Shipowner’s claim

A classification society classed a ship from the time she was built until the end of 2015 when the ship switched to a new classification society.

Four years later, the new classification society determined that the ship’s construction did not comply with SOLAS requirements.

The ship owner filed a claim against the former classification society.

Investigations revealed that glass originally installed in certain areas of the ship did not have the required safety rating and had to be replaced.

The glass, from a manufacturer in the Netherlands, would need to be specially ordered and shipped to the Far East for installation.

The former classification society contributed to the costs of doing so on the basis that their surveyor should have noticed this while it was under their class.

The original shipbuilder had gone out of business and so was unable to contribute to the settlement.