The Executive Committee confirmed, and endorsed the fact, that INTERTANKO considers the regular, consistent and uniform application of high standards by the classification societies to all shipping, to be of the greatest importance for the safe operation of ships.

INTERTANKO will support action by IACS to ensure further consistent application of high standards. From the discussions there are a number of points which particularly concern INTERTANKO regarding IACS and the classification societies and the necessity for their firm action, including:

ISM Code implementation and subsequent auditing

Uniform application of the Enhanced Survey Programme (ESP)

Need for a continuous dialogue between IACS and INTERTANKO
Firm adhesion to the Transfer of Class Agreement (TOCA) procedures.


INTERTANKO strongly supports the proposal by IACS, by which all companies which register with a full member in IACS to undertake ISM Code certification before the end of the year, will have adequate personnel assigned to ensure that the certification process will be undertaken in time.

INTERTANKO has, from the outset, taken a leading role in the establishment of the Enhanced Survey Programme. It continues to believe that the ESP is the most effective means to ensure that the safety of vessels is monitored. INTERTANKO and classification societies agreed that ESP is the pinnacle of safety maintenance. INTERTANKO would therefore welcome further measures to bolster the position of the ESP. One measure could be the provision of an additional surveyor to be present during the ESP.

INTERTANKO would like to see a dialogue on ESP with the classification societies. It was the consensus of this meeting that an industry Standing Committee should be established in order to review the progress of ESP, recommend improvements to the system if needed, and promote ESP acceptance. This has to be done with the participation of representatives from associations like IACS, INTERTANKO and OCIMF.

INTERTANKO wishes to encourage the development of the IACS Quality Services Advisory Committee (QSAC) so that the transparency of class is developed and that there is some consideration , together with classification societies, of IACS activity.

In conclusion, INTERTANKO looks to classification societies to further raise their own standards and to apply them in a uniform manner.

INTERTANKO strongly supports the class concept as the most reliable system for the assessment of ship standards. The meeting in London should be seen as a fresh start in a continuous dialogue between INTERTANKO and IACS.