IACS meeting

The International Association of Classification Societies recently held a Council meeting in London. The flagship Common Structural Rules project for Bulk Carriers and Oil Tankers was discussed and a presentation delivered. The Rules will enter into force on 1 July 2015. The IACS expert group on structural safety of container ships reported on a post- MOL Comfort review. This work has resulted in the development of two new IACS Unified Requirements (URs): UR S11A which is a longitudinal strength standard for container ships and UR S34 dealing with functional requirements and load cases for direct analysis of container ships. These URs will be delivered during the first quarter of 2015.