The need to check the seaworthiness and safety of ships, as well as the continuous advancements in technology, necessitated the creation of specialist organisations known as Registers of Shipping. These promoted the consistent application of specifications and regulations concearning shipbuilding and maintenance, essential for safety at sea. Nowdays the Registers of Shipping are independent, non-governmental technical organisations of classification of ships. The certificates they issue for a vessel are essential for chartering, insuring and selling it.
The institution of Registers of Shipping originated in London over 200 years ago. Already from the 1760s Lloyd’s underwriters had adopted regulations for the classification of wooden ships and commissioned surveyors issued certificates of seaworthiness. During the 19th century the Registers of Shipping were created as separate organisations that continue to operate to this day, such as Lloyd’s Regiter of shipping in Britain, Bureau Veritas in Holland and France, Det Norske Veritas in Norway, Germanischer Lloyd in Germany, Registro Italiano in Italy, American Bureau of Shipping in the U.S.A. and «Archangelos» in Greece.

Registers: Indicative content of the page as a short text in english.