Two forms of independent verification coexist in the marine industry and are frequently confused: ISO certifications and vessel classification. They are complementary, but they do not assess the same thing.
An ISO certification verifies an organisation’s management system within a defined scope. Classification, by contrast, provides reasonable assurance that a vessel complies with the applicable technical rules, through design review, inspections during construction and surveys carried out throughout its operational life.
At SYM Naval we hold three ISO certifications granted by Bureau Veritas Certification for the construction, conversion and repair of ships and as a technical office for naval engineering. We also coordinate newbuilding and repair work with the classification society assigned to each project.
ISO certification and naval classification: what each one verifies
| ISO certifications | Classification societies | |
|---|---|---|
| What they verify | The organisation’s management system within the certified scope | A vessel’s compliance with the applicable technical rules |
| What they apply to | The organisation, its processes and its controls | One specific vessel: design, structure, machinery and systems included in class |
| Who is involved | An independent certification body; at SYM Naval, Bureau Veritas Certification | The classification society assigned to the vessel |
| Nature | Generally voluntary, although they may be required in contracts, tenders or supplier approval processes | Depends on the vessel, its flag and its operation; in commercial shipping it is usually essential and may be required by authorities, insurers, financiers or clients |
| What it gives the owner | Confidence that an audited management system is in place and subject to ongoing surveillance | Reasonable assurance of compliance with class rules for the items and stages inspected |
The short way to remember it: ISO speaks about the shipyard’s management system; class speaks about the vessel’s technical compliance. Neither replaces the other.
SYM Naval’s relationship with Bureau Veritas illustrates the difference clearly. Bureau Veritas Certification audits and certifies the company’s management systems. Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore carries out naval classification activities. They belong to the same group, but operate with different functions, scopes and documents.
In addition, a classification society may be authorised to carry out inspections and issue certain statutory certificates on behalf of a flag administration, acting as a Recognized Organization. In that case, the class certificate must also be distinguished from the statutory certification required by maritime regulations.
SYM Naval’s three ISO certifications
Customer focus, environmental management and worker safety are part of SYM Naval’s management system. The three certifications are embedded across its activities, and the processes within their scope undergo periodic audits and reviews.
Certification does not turn every product or intervention into an “ISO certified” product. What it confirms is that the organisation has a management system assessed by an independent third party within the scope stated in the certificate.
Quality management system — ISO 9001
ISO 9001 sets requirements for organising, controlling, evaluating and improving the processes that affect the quality of products and services. Its aim is to support consistent results, meet customer needs and manage applicable requirements.
The ISO 9000 family is built on seven quality management principles that together describe how the organisation should work: it starts from customer focus and the leadership that sustains it, requires the engagement of people and a process-based approach to the work, and closes the loop with continual improvement, evidence-based decision making and the management of relationships with suppliers and partners.
At SYM Naval, the certified scope covers the construction, conversion and repair of ships, as well as the naval engineering technical office activity. This provides a common framework for planning work, controlling documentation, handling non-conformities and maintaining traceability.
Environmental management system — ISO 14001
ISO 14001 provides a framework for identifying and managing the environmental aspects of an activity, setting objectives, controlling compliance with applicable requirements and improving environmental performance.
At SYM Naval this system underpins the environmental commitment of operations and facilities in Europe and the Caribbean, both ashore and at sea. It covers pollution prevention, efficient use of resources, supplier involvement and maintenance, cleaning and environmental protection actions.
Continual improvement is structured through the PDCA cycle: environmental objectives and the processes needed to achieve them are planned, then implemented; results are monitored and measured; and those measurements are used to correct deviations before the cycle begins again.
Occupational health and safety management system — ISO 45001
ISO 45001 establishes a system for identifying hazards, assessing risks and improving occupational health and safety conditions. In an activity such as shipbuilding and ship repair, this framework must translate into specific procedures, defined responsibilities and verifiable controls.
Its objectives are to reduce work-related injuries and ill health and to improve risk control, supported by the participation and training of personnel. Protection is not limited to the company’s own staff: it extends to the suppliers, partners and subcontractors involved in the work. To this is added the orderly management of applicable legal and operational requirements.
In practice, SYM Naval applies certified procedures for work in confined spaces and hot work, LOTO and atmosphere testing.
What working under class supervision means
A classification society publishes technical rules for the design, construction, maintenance and survey of vessels. Assignment and maintenance of class rely on documentary review and on inspections carried out during construction and throughout the vessel’s life.
Working under class supervision shapes the intervention from the planning stage:
- applicable requirements and acceptance criteria are identified;
- the surveyor‘s attendance or review points are agreed;
- materials and consumables with the required traceability are used;
- the tests foreseen for the scope are carried out;
- results and any non-conformities are documented.
In its ship repair work under class supervision, SYM Naval coordinates activities with DNV, ABS, Lloyd’s Register, Bureau Veritas, RINA and ClassNK, depending on the vessel’s class and the scope of the intervention. The company handles technical planning, QA/QC documentation and the coordination of non-destructive testing.
SYM Naval also has technicians and welders approved by classification societies, and carries out steel and aluminium work in accordance with the applicable specifications. In shipbuilding, it develops vessels classed by societies that are members of IACS, the International Association of Classification Societies.
A class certificate should not be read as an absolute guarantee of safety, fitness or seaworthiness. It confirms that, following the corresponding reviews and inspections, the society considers the vessel to comply with the applicable rules within the verified scope.
Documentation that provides traceability for an intervention
The documentation required depends on the work and on the requirements of the owner, the flag and the classification society. A ship repair project may involve, among others, the following records:
| Document | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Personnel qualification | Evidences that the technicians and welders carrying out the work are approved by classification societies |
| ITP — Inspection and Test Plan | Sets out what is inspected, when, by which method and against which acceptance criteria |
| MTR — Material Test Report | Identifies the material and documents its traceability, composition and properties |
| NDT reports | Record the method applied, the area inspected, the results and their evaluation |
| Final report | Brings together the executed scope, the controls performed, the results and the closing documentation |
The final report is the document that pays off years later. When an issue appears in the area that was worked on, having the complete file is the difference between resolving it with the records at hand and opening a discussion about liability.
Which tests are carried out and why
Non-destructive testing makes it possible to detect discontinuities or assess the condition of the material without damaging it. SYM Naval coordinates methods such as MPI (magnetic particle inspection), Dye-PT (dye penetrant testing) and UTM (ultrasonic thickness measurement), applying in each case the acceptance criteria defined for the intervention.
Coordination with class is part of the job too
A large share of delays in work carried out under class supervision are not technical but organisational: the surveyor‘s availability, inspection points, permits and report delivery must be anticipated before work begins, not during.
SYM Naval provides bilingual supervision in Spanish and English to coordinate directly with owners, inspectors and international surveyors. It also manages coordination with class and local authorities when the scope requires permits, inspections or certifications.
In the Caribbean, the Boca Chica shipyard is located 20 minutes from the international airport, which facilitates the movement of inspectors, technicians, classification societies and crews.
Frequently asked questions
How does ISO 9001 differ from vessel classification?
ISO 9001 verifies the organisation’s quality management system within the certified scope. Classification verifies a specific vessel’s compliance with the rules of the corresponding society. They are complementary controls.
Who issues SYM Naval’s ISO certifications?
Bureau Veritas Certification, for the construction, conversion and repair of ships and for the naval engineering technical office activity.
Which classification societies does SYM Naval work with?
In its repair work, SYM Naval coordinates interventions under DNV, ABS, Lloyd’s Register, Bureau Veritas, RINA and ClassNK, according to the vessel’s class and the needs of the project.
Does every repair require class involvement?
No. It depends on the items affected, the society’s rules, the class status, statutory requirements and the owner’s conditions. When an intervention may affect class or the vessel’s certificates, it must be coordinated with the corresponding society before the work is carried out.
What is an ITP?
It is the inspection and test plan. It defines the controls to be performed, the points at which each party must attend, the method used and the acceptance criteria. It is agreed before work begins.
Can a class survey be carried out with the vessel afloat or under way?
Certain inspections and interventions can be coordinated afloat and, where the society allows it, during navigation. Feasibility and inspection method must be agreed with class in advance and are not identical to those of an intervention in dry dock.
Are ISO certifications mandatory?
Certification is generally voluntary, although it may become a contractual, tender or supplier approval requirement.
What should an owner check in a supplier’s ISO certificate?
The certified scope, the issuing body, its accreditation, its validity, and whether the activities covered match the work to be contracted.
Next step
If a newbuilding or repair project must undergo class review, it is worth defining the vessel, the classification society, the technical scope, the port and the available window from the outset. With that information, the inspection plan and the required documentation can be prepared before work starts.
Write to us at comercial@sym-naval.com.
