Mid-20th century Register Books

Where applicable, the first column contains the six‑digits Official Number assigned to the ship, useful to distinguish ships with the same name.

The four Call Sign letters were used to identify the ship at sea. The first number refers to the vessel’s position in the Register.

The notation MT (date) indicates the expiry date of a Passenger Certificate issued by the British Ministry of Transport (now Department for Transport).

Report on Electrical Equipment for Auris, 19 April 1948

This column contains the name and any ex‑names of the ship. The figures following a late name of a vessel indicate the year in which the change of name occurred.

The following abbreviations are used for the ship’s equipment:

DF Direction Finder
ESD Echo Sounding Device
GC Gyro‑Compass
PFD Position Fixing Device
RDR Radar
SBS Submarine Signalling Apparatus

The Gross and Net tonnages are, with a few exceptions, the official tonnages measured according to the law of the country in which the ship is registered.

When these are printed in italic, the tonnages have been measured in accordance with British rules and are accepted under British law, albeit the ship not sailing under the British flag.

The third figure recorded is the total Deadweight tonnage of cargo and bunkers at the summer loadline, as stated by the owners.

The name recorded is that of the Managing Owner, or of the firm in which the managing owner is a partner. The Managers of the ship are recorded below, where applicable.

The column contains the Flag under which the ship sailed and the Port of Registry. Where the port of registry is not known, it is substituted by the Home Port printed in italic.

Certificate of Class for Auris, 5 November 1948

In the mid‑20th Century, 100A1 becomes the standard classification notation, although earlier versions still can be seen.

✠ - The cross pattée denotes that the ship was built under the supervision of the surveyors in accordance with Lloyd’s Register’s Rules and Regulations. If no other notation follows, the class has been withdrawn on expiration, non‑payment of fees due, or non‑compliance to the Rules and Regulations.

100A1 - Notation for sea‑going iron or steel ships classed with Lloyd’s Register.

90A1 - Notation previously assigned to iron or steel vessels of a lower standard, discontinued in the 1950s.

A1 -Notation with no figures prefixed, assigned to ships operating within specially sheltered waters, such as harbours, rivers or estuaries.

[date] A1 - Notation assigned to wood or composite ships. The number prefixed indicates the term of years for which the ship was classed. Cont. or Rest. indicate continuation or restoration of class after the original term of years has expired. A number of years suffixed to the notation (e.g. –8yrs) denotes the period of extension granted.

1 - This figure signifies that the ship has equipment of anchors, chain cables, and hawsers in accordance with the Rules and Regulations. In rare cases where normal equipment is unnecessary, this figure may be omitted from the notation.

– - This symbol in the position usually occupied by the figure 1 means that the equipment of the ship is not in accordance with the requirements.

Examined LR - Notation indicating that the ship has been surveyed for maintenance by Lloyd’s Register.

with fbd - Notation signifying that the freeboard assigned is a condition of the ship’s class. The scantlings of ships built since 1949 were based upon a specified draught and this notation was no longer assigned to new vessels.

SS [date] - Date of the last Special Survey. Records of any later Special Survey and the latest records of all other periodical surveys are published in the monthly Supplement.

(Dr) [date] - Special Survey including drilling of shell and deck plates.

(M) [date] - Modified Special Survey, the date indicates the period for which the class is maintained.

(P) [date] - Progressive Survey.

LR class expgd. - Notation indicating that the class has been withdrawn by Lloyd’s Register for non‑compliance with the Rules and Regulations or for reported defects.

LR class w’drawn. - Notation indicating that the class has been withdrawn at the owners’ request.

The British Corporation for the Survey and Registry of Shipping was formed by a group of Scottish shipowners and shipbuilders on the River Clyde. In 1890, the British government added the British Corporation as a load line authority, ending Lloyd’s Register’s monopoly in Britain. After years of competition, the British Corporation was eventually amalgamated with Lloyd’s Register in 1949, with separate rules until 1954.

The following notations were inherited by the British Corporation.

*-This symbol denotes that the ship was built under the supervision of the surveyors in accordance with the rules of the British Corporation. If no notations follow, the vessel’s class has been withdrawn on expiration, non‑payment of fees due, or non‑compliance with the British Corporation rules.

BS - Hull and equipment of iron or steel ships classed according to British Corporation rules. If the notation H✠ is present, the vessel had been surveyed during construction by Lloyd’s Register’s surveyors.

BSt - Notation for wood ships classed according to British Corporation rules and built of teak.

BSo - Notation for wood ships classed according to British Corporation rules and built of oak or wood of similar durability.

BSp - Notation for wood ships classed according to British Corporation rules and built of hard pine or wood of similar quality.

BSf - Notation for wood ships classed according to British Corporation rules and built of spruce or similar soft wood.

(EI) - Notation indicating that the equipment of the ship is not in accordance with the full tabulated requirements.

with fbd - This notation denotes that the hull has been built with modified scantlings and arrangements approved for service in any part of the world at the assigned freeboards. This notation was discontinued in 1947.

SS [date] - Special Survey. Records of any later Special Survey and the latest records of all other periodical surveys were published in the monthly Supplement.

(Dr) [date] - Special Survey including drilling of shell and deck plates.

(M) [date] - Modified Special Survey, the period for which the class is maintained follows the date.

(P) [date] - Progressive Survey.

BC class expgd. - This notation indicates that the class has been withdrawn for non‑compliance with the British Corporation rules.

BC class w’drn. - This notation indicates that the class has been withdrawn at the owners’ request.

Information relative to machinery is located beneath the classification notation.

LMC - Lloyd’s Machinery Certificate, indicating that the machinery has been classed with Lloyd’s Register.

✠ LMC - The cross pattée signifies that the machinery was built under the supervision of Lloyd’s Register’s surveyors (see above for LMC).

*LMC - The asterisk signifies that the machinery was built under the supervision of the British Corporation’s surveyors (see above for LMC).

Lloyd’s RMC - This notation indicates that the vessel’s refrigerated cargo installation has been classed with Lloyd’s Register.

✠ Lloyd’s RMC - The cross pattée signifies that the machinery was built under the supervision of Lloyd’s Register’s surveyors (see above for Lloyd’s RMC).

MBS - Machinery classed according to British Corporation rules.

MBS✠ - The cross pattée signifies that the machinery was built under the supervision of Lloyd’s Register’s surveyors (see above for MBS).

MBS* - The asterisk signifies that the machinery was built under the supervision of the British Corporation’s surveyors (see above for MBS).

E✠ - Engines surveyed by Lloyd’s Register upon construction.

B✠ - Boilers surveyed by Lloyd’s Register upon construction.

E* - Engines surveyed by the British Corporation upon construction.

B* - Boilers surveyed by the British Corporation upon construction.

RMC - This notation indicates that the vessel’s refrigerated cargo installation has been classed with the British Corporation.

RMC* - The asterisk signifies that the machinery was built under the supervision of the British Corporation’s surveyors (see above for RMC).

When the refrigerated cargo machinery notation is shown in parenthesis, e.g. (Lloyd’s RMC), (✠ Lloyd’s RMC), (RMC), (RMC*)*, class has been temporarily suspended.

When the ship's classification society was known, a two-letter code was present on the right side of the classification column.

AB - American Bureau of Shipping
BV - Bureau Veritas
GL - Germanischer Lloyd
HR - Hellenic Register of Shipping
NK - Nippon Kaiji Kyokai
NV - Norske Veritas
RI - Registro Italiano Navale

This column provides details on various aspects of the ship. It records the Date and Place of Build and the Shipbuilders.

The overall Length, extreme Breadth, and summer Draught are stated in feet and inches. These were provided by the owners or obtained from other reliable sources. If not available, the dimensions were taken from the ship’s Certificate of Registry and printed in italic.

The destination of use of the ships is often indicated, e.g. ferry, tanker, trawler, etc.

With the decline of sailing vessels, all ships started to be listed in the same volume alphabetically. The Propulsion of the ship is therefore indicated.

Aux - Sailing ship with auxiliary motor
M - Motorship
S - Steamship

Information about Rig is still retained through the following abbreviations:

Bk - Barque
Bkn - Barquentine
Bg - Brig
Bn - Brigantine
Ctr - Cutter
Dy - Dandy
G - Galliot
Gl - Galleas
H - Hoy
K - Ketch
Kf - Koff
Lr - Lugger
Sk - Smack
Sp - Sloop
Spt - Spritsail
Sr - Schooner
Trb - Trabacolo
Yl - Yawl

Unless otherwise stated (see picture), ships are of steel construction. More details are provided for the propulsion system where possible:

P - Paddle
Q - Quadruple screw
Q2f2a - Four screws, two forward and two aft
T - Twin screw
T1f1a - Two screws, one forward and one aft
Tr - Triple screw

Different Engine Types are also distinguished:

D‑E - Diesel‑electric
GT - Gas Turbine
T‑E - Turbo‑electric

See an example of a diesel‑electric schematic diagram from the Ship Plans and Survey Reports collection here.

Ships presenting specific reinforcements to navigate amongst ice were marked by the notation Str. nav. ice. If shown in parenthesis, the notation had temporarily been suspended.

The degrees of strengthening were (in decreasing order):

Ice Class A
Ice Class B
Ice Class C
Ice Class D
Ice strengthening
Ice stiffening

More information about the vessel’s decks (dk) can be retrieved through the following abbreviations.

Typology

A dk - Awning deck
CSD - Closed shelter deck ship
OSD - Open shelter deck ship
OSD/CSD - Shelter deck ship which has arrangements for both the open and closed condition. The tonnages, draught, etc. recorded are those for the open condition.

Prom dk - Promenade deck
S dk - Shelter deck
U dk - Upper deck

Material

irn - Decks of iron
stl - Decks of steel
teak s - Teak‑sheathed decks
ws - Wood‑sheathed decks

Report on Oil Engine Machinery for Auris, 21 April 1948

This column contains detailed information about the ship’s machinery. The engine Type is recorded when it has been built under licence.

A cross pattée (✠) or asterisk (*) indicate that engines or boilers, which have been installed as replacements or additions, have been built under the supervision of the surveyors to the rules of Lloyd’s Register or the British Corporation respectively.

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