New yacht classification concept developed by Russian Maritime Register of Shipping
Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RS) has developed and plans to apply a new concept for classification of recreational crafts (vessels used for aquatic recreational activities with maximum 18 persons on board including maximum 12 passengers), which are called yachts within ship owners’ community, IAA PortNews was informed at the Ministry of Transport.
According to the concept, for classification of a recreational craft (regardless of its dimensions) earlier classified by IACS member the survey is performed in compliance with the class change procedure for vessels classified by IACS member.
For classification of a recreational craft (regardless of its dimensions) built without technical supervision of IACS member but providing documents issued by a competent organization and/or instructions (declarations) of the craft manufacturer confirming for example:
- yacht compliance to EU Directive on Recreational Craft, 94/25/EC as of June 16, 1998, as amended by Commissions Directive 2003/44/EC;
- yacht compliance to IMMARBE'S Codes of Standards for Yachts, in commercial or private use (The Small Yacht Code / The Large Yacht Code / The Super Yacht Code);
- yacht compliance to Commercial yacht code (Merchant shipping directorate of Malta);
- yacht compliance to LY3 Code (The Large Commercial Yacht Code), developed by United Kingdom Maritime and Coastguard Agency (UK MCA);
it is allowed to perform hull/machinery/supplies survey of recreational crafts basing on the criteria of the above standards and codes.
For the first time this concept will be applied within the framework of cooperation with Laky Verf which has been building yachts of project 23М06 from 2005 (the vessels comply with EU Directive on Recreational Craft, 94/25/EC). Hull/machinery/supplies survey of recreational crafts will be performed by RS Baltic Branch basing on the criteria of the above Directive. With the positive results of survey, recreational crafts will obtain RS Classification Certificates.
The new concept will let ship owners accelerate yacht registration procedure while the Register will be able to classify yachts built both in Russia and in foreign countries, which consequently raise the number of RS class yachts.