Rules for classification, Rule Notes and Guidance Notes
Main Classification Rules
| Reference | Title | Edition |
|---|---|---|
| NR467 | Rules for the classification of steel ships | Jan 2026 |
| NR216 | Rules on materials and welding for the classification of marine units | Jan 2025 |
| NR445 | Rules for the classification of offshore units | Jun 2025 |
| NR217 | Rules for the classification of inland navigation vessels | Jun 2025 |
| NR483 | Rules for the classification of naval ships | Dec 2025 |
| NR500 | Rules for the classification and the certification of yachts | Oct 2024 |
Other rules and rule notes
| Reference | Title | Edition |
|---|---|---|
| NR206 | Wind propulsion systems | Mar 2025 |
| NR266 | Requirements for survey of materials and equipment for the classification of ships and offshore units | Mar 2026 |
| NR320 | Certification scheme of materials and equipment for the classification of marine units | May 2025 |
| NR387 | Rules for the classification of fish farms | Oct 2023 |
| NR396 | Rules for the classification of high-speed craft | Feb 2002 |
| NR426 | Construction survey of steel structures of offshore units and installations | Jan 2025 |
| NR432 | Fibre ropes for offshore service | Dec 2024 |
| NR459 | Process systems onboard offshore units and installations | Jul 2015 |
| NR476 | Approval testing of welders | Jan 2022 |
| NR480 | Approval of the manufacturing process of metallic materials | Jul 2024 |
| NR490 | Rules for the classification of crew transfer vessels | Jul 2025 |
| NR493 | Mooring systems for offshore units | Mar 2026 |
| NR494 | Rules for the classification of offshore loading and offloading buoys | May 2006 |
| NR496 | Approval of computerized maintenance management systems used on board ships | Jul 2022 |
| NR526 | Lifting appliances onboard ships and offshore units | Jan 2026 |
| NR527 | Ships operating in polar waters and icebreakers | Jan 2026 |
| NR528 | Green passport | Jul 2024 |
| NR529 | Gas-fuelled ships | Jan 2026 |
| NR530 | Coating performance standard | Jan 2025 |
| NR533 | Approval of service suppliers | Jan 2026 |
| NR534 | Rules for the classification of self-elevating units - jack-ups and liftboats | Dec 2016 |
| NR535 | Rules for the classification of naval submarines | Sep 2016 |
| NR540 | Kick-off meeting templates for newbuilding | Jul 2021 |
| NR542 | Classification of floating gas units | Jun 2025 |
| NR544 | Requirements for survey of materials and equipment for the classification of inland waters-operated vessels / units | Nov 2021 |
| NR546 | Hull in composite, plywood and high density polyethylene materials | Nov 2022 |
| NR547 | Ships using Fuel Cells | Jan 2022 |
| NR551 | Structural analysis of offshore surface units through full-length finite element models | Apr 2010 |
| NR556 | Emergency response service (ERS) | Apr 2023 |
| NR561 | Hull in aluminium alloys, design principles, construction and survey | Dec 2025 |
| NR562 | Requirements for survey of materials and equipment for the classification of naval submarines | Jan 2018 |
| NR566 | Hull arrangement, stability and systems for ships less than 500 GT | Nov 2024 |
| NR568 | Classification of offshore units - risk based approach | Jul 2011 |
| NR569 | Classification of drilling ships | Jan 2016 |
| NR570 | Classification of drilling equipment | Apr 2013 |
| NR571 | Classification of column stabilized units | Dec 2016 |
| NR572 | Classification and certification of floating offshore wind turbines | Oct 2024 |
| NR578 | Rules for the classification of tension leg platforms (TLP) | Jul 2012 |
| NR580 | Rules for the classification of floating establishments | Sep 2012 |
| NR584 | Rules for azimuth thrusters in ice for polar class ships and icebreakers | Apr 2026 |
| NR588 | Offshore oil offloading - transfer arms | Nov 2012 |
| NR592 | Elastic shaft alignment (ESA) | Jul 2025 |
| NR595 | Classification of offshore handing systems (OHS) | Aug 2014 |
| NR596 | EU RO mutual recognition - terms and conditions - procedure for type approval - technical requirements | Feb 2024 |
| NR598 | Implementation of safe return to port and orderly evacuation | Jan 2016 |
| NR600 | Hull structure and arrangement for the classification of cargo ships less than 65m and non-cargo ships less than 90m | Mar 2026 |
| NR606 | Common structural rules for bulk carriers and oil tankers | Jan 2024 |
| NR610 | Rules for the classification of diving systems | Dec 2018 |
| NR612 | Rules for the classification of harbor equipment | Jan 2024 |
| NR613 | Bonded assemblies | Feb 2025 |
| NR614 | Underwater radiated noise (URN) | Jul 2018 |
| NR615 | Buckling assessment of plated structures | Jul 2023 |
| NR616 | Ice load monitoring system (MON-ICE) | Jan 2015 |
| NR620 | Bunkering ships | Feb 2024 |
| NR626 | Anchor windlasses and chain stoppers | Apr 2025 |
| NR632 | Hardware-in-the-loop testing | Jan 2016 |
| NR633 | SYS-NEQ-OSV | Mar 2016 |
| NR636 | Comfort and health onboard offshore units | Dec 2016 |
| NR645 | Rules for the classification of floating storage regasification units and floating storage units | Dec 2025 |
| NR647 | LPG-fuelled ships | Apr 2026 |
| NR656 | Power generation units | Nov 2018 |
| NR658 | Type approval of fibres and yarns | Dec 2024 |
| NR659 | Rules on cyber security for the classification of marine units | Jul 2024 |
| NR667 | Parametric roll assessment | Dec 2024 |
| NR669 | Requirements of non-destructive testing suppliers | Jan 2025 |
| NR670 | Methanol and ethanol-fuelled ships | Jan 2026 |
| NR671 | Ammonia-fuelled ships | Feb 2026 |
| NR674 | Condition monitoring systems | Jul 2024 |
| NR675 | Additional class notation SMART | Jan 2024 |
| NR678 | Hydrogen-fuelled ships | Apr 2025 |
| NR681 | Unmanned surface vessels (USV) | Jul 2022 |
| NR688 | Internal connectivity | Aug 2022 |
| NR690 | Data-centric evaluation | Apr 2024 |
Guidance notes
| Reference | Title | Edition |
|---|---|---|
| NI364 | Verification scheme for unbonded flexible pipes | Apr 2022 |
| NI409 | Guidelines for corrosion protection of seawater ballast tanks and hold spaces | 1995 |
| NI422 | Type approval of non-destructive testing equipment dedicated to underwater inspection of offshore structures | Feb 1998 |
| NI423 | Corrosion protection of steel offshore units and installation | May 2006 |
| NI429 | Guidelines for the preparation of the cargo securing manual | Apr 2004 |
| NI465 | Condition assessment programme (CAP) | May 2015 |
| NI524 | Classification and certification of high integrity protection system (HIPS) | Nov 2006 |
| NI525 | Risk-based qualification of new technology - Methodological guidelines | Apr 2020 |
| NI537 | Guidelines for the design of the means of access for inspection, maintenance and operation of commercial ships | Apr 2008 |
| NI543 | Ice reinforcement selection in different world navigation areas | Sep 2013 |
| NI545 | Guidance for the lay-up and reactivation of ships | Feb 2018 |
| NI554 | Design sloshing loads for LNG membrane tanks | May 2011 |
| NI559 | Guidelines for the use of low sulphur fuel oils (IMO 2020 compliance) | May 2019 |
| NI560 | Guidelines on alternative design and arrangements of life-saving appliances | Mar 2010 |
| NI563 | Standard for quality management system of seafarer manning offices | Oct 2013 |
| NI564 | Strength assessment of LNG membrane tanks under sloshing loads | May 2011 |
| NI565 | Ice characteristics and ice/structure interactions | Sep 2010 |
| NI567 | Risk-based verification of floating offshore units | Sep 2020 |
| NI575 | Condition assessment programme for inland navigation vessels - CAP inland | Jul 2012 |
| NI582 | Condition assessment programme for yachts | Sep 2011 |
| NI590 | Rudders in composite materials | Mar 2023 |
| NI593 | Ship conversion into offshore units - redeployment and life extension of offshore units | Nov 2017 |
| NI594 | Design and construction of offshore concrete structures | Feb 2017 |
| NI601 | Tanker plus - inland navigation vessels | Feb 2013 |
| NI603 | Current and tidal turbines | May 2015 |
| NI604 | Fatigue of top chain of mooring lines due to in-plane and out-of-plane bendings | Oct 2014 |
| NI605 | Geotechnical and foundation design | Aug 2014 |
| NI607 | Guidelines for corrosion protection applicable to inland navigation vessels | Oct 2013 |
| NI611 | Guidelines for fatigue assessment of ships and offshore units | Nov 2020 |
| NI617 | Recommendations for life-saving appliances, radio installations and navigation equipment for tugs of less than 500 GT | Jan 2018 |
| NI621 | Guidelines for moonpool assessment | Jan 2016 |
| NI623 | Condition assessment programme for LNG carriers (LNG CAP) - annex to NI465 | May 2015 |
| NI624 | Risk-based structural integrity management of offshore jacket structures | Apr 2017 |
| NI629 | Certification of offshore access systems | May 2016 |
| NI631 | Certification scheme for Marine Renewable Energy technologies | Jan 2024 |
| NI635 | Index on applicable risk analysis for Marine and Offshore | Dec 2017 |
| NI637 | Classification and certification of ocean thermal energy converter (OTEC) - tentative rules | Jan 2018 |
| NI638 | Guidance for long-term hydro-structure calculations | Feb 2019 |
| NI639 | Guidelines for the design of ships subject to bulk cargo liquefaction | Dec 2016 |
| NI640 | Guidance note for structural assessment of passenger ships and ro-ro ships | Aug 2022 |
| NI641 | Guidelines for autonomous shipping | Oct 2019 |
| NI648 | Container lashing assessment | Oct 2018 |
| NI649 | Guidance for the lay-up and reactivation of DP vessels | Feb 2018 |
| NI650 | Guidelines for existing ships operating in polar waters | May 2018 |
| NI653 | Risk-based structural integrity management for topside structures | Oct 2018 |
| NI654 | Guidelines on conversion to LNG as fuel | Feb 2019 |
| NI655 | LNG carrier conversion to FSRU or FSU | Jul 2018 |
| NI657 | Classification scheme under risk based inspection | Feb 2019 |
| NI662 | Additive manufacturing - guidelines for certification of product made using wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) process | May 2019 |
| NI663 | Propeller in composite materials | Mar 2023 |
| NI664 | Risk-based inspection for the hull structure of floating offshore units | Jun 2021 |
| NI673 | Guidelines for management of COVID-19 and infectious diseases | Jun 2020 |
| NI682 | Certification of fixed offshore substations for renewable energy projects | Apr 2022 |
| NI684 | Guidelines for condition based maintenance | Jul 2024 |
| NI685 | Verification scheme for dynamic subsea power cable | Sep 2024 |
| NI691 | Environmental conditions, loads and induced responses of marine units | Dec 2022 |
| NI692 | Guidelines for machine learning systems | Oct 2025 |
| NI693 | Remote inspection techniques | May 2025 |
IMPORTANT: Bureau Veritas may at any time issue corrigenda for any published Rules, Rule Notes or Guidance Notes to address errors in the PDF text and/or electronic editions.
