Classification society ClassNK will commence operation of the world’s first comprehensive electronic certificate service for classification and statutory certificates from 15 June 2017. The service, ClassNK e-Certificate, will first be made available to Liberian-flagged vessels on the ClassNK register exclusively.

ClassNK e-Certificate is the result of an innovative project aimed at reducing the workload on board and at shore by minimising potential clerical errors and time-loss associated with paper burden. Based on the standards stipulated in IMO’s GUIDELINES FOR THE USE OF ELECTRONIC CERTIFICATES (FAL.5/Circ.39/Rev.2) released in April 2016, the system enables secure transmission of certificates from ship to shore and vice versa. Most importantly, the system includes an online function to determine the validity of certificates and that they have not been falsified or tampered with.

ClassNK began trials on the system in October 2016 in cooperation with the Liberian Registry and shipping companies. In April 2017, the Liberian Registry confirmed that ClassNK e-Certificate met the requirements of the IMO Guidelines, and granted ClassNK authorisation as the first Recognised Organisation to issue electronic certificates to Liberian-flagged vessels on its behalf.

Speaking on the occasion, Tetsuya Hayashi, Director of ClassNK’s Survey Operations Division says, “With the successful completion of operational trials, and authorisation from the Liberian Registry, ClassNK has become the world’s first classification society to provide a comprehensive system for electronic certificates. We plan to expand the availability of this innovative service to even more vessels on our register in the near future in order to meet the growing needs of the industry.”

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