Classification Society
An organisation that sets technical standards for ship construction and surveys vessels against them throughout their life.
A classification society develops and applies technical rules for the design, construction and maintenance of ships, and surveys vessels to certify they remain "in class". Class is a precondition for insurance and for the statutory certificates flag states require.
The leading societies form the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS). A society’s portfolio detention and casualty record is a quality signal we track in our class-society analytics.
On TheMaritime
Also known as: class society, classification society, IACS.
Related terms
Flag State
The country in which a ship is registered, whose laws she sails under and which is responsible for her regulatory oversight.
Port State ControlPSC
Inspection of foreign ships in national ports to verify they meet international safety and environmental standards.
International Maritime OrganizationIMO
The United Nations agency that sets global rules for ship safety, security and pollution prevention.
Plain-English reference definition — our own explanation of a standard shipping concept, not a licensed source or legal advice. See the full glossary or the broader maritime dictionary.
Last reviewed: June 2026.