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Class notation that provides enhanced information about the ship’s technical standard.

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Purpose

Ship owners are experiencing increased demand for information about the technical standard of their fleet. The need for transparency is coupled with requirements for higher standards beyond compliance with mandatory rules. Oil majors are leading this development in the tanker world.

Owners have to buy CAP reports as an additional consultancy service provided by class. Similar demands are being made by cargo owners and others.

DNV has introduced this class notation to help ship owners meet these requirements. RATE-A is a voluntary class notation for ships in operation covering hull-related items.

Benefits

Through RATE-A, the ship owner will:

  • Document that the ship has a higher technical standard

  • Document that the ship satisfies industry requirements

  • Have follow-up through class systematics

  • Have Seamless CAP/CLASS integration

  • Meet the demand for transparency

  • Have a better basis for maintenance planning

Features

DNV’s hull knowledge and survey competence is made available to the ship owner through:

  • Ship-specific “Areas of attention” that highlight critical areas through the use of 3D graphical models.

  • A ship-specific survey manual that will guide the ship owner through the planning of the hull survey and ensure compliance with the relevant requirements.

  • Condition reporting that gives the ship owner a description of the condition of the hull structure at the time of the class survey.

In addition to this, RATE-A for tankers includes:

  • Enhanced acceptance criteria that are in line with the requirements of leading oil majors.

  • Fatigue calculations that will serve as a guide for the inspection of critical details of the hull structure.

  • The Condition Assessment Program (CAP) is integrated into the class surveys.

  • The extended survey scope, the rating and the declaration are all included.

Process

Upon assignment of the class notation, the ship owner will receive a presentation of Areas of attention and the scanned main drawings will be available in DNV Exchange.

Prior to each intermediate and renewal survey, the Survey Guide will be sent out. The survey and survey reporting will be initiated by DNV.

For tankers that are 15 years of age and older, DNV will initiate the CAP process.