Det Norske Veritas, USCG In Passenger Ship Control Agreements

The president of Det Norske Veritas Classification (DNV), Tor Christian Mathiesen, signed two agreements on passenger ship control verification with the U.S. Coast Guard's (USCG) Chief of Marine Safety, Security and Environmental Protection, RAdm. J.C. Card.

The "Outlines of Cooperation" will permit DNV to ensure that the applicable USCG standards are complied with during the design, construction or modification of any non- U.S.-flag passenger vessel classed by DNV.

This will be accomplished through full cooperation between the two entities and by DNV conducting approval of basic design, conferring with the USCG on interpretive matters, and providing the USCG with DNV-approved plans and related information. In addition, there will be oversight visits by the USCG at DNV offices.

The benefits of this additional service are that the owner can be better assured that any problems will be identified and resolved at an early stage of the project; the agreement will likely reduce or limit the amount of time the USCG needs to spend aboard the vessel both at the construction site as well as at the first U.S. port of call; and it is expected that the agreement, coupled with DNV's experience of working with the USCG, will further help minimize unforeseen difficulties and facilitate satisfactory USCG final acceptance of the ship upon its arrival in the U.S. port of entry.