LR Class Notations and Symbols – Summary

An LR class is written as character symbols followed by class notations; descriptive notes are recorded separately and are for information only. A typical ship entry reads ✠100A1 Oil Tanker F.P. exceeding 60°C in No. 4 tanks ESP Baltic Service Ice Class 1B, where the first group is the character of class and the rest are notations (type, cargo, hull, service area and ice). This summary follows the Rule sets you shared:

Two cautions on reading the text. The Maltese cross and the other distinguishing marks did not extract cleanly from the source, so they are described in words where they matter. Descriptions are my paraphrases of the LR text, not quotations.

Ships: character symbols, type notations and hull notations

Character symbols

• ✠ (Maltese cross) and its variants — Marks how the ship was built. The cross is for new ships built under LR Special Survey to the Rules. A second mark is for ships built under another IACS member society and later given LR class; their notations are reviewed separately and equivalent ones assigned.
• 100 — Suitable for sea-going service.
• A — Built or accepted into class under LR Rules and kept in good and efficient condition.
• 1 — Anchoring and mooring equipment in good condition and in line with the Rules, or approved for a special service.
• N — The Committee agreed that anchoring and mooring equipment need not be fitted, given the ship’s service.
• T — For ships that perform their main function only while anchored, moored, towed or linked, with approved attached equipment.

Every classed ship gets either 1, N or T. If the equipment is seriously deficient in quality or quantity, class can be withheld.

Definitions used by the notations

• Sheltered water — Fetch of six nautical miles or less.
• Reasonable weather — Beaufort force 6 or less, with green water on deck only rarely or never.
• Clear water and fetch — Clear water is deep enough for wind waves to develop; fetch is the clear-water distance the wind has blown across.
• Linked — Connected in operation to an attendant ship, on shore, submerged or afloat, by a restraining line, suspension cable or umbilical.

How a notation is made up

A class notation is one or more of a type notation, cargo notation, special duties notation, special features notation and service restriction notation. ShipRight notations sit beside these.

• Type notation — Ship arranged and built to the Rules for that type.
• Cargo notation — Ship designed or arranged for particular cargoes, such as sulphuric acid. It can still carry other suitable cargoes.
• Special duties notation — Ship designed or arranged for duties beyond its type and cargo notations, such as research. It can still do other suitable duties.
• Special features notation — Ship has features that significantly affect the design (next section).
• Service restriction notation — Ship classed on the understanding that it works only in agreed areas or conditions.
• Laid-up notation — For a ship not under repair or actively employed, kept in class by agreement. A general hull and machinery examination replaces the Annual Survey and an Underwater Examination replaces the Special Survey.

Type notations available

• Dry cargo and general types — Anchor handler, AHTS (Anchor Handler Tug Supply), Barge, Bulk carrier, Cable laying vessel, Container ship, Diving support vessel, Dredger, Escort tug, Fire fighting, Fishing vessel, Hopper barge, Hopper dredger, Icebreaker, Icebreaker(+), Launch, Livestock carrier, Offshore support vessel, Offshore supply vessel, Offshore tug, Offshore well stimulation ship, Ore carrier, Pipe laying vessel, Pontoon, Reclamation ship, Refrigerated cargo ship, Research, Roll on-Roll off cargo ship, Seismographic support vessel, Shipborne barge, Subsea support vessel, Standby vessel, Stern trawler, Split hopper barge, Split hopper dredger, Trawler, Tug, Vehicle carrier.
• Tankers — Chemical tanker, Double hull oil tanker, Liquefied gas carrier, Liquefied gas tanker, Moored liquefied gas carrier, Moored liquefied gas tanker, Moored liquefied gas storage unit, Moored oil storage tanker, Moored oil storage unit, Oil barge, Oil or bulk carrier, Oil recovery ship, Oil tanker, Ore or oil carrier.
• Passenger — Passenger ferry, Passenger/vehicle ferry, Passenger ship, Passenger yacht, Roll on-Roll off passenger ferry, Roll on-Roll off passenger ship, Sailing passenger ship.

Service restriction notations

• Protected waters service — Sheltered water next to sand banks, reefs, breakwaters or other coastal features, and between islands. Example: Protected Waters Service at Storebaelt Bridge.
• Extended protected waters service — Protected waters plus short distances beyond, generally under 15 nautical miles, in reasonable weather.
• Specified coastal service — Along a stated coast and out to sea generally no more than 21 nautical miles, unless the flag or coastal Administration sets another distance for coastal service.
• Specified route service — Between named ports or features, for example London to Rotterdam service.
• Specified operating area service — Within named areas, for example Pacific Tropical Zone service.

Exemptions that touch statutory requirements such as Load Lines need Flag State authorisation and are recorded on the class certificate and statutory certificate.

Hull notations

• *IWS (In-water Survey) — Assigned where the Rules for in-water survey are met. It is withdrawn for ESP ships at 15 years of age.
• ESP (Enhanced Survey Programme) — Oil tankers, combination carriers, chemical tankers, bulk carriers and ore carriers under the enhanced hull survey programme.
• CSR — Bulk carriers and double hull oil tankers built to the IACS Common Structural Rules.
• CSR bulk carriers under 150 m — Mandatory notation {any holds may be empty} for cargo density of 1,0 t/m³ and above with any hold empty at maximum draught, or {holds a, b, … may be empty} for specified holds.
• BC-A, BC-B and BC-C (CSR bulk carriers of 150 m and above) — BC-A is for dry bulk of 1,0 t/m³ and above with specified holds empty at maximum draught. BC-B is for the same cargo with all holds loaded. BC-C is for cargo below 1,0 t/m³ with all holds loaded.
  • {Maximum cargo density in t/m³}: added to BC-A and BC-B when the maximum density is below 3,0 t/m³.
  • {No MP}: the ship was not designed for loading and unloading in multiple ports.
  • GRAB [X]: the inner bottom, hopper, stool and lower inner-hull plating meet the CSR grab-discharge thickness rules.
  • {Block loading}: added to BC-A for alternate block load operation.
  • (allowed combination of specified empty holds): annotation for BC-A.
• ESN (Enhanced Survivability Notation) — Non-CSR bulk carriers designed to survive flooding of any single cargo hold.
• LI (Loading Instrument) — An approved loading instrument is installed as a class requirement.
• EU(A), EU(B), EU(C) and EU(D) — Passenger ships meeting EU Directive 98/18/EC on domestic voyages.
  • A: domestic voyages other than classes B, C and D.
  • B: never more than 20 miles from the line of coast.
  • C: sea areas where significant wave height over 2,5 m is under 10 per cent, never more than 15 miles from refuge or 5 miles from coast.
  • D: the same test at 1,5 m, never more than 6 miles from refuge or 3 miles from coast.
• PAC, CAC and PCAC — Passenger, crew, or passenger and crew accommodation comfort, meeting noise and vibration criteria at delivery. Numerals 1, 2 or 3 give the criteria level, and PCAC carries two numerals.
• EPN (escort performance numeral) — Escort tugs that ran full-scale trials. The brackets (F,B,V,C) give maximum steering force and braking force in tonnes, the speed in knots at which they were found, and the time in seconds to swing from one side of the assisted vessel to the other. The prefix CFD means the figures were predicted by computational fluid dynamics instead of trials, and then C is omitted.
• RIGGING and RIGGING* — A rig for wind propulsion in line with the Rules, fitted to a new vessel (RIGGING) or, on request, to an existing one (RIGGING*).

ShipRight notations in column 4 of the Register Book

• ACS( ) — Anti-Corrosion System. Letters show the protected area: B ballast tanks, D double-side skin spaces, C cargo oil tanks, C* corrosion-resistant steel in cargo oil tanks, V void spaces.
• CM (Construction Monitoring) — Construction tolerance controls applied and verified. Mandatory with SDA, FDA, FDA plus( ), FDA ICE, FDA SPR and WDA.
• SDA (Structural Design Assessment) — Direct calculations to the ShipRight procedure. Mandatory with FDA, FDA plus( ), FDA ICE, FDA SPR, SLDA( ), WDA1 and WDA2.
• FDA — Fatigue Design Assessment of the hull structure.
• FDA plus( ) — A higher level of fatigue assessment for a stated trading pattern, with years and route in brackets, for example FDA plus(25, NA). WW is worldwide and NA is North Atlantic.
• FDA ICE — Fatigue assessment for navigation in ice.
• FDA SPR — Fatigue assessment including springing, the continuous hull vibration caused by waves.
• MP — For ore carriers: assessment for multiple port loading and unloading, with SDA already assigned.
• PRDA( ) — For container ships: parametric roll assessment. Level 1 is a roll avoidance assessment; level 2 adds time-domain simulation.
• SLDA( ) — Slamming load and strength assessment. B is the bow flare region and S is the stern counter.
• VIBM( ) — Vibration measured and verified: H for hull, M for machinery.
• WDA1 and WDA2 — Whipping Design Assessment levels 1 and 2, the hull’s dynamic response to wave impact.

The technical conditions behind SDA, FDA, FDA plus( ), FDA ICE, FDA SPR, PRDA( ), SLDA( ), WDA1 and WDA2 are made available to Owners.

Ships: special features notations

Special features notations flag a feature that significantly affects the design. They are grouped here by theme rather than in the table’s alphabetical order.

Cargo, loading and structure

• BC — Bulk carriers of 150 m or more.
• Hold (No(s)) … may be empty at draughts not (less than) (exceeding) …m — Particular hold loading arrangements were specially considered.
• Strengthened for Heavy Cargoes (any) Hold (No(s) … may be empty) — Bulk carriers under 150 m, or ships designed for heavy cargoes. If only some holds are strengthened, they are named.
• Hold No(s) … Strengthened for Regular Discharge by Heavy Grabs — Increased plating thickness on the inner bottom, hopper and bottom stool for regular grab discharge.
• Strengthened to carry cargoes which may liquefy (IMSBC Group A) — Ore carriers meeting LR requirements for confining cargo shift, so they can carry Group A cargo above the Transportable Moisture Limit. Assigned at the Owner’s request.
• Self-Discharging (Unloading) — Self-unloading equipment whose structure was specially approved.
• Cargo Loading on (Tank Top / Tween / Deck(s) Plating / Hatch cover(s)) limited to …. tonnes/m² — A cap below normal Rule loading.
• Heavy Deck Loads — Decks strengthened above the Rule minimum, for example upper deck aft of a frame strengthened for 10 tonnes/m².
• WDL(+) (Weather Deck Load) — Weather deck scantlings approved for a design head above 3,5 m.
• Machinery on deck — Strengthening for machinery other than lifting appliances and anchoring or mooring equipment.
• Hatch Covers may be omitted in Hold (No(s) …) — Omission was specially considered based on model tests or other means of finding how much water could enter the holds and how it is safely discharged.
• Timber Deck Cargoes — Timber carried on an uncovered freeboard or superstructure deck, with the 1966 Load Line Convention or national rules met. Wood pulp is not included.
• Bottom Strengthened for (Operating Aground) (Loading and Unloading Aground) — Bottom structure strengthened for loading and unloading aground.
• Submersible to a depth of …m below Upper Deck in Harbour only — Designed to be submersed to a stated depth in harbour.
• Specialised for the Carriage of … — Designed for a specified cargo other than the one implied by the type notation.
• (Specified Cargo(es)) only — Arrangements approved for the carriage of specific products.
• RD (Relative Density) — Tanks appraised for a maximum relative density above 1,025.
• Carriage of Oils with a F.P. not exceeding 60°C — Non-oil tankers suitably built for oils with a closed-cup flash point of 60°C or below.
• Carriage of Oils with a F.P. exceeding 60°C — Only oils with a flash point above 60°C are contemplated.
• LFPL (Low flash point liquids) — Offshore supply vessels carrying liquids with flash point below 60°C in bulk.
• HNLS (Hazardous and noxious liquids system) — Offshore support vessels meeting the OSV Chemical Code aspects relevant to classification.
• Petrol in Hold (No(s))… — Ships that can carry motor vehicles with fuel in their tanks, in specified locations. Not for ships designed mainly to carry vehicles.
• Deck No(s) … Strengthened for Carriage of Roll on-Roll off Cargoes — Decks and supports specially considered for wheeled vehicles stowed or used for cargo handling.
• CC — Structures fitted with an approved corrosion control system.
• Marpol 20.1.3 and Marpol 21.1.2 — Double hull oil tankers that do not meet the Rule minimum double side width but comply with MARPOL Annex I Regulation 20.1.3, or tankers under 5000 tonnes deadweight with a complete double hull under Regulation 21.1.2.
• For Liquefaction and Storage of (Methane, etc.) in Independent Gas Tanks… — Category 1B or 2 gas ships with plants solely for physically liquefying impure feedstock gas at low temperature and storing the purified liquid.

Containers

• BoxMax — An approved onboard lashing program calculates forces on containers and their securing. Supplementary letters allow weather-dependent factors:
  • V (voyage dependency): annual factors for selected voyages or routes.
  • W (weather dependency): seasonal factors for selected voyages or routes.
  • L (limited duration voyage): factors for limited coastal voyages.
  • M (ship motion monitoring): the Master selects the factors and in-service motion and conditions are recorded.
• CCSA (Certified Container Securing Arrangements) — Container securing arrangements designed and built to LR Rules, with loose fittings supplied.
• CRC –/– –kW –%/–% — Carriage of refrigerated containers, for ships that can run them at design condition with a 24-hour average external air temperature of 35°C. Descriptive additions give the number of hold-stowed and deck-stowed reefer containers, the power generating capacity for plug-in points, and the stowage ratio of deep frozen to chilled cargo.
• Container Cargoes in (Hold(s) / Upper Deck / Hatch Cover(s)) — General cargo ships that carry containers.
• ECL(1, 2, 3) — Work spaces, movement, fall protection and working arrangements on deck were specially considered for container securing and inspection, under LR-RU-016 Rules for Ergonomic Container Lashing.
• ELD — Ergonomic lighting design applied.

Lifting, access and personnel transfer

• LA (Mandatory Lifting Appliance(s)) — Lifting appliances are essential to the ship, such as cranes on crane barges or diving lifting arrangements. A second form applies to appliances classed by another society before transfer to LR, for which a new Register of Ship’s Lifting Appliances (LA.1) is issued.
• CG (Cargo Gear), CL (Cargo Lift(s)), CR (Cargo Ramp(s)) and PL (Passenger Lift(s)) — Included in class at the Owner’s request.
• W2W (Walk To Work) — A personnel transfer system included in class at the Owner’s request.

Mooring, loading terminals and anchoring

• BLS (Bow Loading System), SLS (Stern Loading System) and TLS (Submerged Turret Loading System) — Tankers equipped to take cargo oil from offshore loading terminals.
• SPM4 and DSPM4 — Single point mooring with one mooring line, or dual mooring line arrangement at a single-point mooring.
• PM (T1), (T2) or (T3) and PMC (T1), (T2) or (T3) — Positional mooring system, and the variant for mooring close to other ships or installations. The supplementary (T) numeral shows thruster assistance.
• LTMOOR — Long-term terminal mooring system.
• DWA (Deep Water Anchoring) — Ships with Rule length of 135 m or more and increased anchoring equipment for water depths up to 120 m.

Fire, helicopters and offshore duties

• Fire-Fighting Ship 1, 2, 3 (with water spray) — Fire protection and fire-fighting equipment provided. The type number shows capacity, the total monitor discharge in m³/h is shown in brackets, and “with water spray” means an effective cooling spray system.
• Helideck and Occasional Helicopter Landing Area — A designated helicopter platform with fire-fighting and safety equipment, or an area for occasional or emergency landings.
• EWP (Enhanced Weather Protection) — Offshore support vessels with increased scantlings for superstructure, windows and side scuttles.
• Movable Decks — All movable decks comply with LR requirements. Others are not a classification item.
• Oil Recovery and Oil Recovery (F.P. >60°C) — Ship equipped for oil recovery, or restricted to oils above 60°C flash point.

Ships: ice and cold-operation notations

Ice Class strengthens the ship to navigate in defined ice conditions. Icebreaker is assigned to ships designed for icebreaking duties. Winterisation covers equipment protection in low temperatures. Hull and machinery are both assessed for the Ice Class notations.

• Winterisation — For ships that may meet low temperatures that freeze equipment through atmospheric icing, sea spray or liquids freezing in systems. Protection measures and operating procedures are specified. Supplementary notations:
  • H(t): hull construction materials for low temperatures.
  • C(t): equipment and systems, short-duration low-temperature operation.
  • B(t): equipment and systems, seasonal duration.
  • A(t): equipment and systems, prolonged duration.
• Icebreaker and Icebreaker(+) — Listed as type notations for ships designed for icebreaking.

Ships: machinery notations

Machinery notations are never assigned to ships whose hulls are not classed, or intended to be classed, with LR. The LMC and MCH notations are generally not assigned to non-propelled craft, though individual cases are considered.

Machinery construction

• ✠LMC — Propelling and essential auxiliary machinery was constructed, installed and tested under LR Special Survey to the Rules.
• [✠]LMC (cross in brackets) — Propelling arrangements for propellers, shafting and multiple input/output gearboxes, steering systems, pressure vessels and essential electrical equipment were built, installed and tested under Special Survey. Other propulsion, power generation and auxiliary items meet LR Rules and carry the manufacturer’s certificate, and the system arrangements are appraised by LR. The manufacturer’s-certificate conditions below apply.
• LMC (without the cross) — Existing ships accepted or transferred into LR class, where the machinery was not built or installed under LR Special Survey but was tested and found acceptable.
• MCH — Machinery installed and tested under LR survey and found acceptable, with a manufacturer’s certificate accepted for propelling and essential auxiliary machinery. System arrangements are appraised by LR.
• IGS (Inert Gas System) — Ships carrying oil or liquid chemicals in bulk with an approved system for making inerting gas for the cargo tanks.

Propelling and essential auxiliary machinery means the machinery, equipment and systems needed at sea to keep the hull watertight and weathertight, keep the ship, machinery and people safe, keep propulsion, steering and electrical systems working, run the control systems that monitor propulsion and steering, and run emergency machinery.

When a manufacturer’s certificate is accepted:

• For [✠]LMC the ship is a cargo ship under 500 gross tonnage, or 500 gross tonnage or more but not required to meet conventions for unrestricted service. Engines, gas turbines and their generators are LR type approved for marine use, machinery follows LR Rules and is made under a recognised quality control system. Propellers, shafting and multiple input/output gearboxes are not covered by the certificate.
• For MCH the same conditions apply, plus every prime mover is under 2,250 kW with a cylinder bore of 300 mm or less, other marine standards acceptable to LR may be used, and components carry a manufacturer’s statement that scantlings meet LR Rules.

Control, automation and navigation

• UMS (Unattended Machinery Spaces) — The ship can run with machinery spaces unattended, with control equipment arranged, installed and tested to LR Rules or equivalent.
• CCS (Centralised Control Station) — Machinery can be operated under continuous supervision from a central station.
• ICC (Integrated Computer Control) — Control and supervision of ship operational functions are computer based.
• IP (Integrated Propulsion) — Propulsion equipment and essential auxiliary machinery are integrated with the power unit for all normal sea-going and manoeuvring conditions. It is bridge controlled with an emergency means of propulsion if the prime mover fails.
• Unmanned — Designed and built to operate with no crew, passengers or other persons on board.
• DP(CM), DP(AM), DP(AA) and DP(AAA) — Dynamic positioning, in rising capability.
  • CM: centralised remote manual controls, with position reference systems and environmental sensors.
  • AM: automatic main control with manual standby.
  • AA: automatic main and automatic standby controls.
  • AAA: automatic main and standby plus an additional emergency automatic control unit in a separate compartment.
• PCR( )( ) — Performance Capability Rating added to a DP notation. It gives the percentage of time the ship holds heading and position in standard North Sea conditions, first with all thrusters working and second with the most effective thruster out. A typical rating is (95),(70).
• NAV1 — Bridge layout and equipment suit safe periodic operation by a single watchkeeper.
• IBS (Integrated Bridge System) — Electronic chart display, track planning and automatic track following, centralised navigation display and bridge alarm management. It needs a recognised ergonomic standard met, or NAV1 assigned, or NAV1-equivalent arrangements where there is no periodic one-man watch.

Machinery special features

• OPS (Onshore Power Supply) — Machinery, electrical and control arrangements for running services from an external electrical supply have been assessed.
• PM, PMC and LTMOOR — Positional mooring, positional mooring close to other vessels or installations, and a long-term nearshore terminal mooring system. PM and PMC can take a thruster-assisted supplement (T1), (T2) or (T3). They are not for ships whose station-keeping may be suspended in bad weather unless that loss of position is planned and allowed.
• PMR and PMR* — After a single equipment failure the ship keeps at least 50 per cent of prime mover capacity and of propulsion systems. The star adds separate compartments so propulsion power survives loss of one compartment.
• SMR and SMR* — Steering stays available after a single failure of steering gear, power supply or control system. The star adds separate compartments.
• PSMR and PSMR* — Propulsion and steering redundancy together, with the star version in separate compartments.
• L suffix (PMRL, SMRL, PSMRL and starred versions) — Limited capability version of the redundancy notations.
• CAC1, PAC1 and PCAC1 (1, 2 or 3) — Noise and vibration in crew spaces, passenger spaces, or both, assessed against criterion 1, 2 or 3. Primarily for passenger ships but any ship can be assessed.
• LFPF(xx,yy) — Low flashpoint fuel machinery built and tested to LR Rules. The first identifier gives the rules: GF for LR-RU-012 (gases or other low-flashpoint fuels, incorporating the IMO IGF Code) and GC for LR-RU-008 (liquefied gas carriers, incorporating the IGC Code). The second gives the fuel:
  • NG natural gas, EG ethane gas, PG petroleum gas (propane, butane or a mix).
  • ML methyl alcohol (methanol), EL ethyl alcohol (ethanol).
  • HY hydrogen, AM ammonia.
• BWTS and BWTS* — A ballast water treatment system approved and installed to LR Rules. The star means the system is also LR Type Approved.
• EGCS (Exhaust Gas Cleaning System) — SOx abatement plant built, arranged and tested to LR Rules, with a suffix for the type: (Open) open-loop scrubber, (Closed) closed-loop only, (Hybrid) both modes, (Dry) dry scrubber. It does not by itself mean statutory emission rules are met.
• EGCN — NOx abatement plant, with a suffix (SCR) for selective catalytic reduction or (EGR) for exhaust gas recirculation. The same statutory caution applies.
• EACCS( ) — Emissions Abatement Carbon Capture and Storage system built and tested to LR Rules, with extra characters by carbon capture application.
• Hybrid Power and Hybrid Power (+) — Electrical power from two or more kinds of source, or from stored energy, to meet main power demand. The (+) version adds optional requirements for system simulation, integration and dependability in normal and foreseeable abnormal operation.

Refrigerated cargo, controlled atmosphere and reefer containers

• ✠Lloyd’s RMC and Lloyd’s RMC — Refrigerated cargo installation built, installed and tested under LR Special Survey, or, without the cross, found equivalent to Rule requirements and tested.
• ‡ (double dagger) — Installation suitable for carrying fruit: air circulation and refreshing, temperature control and monitoring, and ability to cool a full fruit cargo to carrying temperature in a set time have been assessed. It also marks fishing vessels that can freeze down their catch.
• Lloyd’s RMC (LG) — Reliquefaction or refrigeration equipment for cargo temperature and pressure control on a classed gas carrier or tanker. The cross version is built to the Rules; the plain version is found equivalent.
• Lloyd’s RMC (BC) — Refrigeration equipment on a classed chemical tanker, again in cross and plain versions.
• TC — Chemical tanker temperature control systems found equivalent to Rule requirements and tested.
• (CA) — Airtight controlled atmosphere zones and ready connection to a gas system.
• CA (%O2, %CO2) — A system that achieves and holds stated ranges of oxygen and carbon dioxide.
• RH — The ship can hold a stated relative humidity in the CA zones.
• RPA — Refrigeration machinery for provision stores and air conditioning meet Rule requirements.
• CRC — Ventilation system for carrying refrigerated containers approved, installed and tested.

Before any CA, RH or RPA notation is assigned the refrigeration installation must hold an RMC notation. The notation records the temperature conditions and characteristics approved, and is kept while periodical surveys find the installation fit and efficient. Short voyages or small installations may get a service limitation.

Ships: environmental notations and descriptive notes

Environmental protection notations

• ABN( ) — Airborne noise measured and certified under the LR ShipRight procedure, with sound power and sound pressure below the limits. The brackets hold the characters of the most stringent criteria met.
• ECO — Designed and operated to the Rules for environmental protection.
• ECO(TOC) — Environmental arrangements follow another recognised society’s requirements, are essentially equivalent to LR’s, and the ship is operated to LR’s requirements.
• UWN-M — Underwater radiated noise measured and certified under the ShipRight procedure.
• UWN-L( ) — As UWN-M, and the noise curves are below the limits in the procedure. The brackets hold the limit met.

Descriptive notes: what they are

A descriptive note goes in column 6 of the Register Book to describe the ship in more detail or add design information. It is not an LR class notation and is for information only.

ShipRight descriptive notes, written ShipRight(…)

• AM( ) — Alarm Management. For gas ships the characters are AM(C, LG): C for cargo alarms, LG for liquefied gas.
• BWMP( ) — Ballast Water Management Plan, with the method in brackets: S sequential, F flow through, D dilution, T treatment.
• DIST( ) — Machinery suitable for distillate fuels: M main engines, AB auxiliary engines and boiler, I incinerator, IG inert gas generator.
• E (Evidence) — Evidence that hull finite element and fatigue calculations were done to a recognised society’s procedures. For ships transferring class or new builds appraised by another society.
• ES( ) (Enhanced Scantlings) — Scantlings above the approved minimum at stated locations, shown in mm, for example ShipRight(ES(+1 Strength Deck, +2 Bottom Shell)).
• HCD1( ) — Human-Centred Design Level 1 (reactive) followed for the named systems, for example HCD1(mooring area, ECDIS).
• IHM — Inventory of Hazardous Materials requirements met.
• MPMS( ), CM, PT, RBM and RCM — Machinery planned maintenance schemes approved as part of Continuous Survey Machinery. MPMS is the basic scheme. CM adds condition monitoring, PT adds predictive techniques using machine learning, RBM is risk based, and RCM is reliability centred.
• PCWBT( ) — Protective Coatings in Water Ballast Tanks, with the month and year the coating was approved in brackets.
• SCM, TCM and ThCM — Condition monitoring of the screwshaft, the main steam turbine, and selected thrusters or podded propulsors. ThCM does not apply where a single thruster alone provides propulsion or steering.
• SEA( ) — Ship Event Analysis. Hull surveillance of girder stresses and motions, written with HSS and the number of strain gauges. Extensions: L display in the cargo control area, M ship motion, N navigational information, VDR voyage data recorder interface.
• SEA ICE — Hull surveillance that shows and records local ice-load stresses from strain gauges in the bow.
• SERS — Ship registered with LR’s Ship Emergency Response Service.
• ShaftRight( ) — Main shafting alignment done to the ShipRight procedure. E is an existing design and N a new design.
• SRtP — Design appraisal and survey for Safe Return to Port and Orderly Evacuation.
• VECS and VECS-L — Vapour emission control system to USCG 46 CFR 39 or IMO MSC Circular 585, and the version also meeting vapour balancing for lightering. A ship with ECO shows VECS-L inside it as ECO(VECS-L).

Other descriptive notes

• LI — Approved loading instrument fitted at the Owner’s request rather than as class.
• CSA — Container securing arrangements built to LR Rules where loose-fitting surveys were not requested.
• EDD — Eligible for the Owner to apply to the Flag Administration for a pilot Extended Dry-Docking regime, under LR guidance notes.
• STV — Sailing training vessel used for offshore training of cadets or trainees.
• GR(yy,z) (Gas Ready) — Prepared for low flashpoint fuel. The fuel code yy matches LFPF. The letter z shows the stage: A approval in principle, S structural reinforcement installed, T tank installed, P piping installed, E equipment and machinery installed with letters M main engine, A auxiliary engine, B boiler, I incinerator, T gas turbine, F fuel cell. A ship with LFPF for the same fuel cannot have GR.
• EGCS-R( ) and EGCN-R( ) — Prepared for SOx or NOx abatement plant. A is a preliminary assessment, S is structural reinforcement fitted, T is tanks installed.
• READY(EACCS( )) — Prepared for carbon capture. Not available once EACCS is assigned.
• READY( ) — Satisfactory preparation at delivery or refit for a classed structure, system or equipment, for example READY(RIGGING). It needs a defined interface boundary, interface requirements with solutions, a design that fully incorporates the omitted item, and verification at appraisal. An Approval in Principle shows as READY(NOTATION(A)).
• OHCF( ) — General cargo ships with hatch covers omitted where strength was assessed using flooded limits. The wave height limit goes in brackets.
• CSS — Container securing software on board is certified by another IACS member.
• Single pass loading — Ore carriers whose maximum cargo per hold can go in one loading pour.
• LAC — Lifting appliances fully certified by LR and under LR periodical survey, at the Owner’s request.
• VC-L and VC-L+ — Vessel connectivity enabling audio and visual livestreaming in the ship’s core locations (VC-L) or core and additional locations (VC-L+), tested to the LR guidance notes. READY(VC-L) or READY(VC-L+) can be assigned for new builds where the shipyard has installed the wireless network but other items are outstanding.

Offshore Units

These notations apply to offshore units: floating installations at a fixed location, mobile units, and support units. They exclude the ship types covered by the Rules for Ships. Two typical entries: ✠OI 100AT Floating Production, Storage and Offloading Unit, PPF, North Sea service (Alma Field), OIWS, LI and ✠OU 100A1 Mobile offshore drilling unit, DRILL, Gulf of Mexico service.

Unit types and modes of operation

• Floating offshore installation — A unit and its integral mooring facility that stays at one fixed location for its whole service life. A separate buoy or mooring tower is normally classed separately.
• Mobile offshore unit — A unit that operates at, and moves between, different locations.
• Column-stabilised semi-submersible — Working platform on widely spaced buoyant columns, usually on lower hulls or pontoons.
• Self-elevating unit — Buoyant hull with movable legs that lift the hull above the sea surface.
• Tension-leg unit — Linked to a fixed foundation by tensioned tethers so it floats deeper than its free-floating draught.
• Ship units and surface type units — Ship or barge hulls, single or multiple, working while permanently moored (ship units) or floating (surface type).
• Support unit (support vessel) — Supports offshore installations: crane work, fire-fighting, diving, maintenance, construction, pipelaying and accommodation. An accommodation unit houses more than twelve offshore personnel who are not crew or passengers.
• Other definitions — Buoy units, deep draught caisson units and disconnectable units (self-propelled units that leave their moorings to avoid extreme storms) are also defined.
• Operating, survival, transit, and site-installation and re-floating conditions — The classification modes of operation. Site-installation and re-floating applies only to self-elevating units: raising and lowering legs, touchdown and preloading.

Character symbols

• ✠ and its variants — The cross is for new units built under LR Special Survey. A second mark is for new units built under LR Special Survey to plans approved by another recognised society. A third is for units built under another IACS member and later given LR class.
• OI and OU — OI for floating offshore installations at a fixed location; OU for mobile offshore units.
• 100 — Suitable for exposed offshore locations or sea-going service. It is omitted for units in protected waters such as harbours and inland lakes.
• A — Built or accepted to LR Rules and kept in good and efficient condition.
• 1 — Anchoring and mooring equipment in good condition per the Rules, or approved for special service, or a classed dynamic positioning system with enough power, redundancy and duplicated controls to replace anchoring equipment.
• T — Fixed-location installations with anchoring, mooring or linking equipment to the Rules.
• N — Anchoring and mooring equipment need not be fitted given the unit’s service.

One of 1, T or N is always assigned. Non-propelled units that make transit voyages need Rule towing arrangements. Self-propelled units that transit or disconnect to avoid storms get a (1) after the T. A unit is not classed unless its primary propelling machinery and essential auxiliaries are also classed.

Hull and structure notation families

• Type notation — Built to the Rules for that type, such as Mobile offshore drilling unit or Floating Production Unit.
• Special duties notation — Designed or arranged for duties beyond the type, such as oil exploration or well intervention.
• Special features notation — Features that significantly affect the design.
• Specified operating area — Operated only in agreed areas, for example North Sea service (Abbot Field).
• Service restriction notation — Operated only in agreed areas or conditions, for example protected waters service. Exemptions that touch statutory requirements need Flag State authorisation.
• Operating limits notation — The design criteria behind approval, such as maximum environmental limits for semi-submersible and self-elevating units, or limiting sea state and wind speed while moored to a single point mooring.

Special features notations

• PPF — Specialised structures and an installed process plant facility built, installed and tested under LR Special Survey.
• DRILL — Specialised structures and an installed drilling plant facility built, installed and tested under Special Survey.
• DROPS — Preventive measures protect personnel from dropped objects.
• PM and PMC — Mobile units with a positional mooring system, or one for mooring close to other vessels or installations.
• PRS — Product riser system built, installed and tested under Special Survey.
• OIWS — In-Water Survey, assignable to existing units after satisfactory survey.
• PLS — Mobile units fitted with LR-classed pipe-laying equipment.
• LI — Approved loading instrument on surface type units.
• LA — Mandatory lifting appliances essential to the vessel, with a second form for appliances classed by another society before transfer.

ShipRight notations for ship units and semi-submersibles

• ShipRight SDA — Hull strength assessed for environmental loads assuming unrestricted ship service, verified by finite element method.
• ShipRight RBA — Response based analysis: strength verified by direct calculation (finite element) per the procedure for ship units or for semi-submersibles.
• ShipRight FDA (years) — Fatigue life of critical connection details assessed. Semi-submersibles carry FDA3 (years).
• ShipRight CM — Enhanced inspection during construction keeps critical connection details within agreed tolerances.
• CSR — Fully compliant with IACS CSR. It cannot be assigned retrospectively.

LR-classed tankers can keep ShipRight SDA after conversion to a fixed-location installation in a moderate environment.

Machinery and other notations

• ✠Lloyd’s RGP and ✠Lloyd’s RGP+ — Regasification system built, installed and tested under Special Survey. RGP+ can keep operating after a single failure.
• ✠OMC, [✠]OMC and OMC — Machinery for non-propelled units. The cross version has essential auxiliary machinery built under Special Survey. The bracketed version has pressure vessels and essential electrical equipment under Special Survey, other machinery with manufacturer’s certificates, and appraised system arrangements. Without the cross it is for existing units accepted into class.
• ✠LMC, [✠]LMC and LMC — The same pattern for self-propelled units covering propelling and essential auxiliary machinery. These are not generally assigned to non-self-propelled vessels.
• IGS — Units that store crude oil in bulk with an approved inert gas system.
• CAC1, 2 or 3 — Crew accommodation noise and vibration criteria per LR-RU-001.
• FWS — Installed fresh water systems built and tested under Special Survey.
• LFPF (GF, NG, EG, LP, HG or ML) — Machinery designed to run on low flashpoint fuel, to LR-RU-012. GF means ships other than liquefied gas carriers. Fuels: NG natural gas, EG ethane, LP liquid petroleum gas, HG hydrogen, ML methanol.
• EACCS( ) — Carbon capture and storage system built to the Ship Rules.
• UMS, CCS, ICC and IP — Control and automation notations as for ships.
• DP(CM), DP(AM), DP(AA), DP(AAA) and PCR — Dynamic positioning notations and the Performance Capability Rating, as for ships.
• ECO and ECO(TOC) — Environmental protection to the Ship Rules, or equivalent arrangements from another society.
• CAV — Classification based on a Formal Safety Assessment, verified under a National Administration’s regulations, kept by periodical surveys. A supplementary character shows the Administration, such as (N) for Norwegian or (UK).

Descriptive notes

Descriptive notes appear on the Class Direct website for information only. Examples: Semi-submersible, Tanker conversion, Turret mooring, Spread mooring, Disconnectable unit, Floating Clean energy Support Structure, Helideck, COW (LR) for crude oil washing, SBT (LR) for segregated ballast tanks, Potable Water System and Sea Water Desalination Plant.

ShipRight descriptive notes available on a voluntary basis for surface type units: ES, SEA (HSS-n), SERS, SCM, MPMS with CM, PT, RBM or RCM, BWMP, ThCM and HCD1( ). ShipRight (E) records evidence of finite element and fatigue work by another recognised society. ESP can be entered where an Owner elects the tanker hull Special Survey, and IHM, READY( ), LAC, VC-L and VC-L+ work as in the Ships rules.

Naval Ships

A naval ship’s classification record is a character of class plus mandatory notations (ship type, service area, hull strength where applied) and optional ones. The Rules give this example: ✠100A1 NS2 Frigate, SA1, AIR, then ✠LMC, SCM, SDA, ESA1, RSA2, Ice Class 1C, then ✠MD, SEA, EER.

Character symbols

• ✠ — New ships built under Special Survey to the Rules.
• 100 — Suitable for sea-going service.
• A — Built or accepted into class to LR Rules and kept in good and efficient condition.
• 1 — Anchoring and mooring equipment in good condition per the Rules, or approved for a specific service.
• E — LR agreed anchoring and mooring equipment need not be fitted given the ship’s service. Naval ships use E where other Rule sets use N.
• (NS) suffix — Added to a character or notation when alternative or additional standards were agreed by LR and the Naval Administration, with a formal process for approval, construction, testing and through-life verification. Examples: A(NS), LMC(NS) for mobility and ship type machinery, LA(NS) for lifting appliances built to a navy standard equivalent to LAME, and FIRE(NS).

Tailoring: departures from the Rules

• Interpretations — Strict compliance is not possible but the arrangement clearly meets the Rule intent. At LR’s discretion and recorded in appraisal documents.
• Exceptions or concessions — Non-compliances LR accepts as an acceptable alternative on an Engineering and Safety Justification Report. Agreed with the Owner and Naval Administration.
• Alternatives — Significant changes, possibly replacing a Rule chapter with another standard. They carry (NS) and need a tailoring document or System Design Description before appraisal.
• Additions — Another standard used on top of the Rules. They also carry (NS).
• Not agreed by LR — An exemption is needed from the Naval Administration, at Board level.

A tailoring document, submitted with the plans, lists additional standards and requirements, interpretations, exceptions to Rules or other standards, and equipment procurement. In build and through-life, significant exceptions are recorded in the class certificates and registers.

Ship type notations

• NS1, NS2 and NS3 — Naval ship categories 1, 2 and 3 as defined in the Rules.
• NS(SR) — Category defined in the Rules, assessed against the Rules for Ships or Special Service Craft as appropriate. Role examples: Replenishment Ship, Oil Supply Ship, Landing Ship Dock, Survey Ship, Stores Replenishment Ship, Transport Dock, Ro-Ro Ship, Troop Carrier, Vehicle Carrier, Landing Craft.
• NS(SSC) — Category defined in the Rules, assessed against the Rules for Ships or Special Service Craft as appropriate. Role examples: Offshore or Inshore Patrol Boat, Offshore or Inshore Patrol Vessel, Landing Craft, Air Cushioned Vehicle.
• Role description — The type notation is followed by the operational role, plus the hull form if unusual. Examples: Destroyer, Cruiser, Helicopter Carrier, Aircraft Carrier, Frigate, Corvette, Amphibious Assault Ship, Amphibious Transport Dock, Landing Craft, Landing Ship Dock, Minehunter, Minelayer, Mine-sweeper, Patrol ship, Fast Attack Craft, Fast Strike Craft, Fast Patrol Craft, Offshore Patrol Vessel.
• AIR — Mandatory for all vessels operating aircraft.
• LA — Mandatory where lifting appliances are essential to the primary operational role. It comes with a Register of Lifting Appliances, and a second form covers appliances classed by another society before transfer.

NS(SR) and NS(SSC) vessels. Application is in writing, with a Design and Operating Scenario Statement covering stores, fuel and ordnance carried, crew and embarked numbers, conventions and Administration requirements applied, Rules used, survey periodicity, combat systems, handling equipment, survivability and operating modes. LR accepts the statement before detailed plan work. Plans are needed for features the civil Rules do not fully cover: masts, weapon system seats, RAS seats and landing areas, aircraft landing guides, towing points, military loads, beaching, material grades, watertight integrity and its strength, and lifts, ramps and shell doors. Systems outside the civil Rules, such as aircraft and vehicle fuel, chilled water, high pressure sea water, compressed air, hydraulic, made and fresh water, HVAC and RAS, also need plans. The Owner confirms fire safety to a stated standard, stability to a recognised intact and damage standard, munitions safety to navy requirements, and details of shock, large trim or list, ambient extremes, electromagnetic compatibility and power quality.

NS3 vessels. Where an NS3 vessel is also built to statutory regulations, LR issues Statements of Compliance with the nominated rules, such as SOLAS, the SPS Code, LR’s Grey Boat Code or the UK MCA Workboat Code. Stability and munitions carriage are certified by a recognised organisation. The Naval Administration need not agree Concept of Operations documents or Design Statements, and the hull operating envelope is displayed in the wheelhouse.

Service area notations

• SA1 — Unrestricted worldwide operation, including all other service areas.
• SA2 — Tropical and temperate regions, excluding areas needing SA1.
• SA3 — Tropical regions, excluding areas needing SA1 or SA2.
• SA4 — Sheltered water, excluding areas needing SA1, SA2 or SA3.
• SAR (Service Area Restricted) — A predetermined, contiguous area of operation.

Hull strength notations

• ESA1 and ESA2 — Extreme hull girder strength meets a stated performance level, calculated by simple elastic (ESA1) or elasto-plastic (ESA2) analysis.
• RSA1, RSA2 and RSA3 — Residual hull girder strength after structural damage, by simple elastic, elasto-plastic or 3D non-linear finite element analysis.
• TLA (Total Load Assessment) — Scantlings verified with a total load approach.
• SDA and FDA — Structural Design Assessment by direct calculation, and Fatigue Design Assessment, to agreed procedures.

Military Distinction (MD) notations

• ✠MD — Military aspects constructed under LR Special Survey to LR Rules. A second form covers construction under LR Special Survey to plans approved by the Naval Administration under equivalent rules. Plain MD means the Naval Administration assessed the military aspects under equivalent rules.
• EB1 to EB4 (external air blast) — Confidential. Withstands an external blast to a performance level, using Rule loads and methods (EB1), elasto-plastic (EB2), finite element (EB3) or full 3D non-linear code (EB4).
• IB1 and IB2 (internal air blast) — Confidential. Prevents spread of an internal blast per Rules (IB1), with extra testing or analysis (IB2).
• FP1 and FP2 (fragmentation protection) — Confidential. Local structure resists a defined fragmentation threat using Rule requirements (FP1) or penetration algorithms (FP2).
• SP (small arms protection) — Confidential. Local strengthening against a defined small arms threat.
• SH (shock enhancement) — Confidential. Local structure withstands underwater shock using a simplified approach, which can be enhanced by assessing seats, shock mounts, hull valves and global strength.
• WH1, WH2 and WH3 (whipping assessment) — Confidential, known only to the Owner. Global structure withstands underwater shock by simple elastic, elasto-plastic or 3D non-linear finite element analysis.

Machinery and engineering systems notations

• ✠LMC (several forms) — Mobility and ship type machinery built, installed and tested under Special Survey to LR Rules. Variants cover machinery built under another recognised authority’s survey and installed under LR survey, a form where propulsion arrangements, steering, pressure vessels and electrical equipment are under Special Survey while other items carry manufacturer’s certificates, and LMC without the cross for existing ships transferring in.
• MCH — Machinery installed and tested under LR survey, with manufacturer’s certificates accepted for items.
• SCM and TCM — Screwshaft Condition Monitoring and Turbine Condition Monitoring.
• PMR, SMR, PSMR (and starred versions) and L — Propulsion, steering, and combined redundancy, with separate compartments for the star versions and L for limited capability.
• ELS — Quality and integrity of electrical power for designated loads meets a Naval Standard such as NATO STANAG 1008.
• AG1 and AG2 — Enhanced analysis of propulsion and auxiliary gears, with AG2 adding 3D finite element analysis of the mating gear geometry.
• AP1 and AP2 — Enhanced propeller manufacturing tolerance assessment on fast ships (AP1), or for propellers with reduced noise characteristics (AP2).
• MPMS, MCM and RCM — Approved machinery planned maintenance, with condition monitoring (MCM) or reliability centred maintenance (RCM).
• RAS(ABV), RAS(AB), RAS(AV), RAS(BV), RAS(A), RAS(B), RAS(V) — Replenishment at sea: A astern, B abeam, V VERTREP, in the combinations shown. (NT) is added where NATO RAS requirements are met.
• PRM — Provision refrigeration machinery.
• UMS, CCS and ICC — Unattended machinery spaces, centralised control station and integrated computer control.
• HP and HP(+) — Hybrid Power and the enhanced version.
• Unmanned — Designed to be operated with no one on board.

Other notations

• LAP, LAC and the Register of Lifting Appliances — LAP covers classed lifting appliances not mandated by LA; LAC covers periodical surveys by LR at the Owner’s request. The Register lists items such as ramps, movable decks, lifts, cranes, davits, RAS equipment, towed body attachments and eye plates over 2,5 tonnes. The Owner maintains it.
• LE (Lifting Eyes) — Eyes of 2,5 tonnes or less used for shipping equipment, approved, tested and inspected through life.
• LI — Approved loading instrument, as a class or Owner’s requirement.
• CM — Construction Monitoring, complementing SDA and FDA.
• SEA(HSS-n), SEA(VDR), SEA(VDR-n) — Hull surveillance of girder stresses and motions with warnings, where -n is the number of strain gauges. Extensions L, M, N and VDR as for ships.
• SERS — Ship registered with LR’s Ship Emergency Response Service.
• EER — Escape, Emergency Access, Evacuation and Rescue. Needs FIRE, ESC and LSAE and shows the systems are integrated.
• FIRE — Fire protection meeting the functional objectives of IMO conventions or the NATO Naval Ship Code (ANEP-77).
• ESC — Escape and emergency access in a prepare-to-evacuate situation.
• LSAE — Life-saving and evacuation arrangements. For the double-star versions, ESC** and LSAE** must be applied together.
• SNC — Safety of Navigation and Communication.
• POL — Pollution prevention, an independent voluntary assessment against IMO environmental conventions.
• Ice Class — 1E, 1D, 1C FS to 1AS FS and PC7 and PC6 as for ships, with higher PC classes assessed under the Ships Rules. (+) shows enhanced engine power. A star shows fully plastic shell plating design for emergency first-year ice operation.
• LMA and LNMA — Manoeuvring performance assessed and verified by trials, with LNMA the naval version.
• CEPAC — Noise and vibration in crew and embarked personnel spaces meet comfort criteria, with numeral 1 or 2.
• ENV( ) — Environmental protection characters: A anti-fouling, ABN airborne noise, GW grey water and sewage, IHM hazardous materials, MRV carbon dioxide monitoring, NOx-2 and NOx-3, OW oily water, P oil tanks in protected locations, RS refrigeration, SOx, UWN underwater noise.
• SD (Special Duties) — Designed or arranged for duties beyond the type notation.
• PCWBT and ACS (B), ACS (V) — Protective coatings in ballast tanks, and anti-corrosion systems in ballast tanks (B) or void spaces (V).
• *IWS — In-water Survey.
• STAB — Buoyancy, stability and controllability meet Chapter III of the NATO Naval Ship Code.
• SMS — Safety Management System meeting ISM Code objectives, as the NATO Naval Ship Code expects.
• DWA — Deep Water Anchoring for Rule length of 135 m or more, depths up to 120 m.
• HCD1( ) — Human-Centred Design Level 1 for named systems.
• BOATS — Launch, recovery and carriage of small boats and interface with craft alongside or people in the water meet the NATO Naval Ship Code functional objectives.

A single star on FIRE, ESC, LSAE, EER or SNC shows the arrangements meet stated National Administration requirements. A double star shows they meet the NATO Naval Ship Code (ANEP-77).

Special Service Craft

Special Service Craft (SSC) notations cover high speed and light displacement craft, yachts, workboats and similar vessels. Two typical entries: ✠100A1 SSC Passenger (A) Catamaran HSC G3 'service area' and ✠100A1 SSC Yacht Catamaran LDC G5. LR can require an operational envelope, set from the scantlings, arrangements and operating mode. It forms an appendix to the Classification Certificate, is shown in the wheelhouse and is in the operational manual. Craft classed for restricted service have their geographical limits on the certificate.

Character symbols

• ✠ and its variants — New craft built under LR Special Survey to the Rules; new craft built under Special Survey to plans approved by another IACS member; and craft built under another IACS member’s supervision and later given LR class.
• 100 — Suitable for sea-going service, except craft in Service Group G1 and Zones 1, 2 and 3.
• A — Built or accepted under LR Rules and kept in good and efficient condition.
• 1 — Anchoring and mooring equipment in good condition per the Rules, or approved for a specific service.
• N — The Committee agreed that anchoring and mooring equipment need not be fitted.
• T — For craft that perform their primary function only while anchored, moored, towed or linked.
• SSC — Constructed or accepted into class on the basis of these Rules.

Either 1 or N is assigned. Seriously deficient equipment can lead to class being withheld.

High speed and light displacement craft

• HSC — High speed craft notation.
• LDC — Light displacement craft notation.

Service area restriction notations

Every craft gets one, written G or Zone plus a number. Restrictions are set by range to refuge in nautical miles. Where a maximum time to refuge applies, it is the range to refuge divided by the permitted operational speed fully laden in the prevailing conditions of the operational envelope. Craft with an envelope slow down or seek calmer water before they would exceed its wave height and speed limits.

The zone definitions are consistent with EC resolution ECE/TRANS/SC.3/172/Rev.1. A bigger range to refuge can be considered if the geographic limits and period are defined, wave height statistics show suitability, suitable equipment is carried, and the time-to-refuge limits are not exceeded.

Service type notations

• Cargo (A) — Cargo craft other than Cargo (B).
• Cargo (B) — Unassisted high speed cargo craft of 500 gross tons and over, never more than eight hours at operational speed from a place of refuge when fully laden. These match Cargo Craft in the HSC Code.
• Passenger — Passenger craft other than Passenger (A) or (B).
• Passenger (A) — Assisted high speed craft carrying no more than 450 passengers, never more than four hours at operational speed from refuge. These match Category A Craft in the HSC Code.
• Passenger (B) — Unassisted high speed craft that may carry more than 450 passengers, within four hours of refuge. These match Category B Craft.
• Passenger Yacht, Yacht and Yacht support vessel — Yachts built to the Rules, on request for Passenger Yacht, and vessels associated with yachts that provide equipment or facilities.
• Patrol, Pilot and Workboat — Patrol craft, pilot launches and workboats complying with the Rules.
• Wind Farm Service Vessel — Workboat requirements plus wind farm service applications, per LR guidance notes.

Craft type notations

• ACV — Amphibious air cushion vehicles built to LR-RU-015 and the SSC Rules.
• Catamaran — All catamarans, including low wash and wave piercing.
• Hydrofoil, Mono, Multi, RIB, SES and Swath — Hydrofoil craft; mono-hulls other than ACVs, hydrofoils and rigid inflatable boats; multi-hulls other than catamarans, swaths and SES; rigid inflatable boats; surface effect ships; and small waterplane area twin hull ships.
• (FA) — Added to a craft type for foil-assisted craft.

Other hull notations

• Ice Class — Specially considered for first-year ice.
• *IWS — In-Water Survey.
• Special features notation — Features that significantly affect the design, such as movable decks.
• Helicopter Landing Area — Provided in line with the steel, aluminium or composite Rules.
• LI — Approved loading instrument as a class requirement.
• SRY — Short-Range Yacht with G2A, built to the Red Ensign Group Yacht Code Part A or another national code acceptable to LR.
• ShipRight ACS (B) — Ballast tank coating system to the ShipRight procedure.
• LA — Mandatory lifting appliances, with a second form for appliances classed elsewhere before transfer.
• RIGGING and RIGGING* — Wind propulsion rig on a new craft, or on request on an existing one.

Machinery notations

• ✠LMC, its variants and MCH — As for ships, covering Special Survey build, build to an equivalent society’s rules with LR installation, the form with manufacturer’s certificates, LMC for existing craft transferring in, and MCH.
• UMS and CCS — Unattended machinery spaces and centralised control station.
• Unmanned — Designed to be operated unmanned.
• Hybrid Power and Hybrid Power (+) — As for ships.

Manufacturer’s certificates are accepted for LMC and MCH where a craft carries cargo and not passengers and is under 500 gross tonnage or not subject to unrestricted-service conventions, or for yachts under comparable limits. For yachts of 500 gross tonnage or more, acceptance can also be agreed with the registering Administration. Engines and generators are LR type approved, machinery follows LR Rules and is made under quality control, and propellers, shafting and multiple input/output gearboxes are excluded. MCH adds the 2,250 kW and 300 mm cylinder bore limits.

Environmental and descriptive notes

• ABN( ), ECO, ECO(TOC), UWN-M and UWN-L( ) — As for ships, with ECO measured against the Ship Rules for environmental protection.
• SCM and ThCM — Screwshaft and thruster condition monitoring.
• STV — Sailing training vessel.
• ESW (environmentally sensitive wake) — A low wash catamaran that meets a local authority’s wake requirements, with the authority or route in brackets, for example ESW(Port of London Authority).
• IHM, HCD1( ), READY( ), LAC, VC-L and VC-L+ — As for ships.

Inland Waterways, Great Lakes, Linkspans and gas carrier extras

Inland Waterways ships

The character is ✠A1 I.W.W., with no 100 in the character. A is for ships built or accepted to LR Rules and kept in good condition. The figure 1 covers equipment to the Rules or approved for special service, or to established national or international regulations with service limits where applicable. N means no anchoring or mooring equipment is needed, and T is for ships whose main function happens only while anchored, moored, towed or pushed.

• Type notations — A1 I.W.W. followed by: Cargo Ship or Barge; Container Ship or Barge; Bulk Carrier or Barge; Ferry, Roll on-Roll off Ship or Barge; Pontoon (or self propelled); Tanker or Barge Type G; Type C; Type N Closed; Type N Open with flame screens; Type N Open (the N types each also available as Double Hull); Water, Wine or Edible oil tanker or barge; Pusher Tug or Launch; Passenger Ship.
• Cargo notation — Designed or arranged for particular cargoes, such as sulphuric acid.
• Loading sequence notation (L.S.) — Designed to be loaded or discharged in a defined sequence, for example L.S. ‘O’ or L.S. ‘D’.
• Loading notation — Designed for unusual or non-uniform cargo distribution, such as specified non-uniform loading conditions.
• ICE — Designed or arranged to navigate in ice.
• Zone notation — Designed to operate in Zones 1 and/or 2, where the zone’s conditions are not exceeded on any voyage. Zone 1 is a maximum significant wave height of 1,6 m, Zone 2 is 1,0 m and Zone 3 is 0,5 m, each excluding the highest five per cent of observed waves.
• DG — Double-hull dry cargo ships built to ADN Chapter 9, Section 9.1.0.80 and the additional Rule requirements for dangerous goods.
• p.v. (pressure valve setting) — For closed tanks of Type G, C and N tankers and water, wine and edible oil tankers, the cargo tank relief valve setting is entered, for example p.v. +50 kPa.
• S.G. (specific gravity) — The design specific gravity of the cargo tanks is entered, for example S.G. 1.20.
• CR (s.stl) and CR (r.l) — Cargo tanks built of corrosion resistant material such as stainless steel, or lined with a resistant lining such as rubber.
• Service extension notations — Operation outside inland waterways on an agreed route or in an agreed area, with limits such as distance out to sea, wind force and sea condition written into the notation. A specified route example is service between Flushing and Ostend, and a specified operating area example is Baltic Sea Service.
• IGS — Tankers fitted with approved inerting arrangements.
• ✠LMC (forms) and MCH — As for ships. Manufacturer’s certificates for the bracketed LMC form apply to cargo ships or tankers that must meet specific inland transport regulator requirements for hazardous cargoes, where the Administration accepts the class notation. MCH applies where those requirements do not apply, with the 2,250 kW and 300 mm cylinder bore limits.
• ABN( ), ShipRight( ), READY( ) and LAC — Airborne noise notation and descriptive notes, as for ships.

Great Lakes and River St. Lawrence

These Regulations cover ships operating principally on the Great Lakes and River St. Lawrence. The seaward limit is a line from Cap des Rosiers on the Gaspe Peninsula to the west point of Anticosti Island, then from Anticosti to the north shore of the river along the meridian of 63 degrees west. Ships are to be laid up in fresh water at a River St. Lawrence or Great Lakes port each winter. Both hull and machinery must comply, and the relevant Ship Rules apply except where stated otherwise.

• Class 100A1 with special service notation — Ships built to the Rules for Ships and intended for the Great Lakes and River St. Lawrence. The notation names the service, with geographical and, where relevant, seasonal limits.
• Class A1 (restricted service) — Ships trading only in specially sheltered waters such as harbours or rivers within those limits, with scantlings, arrangements and equipment approved as suitable. The notation shows the geographical limits.
• Winters in the Great Lakes — Allows five-year docking survey intervals, when the Owner confirms and the Committee agrees that the ship lays up each winter in fresh water in a River St. Lawrence or Great Lakes port.
• Descriptive note — Entered in column 6 of the Register Book for information only.

Liquefied gas ships: required notations

These are additional notations assigned to liquefied gas ships.

• Required class notations — Type of tanks, names of the gases, maximum vapour pressure at sea and in harbour, minimum and where needed maximum cargo temperature, and design ambient temperatures when the ship suits continuous service in high or low temperature climates.
• MDT (Minimum Design Temperature) — The minimum allowable temperature at the primary barrier, in degrees Celsius.
• LFPF(GC) — Gas carriers or tankers whose main or auxiliary machinery runs on low flashpoint fuel built, arranged and tested to Chapter 16 of LR’s Rules for Ships for Liquefied Gases or equivalent. The fuel is shown by a two-letter code: NG natural gas, EG ethane, PG petroleum gas (propane, butane or a mix), HG hydrogen. For example LFPF(GC, NG) is a gas carrier burning natural gas.

Linkspans

Linkspan characters are ✠, A and T. The cross shows build under LR Special Survey and compliance with the Rules. A shows build to LR Rules and maintenance to the Rules. T shows approved mooring or tethering equipment. The operational design conditions go in an appendix to the Classification Certificate and in the Operational Manual where one is required.

• ✠AT — Buoyant linkspans: Passenger Linkspan, Vehicle Linkspan, or Passenger and Vehicle Linkspan for service at a named location.
• ✠A — The same three linkspan types for non-buoyant linkspans.
• *IWS — In-Water Survey, for linkspans with underwater surfaces coated with an approved high-resistance paint, to forgo specific dry-docking surveys where the Rules are met.
• Descriptive note — Entered in column six of the Maritime Guide to describe the linkspan in more detail. It is not an LR classification notation.