Ship class

Class of ship called in shipping various areas of systematic classification (classification) of maritime and inland waterway vessels.

  • In general, we mean by ship class is a group of ships belonging to the same series and thus have a similar appearance. This happens for example in shipping companies or navies that summarize a group of similar or identical ships in a class.
  • It can also be meant by ship class is a classification of ships with similar purpose or comparable size.
  • Another meaning is the classification of ships, and the assessment of their structural condition by a classification society. This can best be compared with the recurring technical inspections of motor vehicles on land.

The term class of ship is fundamentally different from the type of ship (or the type of vessel or type of vessel ) to distinguish, which refers to the similarity of purpose, drive type or the like. relates. Denote the shipyards developed by them ship classes usually also called " type".

Class of ship in the narrow sense

A ship class is a group of ships, which fall to the same series, were thus made ​​in many different styles in the same way and therefore have an almost identical appearance. The concept of class is mainly used in navies. In the merchant navy ship classes are usually associated with a number of comparable vessels of a shipping company. This must include vessels of the same series but not always.

In some cases, units representing a modification of the original class will be conducted as a separate class, although the outer differences can be very small. Thus, the USS John F. Kennedy (CV -67) is performed as a separate class, since the differences from the Kitty Hawk class are very large in the internal configuration.

Designation

There exist in the various navies of the world have different naming conventions for ship classes. In many cases, the classification according to the type of ship, so the first -built copy of the series named (for example in the U.S.), but usually after the ship that first went into active service. In some navies, the class is named after the oldest ship in the class, which leads to an eventual decommissioning or loss of one unit to the renaming of the entire ship class.

The name of a class can also be completely independent of the individual names of the ships. So a British frigate type was referred to as Tribal class, because the individual ships were named after tribes (german tribe ). The Russian Kirov - class retained its name, although the Kirov was later renamed Admiral Ushakov.

During the Cold War Soviet ships with NATO reporting names were provided, the submarines of the Soviet Akula - class were named Typhoon class. At the same time received another Soviet class the NATO codename Akula.

In the German Navy ship classes are internally designated with a number. How, for example, F124, while informal type the name of the ship axes are also referred to the class.

Ship class in the broader sense

See: Type

Ship classification

The evaluation process of a ship for inclusion in ship class is called classification of vessels or classification. It takes place through so-called classification societies. Here, the ship is technically examined and evaluated its structural condition and its suitability for the transport of certain goods or certain rides and ride areas. The result of the classification is held in a classification certificate. The classification of ships is a prerequisite for membership in the merchant navy. A proper classification certificate is also provided to insure the ship and the cargo.

The classification societies have defined term for a variety of types. The class insignia is the compilation of the symbol of the individual standards. Check classification societies at regular intervals that the conditions that belong to a particular class, are complied with. Well-known classification societies are for example:

  • Type of ship
  • Commercial Shipping
  • Product classification
  • Ship class
Kitty Hawk-class aircraft carrier Akula-class submarine Sachsen-class frigate
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