Classification Societies

Liability of Classification Societies

Profile

In 2014, in Hamburg, John Hare proposed to form an ad hoc committee within the CMI, headed by Karl Gombrii, to resume and complete the work done by another Group, headed by Frank Wiswall, from 1992 to 1997 and endeavour to convince the industry to reach an agreement on the appropriate level of limitation for the services of Classification Societies to shipowners.
IACS informed Karl Gombrii that it would be interested but ICS confirmed the position it had expressed in 1997 and declined the offer. In these circumstances, Karl Gombrii invited the Assembly in London in 2018 to discontinue the IWG or to put it in a back turner.
Considering, however, that, so far, the work of the IWG on Classification Societies had only concerned the contractual relationships between Classification Societies and shipowners, the Assembly thought that the tort liability of Classification Societies could now be explored and decided that a new mandate to that effect be given to the IWG, headed by Luc Grellet with the agreement of Karl Gombrii.

A questionnaire has therefore been prepared by the IWG and sent to all NMLAs. It reflects the ambition of the Group in the hope that the answers will allow it to fulfill its mandate.