MN 100: ABS

The Company:
Since its founding in 1862, the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), a New York registered not-for-profit corporation, has been committed to setting standards for safety and excellence as one of the world’s leading classification societies. Today, ABS brings together the latest technical solutions and best-in-class services to meet the growing regulatory, safety and environmental stewardship needs of its members and clients. With nearly 4,000 employees operating in 200 offices across 70 countries around the world, the ABS network is prepared to assist the marine and offshore industries in identifying the practical innovations needed to operate in today’s global market.

The Case:
Safety, Service and Solutions are the three goals that define the activities of ABS. They are the bedrock upon which ABS bases its commitment to set standards of excellence as one of the world’s leading marine and offshore classification societies. They have been able to achieve those goals through the innovative thinking, enthusiasm and professionalism of highly experienced staff.  Years of experience, training and continued education has made ABS confident in its collective actions and secure in their decisions.

Services:   
Today, ABS continues to build on its long heritage of market leading innovation. Towing vessel operators have a number of options available to demonstrate compliance with the United States Coast Guard’s pending Subchapter M safety regulations. Utilizing the Rules for Building and Classing Steel Vessels for Service on Rivers and Intercoastal Waterways with appropriate regulatory addenda, ABS provides owners and operators with the opportunity to begin demonstrating compliance with Subchapter M inspection requirements. By combining classification with an ABS certification of a vessel to International Safety Management Code (ISM) owners and operators not only demonstrate full compliance with the pending requirements, but also show a commitment to a more comprehensive approach to safety and environmental protection. In the area of LNG, ABS continues to not only be a leader in the classification of the latest LNG carrier and membrane designs, but also at the forefront of assisting the shift to gas for marine fuel. In the areas of environmental performance and compliance, ABS continues to serve as the leading authority on requirements impacting operations in North America and around the world. And in the offshore market, not only does ABS continue to be the classification society of choice for the industry, but it is leading the way in the pressing areas of software integrity and cyber security impacting offshore operators.

(As published in the August 2015 edition of Marine News - http://magazines.marinelink.com/Magazines/MaritimeNews)