ORGANIZATION AND RESPONSIBILITIES WITHIN THE TECHNICAL MANAGEMENT
MISSIONS
Introduction
The overall responsibilities of the Technical Management Department (DT) are defined in the related management procedure.
The DT’s scope of activity covers new constructions, in-service units, and equipment. The missions for technical units (departments & sections) are detailed below.
Head Office Technical Support Function:
Technical Support:
Provide technical support to the Operations Management Department (DO) and related units (NCM, FM, and EMC), Commercial Department and Recognised Organisation (RO) network,
Deliver expert assessments, and assistance services to Recognised Organisation (RO) network and clients (shipowner, shipyards…),
Coordinate technical activities related to research and innovation across the network,
Participate in technical training for LPO and field surveyors’ staff.
Regulatory & Technical Expertise:
Maintain expert knowledge and monitor national and international regulations,
Develop, coordinate, and publish Rules and Guidance Notes for ships and offshore installations across all technical domains (hull, hydrodynamic, mooring, stability machinery, cargo, electrical, safety, automation, cyber...),
Conduct R&D studies and ensure technological monitoring in emerging areas.
Software Development & Management:
Specify, develop, and manage scientific software for rules compliance and direct calculations,
Oversee software sales and distribution.
Head Office Plan Approval Operations Support
Review drawings of classed ships, offshore installations and any kind of floating units,
Approve materials and equipment,
Ensure coordination of LPO operations worldwide, specifically:
Coordinate and supervise the technical activities and organization of LPOs,
Oversee the delegation system for LPO Experts,
Define the technical scope of delegations,
Implement the specialized audit system for LPOs,
Oversee digital application development for plan approval processes.
Organization and responsibilities for plan approval operations are defined in the local plan approval office procedure.
ORGANIZATION
Functional organization chart of DT
The organisation chart is updated separately.
DT comprises the following entities:
Design Assessment Department headed by the Design Assessment Department Head,
Development Department headed by the Development Head,
Research Department headed by the Research Head,
LPO Coordination Department headed by the LPO Coordinator,
Innovation & Industry Projects Department headed by the Innovation & Industry Projects Head,
Business Ownership for Digital Solutions Department headed by Business Ownership for Digital Solutions Head.
Design Assessment Department (DA)
The Design Assessment Department is primarily responsible for plan approval activities and operational support.
It is divided into several sections, each covering a different technical discipline:
Section Cyber (DA-CYBER),
Section Electrical/Automation (DA-ELEC),
Section Hull (DA-HULL),
Section Machinery (DA-MACH),
Section Metallic Materials (DA-MMC),
Section Stability/Tonnage/ERS (DA-NAV),
Section Renewable & Power (DA-R&P),
Section Safety (DA-SAFE),
Section Project Management (DA-PMO).
The scope of each section is described in each relevant PNC.
The Design Assessment Department Head is assisted by:
Technical Sponsors to ensure that technical expertise is aligned with business needs,
Technical Knowledge Manager to ensure seamless dissemination of technical expertise.
Development Department (DV)
The Development Department is primarily responsible for:
Development and publication of Rules and Guidance Notes,
Development and management of software for technical regulatory compliance.
It is divided into three sections:
Section Classification Rules and Coordination,
Section Ship Systems and Environment Rules,
Section Rules Technical Software.
The scope of each section is described in each relevant the related procedure.
Research Department (DR)
The Research Department is primarily responsible for research activities.
It is divided into several sections, each covering a different technical discipline:
Section Composite Materials,
Section Energy and Safety Modelling,
Section Hydrodynamics & Metocean,
Section Hydro-Structure & Monitoring,
Section Mooring & Offshore Operations,
Section Structural Integrity.
Each section conducts R&D within its field of expertise.
The Research Department Head is assisted by a scientific Director, defining and implementing the strategy related to the hull structure classification rules and reliability assessment for ships and offshore installations.
ROLES AND RESPONSABILITIES
Technical Management Head
The Technical Management Head:
Is responsible for the proper functioning of DT (technical, administrative, financial),
Ensures that functions delegated to collaborators are properly fulfilled,
Ensures the technical quality of services provided to clients,
Proposes and/or decides on research and development actions (development of Rules and Guidance Notes, development of working methods and tools),
In agreement with the President of the Marine & Offshore Product Line:
Sets the Marine & Offshore technical and scientific strategy,
Defines specific studies to be conducted to ensure technical-commercial missions,
Sets participations in working groups and associations,
Defines participations in conferences and seminars as well as technical publications.
Department Head
Each Department Head assumes the following functions:
Is responsible for the proper functioning of their department,
Is responsible for implementation of the quality system in their department,
Supervises, coordinates, plans and controls the activities of their department,
Ensures adequacy of competencies to assigned missions; to this end, proposes necessary training and recruitment,
Controls the progress of research or development actions entrusted to their department,
Proposes investments deemed necessary and ensures compliance with the budget under their responsibility.
The Development Department Head proposes developments deemed necessary for the evolution and consistency of Rules and Guidance Notes.
The Research Department Head coordinates proposals for research actions deemed necessary.
Section Head
The Department Head may be assisted in their functions by Section Heads.
Technical staff
They undertake:
The review of drawings and files within the framework of classification or certification activities for ships, offshore installations and equipment,
Interventions requested by other departments (see section 4) to their respective units,
Particular studies entrusted by their superior,
Development of regulatory texts and software tools.
Outside of the classification of ships and offshore installations, they can undertake services in the field of:
Technical assessments, expert studies, and on-site technical assistance,
Participation in the development of commercial offers.
Assistants, Document Controllers and Archivists
The activities of Assistants are described in the related procedure.
The activities of Document Controllers and Archivists are described in the related procedure.
RELATIONS with OTHER DEPARTMENTS
Relations of DT with other Departments
DT is responsible for technical services related to the classification of classed units, including materials and equipment:
In liaison with Commercial Department for projects and classification requests,
In liaison with New Construction Management Department (NCM) for new constructions until issuance of the classification certificates by NC experts under the supervision of NC Project Leaders,
In liaison with Fleet Management Department (FM) for:
Units in service,
Classification after construction taking into account specific procedures and in its areas of competence,
In liaison with Equipment and Materials Certification Department (EMC) for the certification of materials and equipments.
DT is responsible of the review of certain documents relating to the issuance of statutory certificates according to the terms of the statutory drawing review procedure. The complementary part and issuance of certificates are the responsibility of DO..