Maritime technical services with clear decisions.
HCS provides classification, surveys, plan approval and maritime technical assurance under its applicable Rules and procedures. Statutory services require current written Flag authorization.
From attendance to technical decision.
Survey findings and recommendations are documented in the technical file. HCS reviews the evidence before making a certification decision, giving shipowners, managers and Flag Administrations a clear record of the work.
Click a service area to view the detailed scope.
Service acceptance remains subject to vessel particulars, applicable rules, competence, Flag requirements and the confirmed HCS scope for the assignment.
Classification Services
Entry into class and class maintenance under the applicable HCS Rules.
Classification work is performed in accordance with the applicable HCS Rules, approved technical documentation and recorded technical review.
- Entry into class surveys
- Condition assessment and class-status follow-up
- Conditions of Class and recommendation control
- Technical review supporting class decisions
Technical basis: HCS Rules and approved class notations govern class decisions. Statutory compliance is assessed separately under the applicable Flag delegation.
Statutory Surveys & Certification
Convention surveys and certificate actions within the current written Flag authorization.
Where formally authorized by the relevant Flag Administration, HCS undertakes statutory surveys, audits and certification strictly within the written scope of delegation.
- SOLAS cargo ship safety surveys and certification
- MARPOL pollution-prevention surveys and certification
- International Load Line surveys and certification
- Ballast Water Management statutory services
- Endorsement, renewal and certificate actions within delegated authority
Applicable instruments: SOLAS, MARPOL, Load Lines, BWM and other conventions only where applicable to the vessel and expressly delegated. The relevant Flag instructions and survey regime govern attendance, endorsement and issuance.
A classification certificate or a Statement of Compliance does not itself establish Flag authorization to issue a statutory certificate.
Hull & Machinery Surveys
Physical attendance covering structure, machinery, repairs and periodical survey requirements.
Hull and machinery attendance records the condition of structure, equipment and installations against the applicable survey programme.
- Annual, intermediate, renewal and special class surveys.
- Bottom surveys and dry-docking attendance.
- Damage, repair and occasional surveys.
- Machinery, piping, electrical and safety-system examination and testing within the assignment scope.
- Measurements, photographs, findings and recommendations retained for technical review.
Technical framework: applicable HCS Rules and approved plans; relevant SOLAS construction requirements; and the ESP Code where applicable to vessel type and survey.
Plan Approval & Technical Review
Appraisal of drawings, calculations, stability information and vessel modifications.
Technical appraisal is performed against the applicable rules, statutory requirements, approved criteria and vessel-specific scope.
- Hull and structural plan appraisal
- Machinery and piping-system review
- Electrical and safety-system review
- Stability documentation assessment
- Fire-control and safety-plan review
- Manuals and technical file review
- Retrofit and modification assessment
- Plan revision and approval-status control
Technical framework: applicable HCS Rules; relevant SOLAS construction and fire-safety provisions; Load Line requirements; and instrument-specific criteria for the plan or manual concerned. Statutory approvals require the corresponding written delegation.
ISM / ISPS / MLC
Management-system audits, security verification and maritime-labour inspections where specifically authorized.
Each audit or inspection requires confirmation of the instrument-specific appointment, auditor competence, vessel or company scope and applicable Flag instructions.
- ISM Code: company and ship safety-management audits under SOLAS chapter IX.
- ISPS Code: ship-security verification under SOLAS chapter XI-2 and the applicable RSO delegation.
- MLC, 2006, as amended: maritime-labour inspection and certification within the Flag’s recognized-organization arrangements.
- Findings, non-conformities, corrective action and certification review are recorded within the relevant controlled file.
Environmental Compliance
Pollution-prevention, ballast water and ship-recycling documentation review.
HCS supports owners and managers in assessing environmental requirements applicable to the vessel, equipment, voyage profile and certification regime.
- Ballast Water Management compliance review
- MARPOL air-emission requirements
- Oil, sewage and garbage pollution-prevention requirements
- Anti-fouling system compliance
- IHM / ship-recycling related technical support where applicable
- Environmental deficiency and corrective-action review
Applicable instruments: relevant MARPOL Annexes, BWM Convention, AFS Convention and ship-recycling requirements as applicable to vessel type, tonnage, Flag and operating area. Energy-efficiency work is described in the separate EEDI / EEXI / CII section.
Marine Technical Consultancy
Condition, damage, acquisition and operational technical assessments within the agreed HCS scope.
Independent technical assessments support informed operational, maintenance, acquisition and compliance decisions.
- Condition and technical inspections
- Pre-purchase technical review
- Damage and repair assessment support
- Aging-vessel and risk-based condition review
- Machinery and structural technical assessment
- Technical document and evidence review
- Special attendance and occasional surveys
- Operational technical advisory support
Assignment basis: agreed terms of reference, applicable HCS Rules, approved vessel documentation and relevant statutory criteria. Advice does not replace Flag decisions or class approval; consultancy and certification conflicts are subject to impartiality controls.
Energy Efficiency · EEDI / EEXI / CII
Technical-document assessment and compliance follow-up for applicable MARPOL Annex VI requirements.
EEXI assessment and CII documentation follow-up are considered against the vessel’s particulars and the applicable MARPOL Annex VI chapter 4 provisions. EEDI-related design documentation is assessed only where the specific service, competence and authority are confirmed.
- Applicability review using vessel type, tonnage, build or conversion date and operating profile.
- EEDI / EEXI technical files and supporting calculations within the agreed review scope.
- SEEMP documentation, annual operational CII records and corrective-action follow-up where applicable.
- Statutory verification and certificate actions only within the corresponding written Flag delegation.
Official guidance: use the IMO’s current MARPOL Annex VI resolution index to identify applicable amendments and guidelines; technical indices and operational CII ratings serve different purposes.
PSC & Deficiency Support
Review of deficiencies, rectification evidence and follow-up attendance.
HCS provides structured technical support for deficiencies, detention-related matters and corrective-action evidence within the applicable class / statutory role.
- PSC finding and deficiency review
- Technical response and rectification follow-up
- Corrective-action evidence assessment
- Survey attendance after rectification where required
- Class recommendation and deficiency closure control
- Communication support with relevant stakeholders
- Urgent technical case escalation
- Controlled verification of supporting evidence
Regulatory framework: applicable IMO Procedures for Port State Control and the competent authority’s instructions. Detention and release decisions belong to the Port State; Flag exemptions and dispensations belong to the competent Flag Administration.
Offshore & Special Purpose Units
Project-specific review and survey attendance within HCS competence and applicable authority.
Project-specific survey and technical review may be provided for offshore and special-purpose units where HCS competence, rules and applicable authority permit the assignment.
- Special-purpose vessel technical assessment
- Offshore support-unit survey attendance
- Conversion and modification review
- Condition and structural assessment
- Project-specific technical documentation review
- Operational limitations and recommendation control
Project criteria: applicable HCS Rules, vessel design basis and relevant SOLAS or specialist IMO instruments, including the SPS Code where applicable. Acceptance is confirmed for the specific unit and service.
Digital Services
Public verification tools and access to controlled records through the appropriate HCS route.
Use the Digital Services overview for the live verification tools, survey-request preparation and record-request routes. Restricted reports and technical files are provided through Head Office according to access authorization.
Survey attendance is evidence. Certification is a controlled decision.
HCS separates survey attendance, technical review and certification authority. Reports, photographs, measurements, deficiencies and supporting evidence are reviewed in accordance with the applicable procedure before a formal class or statutory decision is released.
Tell us the vessel, port and required service.
For a quotation or attendance request, provide the vessel name, IMO number, Flag, current location / port, requested scope and proposed attendance date. HCS will confirm the appropriate technical route and any authorization requirements.