2.3 Class notations – General
2.3.1 The Rules for Offshore Units indicate the classifica-
tion notations applicable for Offshore Units. Special
consideration may be given to assignment of
additional notations given in Pt 1, Ch 2,2 of the Rules for
Ships at the request of the Owner. The assignment of such
notations will be conditional on compliance with all applicable
requirements relevant to the unit type and service.
2.3.2 LR ShipRight notations SDA, FDA, FDA plus and
CM are not applicable to any unit type covered by the Rules
for Offshore Units.
2.3.3 For all unit types, the remaining LR ShipRight
notations and procedures as listed in Appendix 1 may be
applied on a voluntary basis.
2.3.4 For WTIVs, the class notation would be tailored to
suit the main features of the specific unit. A glossary of the
main class notations is given in Appendix 1 and typical class
notations for all unit types are given in Appendices 2, 3, 4
and 5. Full details of class notations are provided in the Rules
for Offshore Units.
2.3.5 Pt 3, Ch 13 of the Rules for Offshore Units includes
the additional Rule requirements which will be required to be
complied with in order that the type notation MainWIND can
be applied to these types of unit.
2.4 IMO/Marine Regulations
2.4.1 Intact and damage stability, freeboard, weathertight
and watertight integrity, life-saving appliances, personnel
protection, pollution prevention arrangements, and structural
fire protection, detection and extinction, are generally covered
in various IMO Statutory Regulations applicable to marine
vessels, see 2.4.3.
2.4.2 The application of these various International
Maritime Organization (IMO) Statutory Regulations to WTIVs
will depend upon the Flag State and operating location of the
unit, although the Rules for Offshore Units and for Ships
contain some minimum requirements.
2.4.3 The following list indicates the international marine
Codes and regulations which may be applicable to a unit of
this type:
• International Load Line Convention, 1966 (ILLC) and
Protocol of 1988 with amendments thereto as applicable,
(ref. [12]);
• Regulation of International Tonnage Measurement of
Ships, 1969, (ref. [15]);
• SOLAS, 1974 and Protocol of 1978, with amendments
thereto, (ref. [13]);
• Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit Code (MODU Code) 2009,
(ref. [14]);
• Convention on the International Regulations for
Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS) 1972, possibly
together with IALA requirements, (ref. [17]);
• MARPOL 1973/78, with amendments thereto, (ref. [11]);
• IMO Resolution A749, (18) (as applicable), (ref. [16]);
GUIDANCE NOTES FOR THE CLASSIFICATION OF WIND TURBINE INSTALLATION VESSELS, July 2014
Wind Turbine Installation Vessels
Section 2
• IMO Resolution MSC 267 (85), (as applicable), (ref. [24]);
• Code of Safety for Special Purpose Ships (SPS Code),
2008, (ref. [18]).
2.4.4 It is the responsibility of the National Authority and
the marine administration of the country in which the unit is
registered (flagged) to advise with regard to the application of
statutory regulations. Many authorities delegate such respon-
sibilities to the classification societies who then undertake the
approvals, surveys, and issue of certificates in accordance
with agreed procedures. In particular cases, dispensations
may be granted by the National Authority to significant parts
of the regulations, e.g., the extent of the application of
Regulation 39 of the ILLC (ref. [12]) to self-elevating units,
where compliance with the minimum bow height require-
ments of this regulation may not always be possible to
achieve.
2.4.5 For all unit types, and in particular surface-type self-
elevating units, the appropriate IMO/Marine Regulations to be
applied may not be clearly defined and may prove difficult to
implement (such as the SPS Code (ref. [18])). Therefore, it is
strongly recommended that Owners/designers contact the
relevant Flag State/National Authority at the earliest possible
opportunity to discuss and agree the IMO/Marine Regulations
to be applied.
2.4.6 Where the National Authority has no prescribed
standards for such units or where their standards are not
considered acceptable for classification, LR will apply the
relevant parts of the international convention regulations and
other recognised Standards as applicable to the intended use
of the unit as a prerequisite to classification as described in
Pt 1, Ch 2,1 of the Rules for Offshore Units.
2.4.7 There may be instances where, in addition to class
and flag requirements, specific coastal state requirements will
apply for vessels operating in offshore waters. It will be the
responsibility of the Owner to ensure that such additional
requirements are specified at the design stage, in order that
compliance can be ensured during design and construction.
2.5 National Regulations, Codes and Standards
2.5.1 Where they exist, National Offshore Certification
Regulations vary considerably in content and approach,
although there is generally a common goal of protecting
personnel on board. Some are totally prescriptive whilst
others are purely ‘goal setting’; some cover all aspects of the
unit whilst others only cover the basic structure.
2.5.2 Certification Regulations tend to be based on the
prescriptive application of specific Codes and Standards by
authorised certifying authorities, but may allow acceptance of
equivalents by risk-based justification.
2.5.3 Certification regulations recognise classification as
a valid basic standard of performance for the hull and marine
machinery of offshore units. However, it should be noted that
in some cases, the Codes and Standards called for by certi-
fication may differ from classification requirements. Care
therefore needs to be taken when establishing the
applicable standards. LR is in a position to assist with this.
LLOYD’S REGISTER
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