUMS

Observed1Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†Avg age22.0 yr

2.00^†

Novel Classification Society

Observed1Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†

2.00^†

RCB

Observed1Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†Avg age24.0 yr

2.00^†

Tsunami Marine Limited

Observed1Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†

2.00^†

CASRS

Observed1Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†Avg age42.0 yr

1.00^†

CLLC

Observed1Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†

1.00^†

CR Classification Society

Observed1Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†Avg age33.0 yr

1.00^†

HCS

Observed1Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†Avg age53.0 yr

1.00^†

HINSIB

Observed1Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†

1.00^†

LMS

Observed1Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†

1.00^†

Macosnar Corporation

Observed1Casualties2Serious0Cas / vessel2.00^†

1.00^†

Overseas Marine Certification Service

Observed1Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†

1.00^†

RBS

Observed1Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†

1.00^†

TASNEEF

Observed1Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†

1.00^†

UBS

Observed1Casualties0Serious0Cas / vessel0.00^†Avg age5.0 yr

1.00^†