Historic Lloyd’s Register Technical Papers now digitised

The Lloyd’s Register Technical Association (LRTA) was established in 1920 with the primary objective of sharing technical expertise and knowledge within Lloyd’s Register (LR). Publications have consistently been released on a yearly basis, with a brief interruption between 1938 and 1946. These publications serve as a key reference point for best practices and were initially reserved for internal use to maximise LR’s competitive advantage.

The LRTA papers which are now freely available online should be seen as historical documents representing earlier viewpoints and are not reflective of current thinking and perspectives by the current LR Technical Association.

Today, the LRTA takes a fresh approach, focusing on collaboration by combining professional expertise from across LRF & Group to ensure a frequent output of fresh perspectives and relevant content. The LRTA has evolved into a Group-wide initiative that identifies, captures, and shares knowledge spanning various business streams and functions. To support this modern approach, the LRTA has adopted a new structure featuring representatives and senior governance across the business streams and the LR Foundation.

The Lloyd's Register Staff Association (LRSA) changed its name to the Lloyd's Register Technical Association (LRTA) in 1973.

The LRTA papers aim to advance, grow and share knowledge around the themes of technology, techniques and research through the production and dissemination of technical papers. Previously limited to LR clients and stakeholders, the recent digitisation of the LRTA papers has made them accessible to a wider audience. Thank you to the LRTA for allowing us to share these papers!

Professor John Carlton, former Global Head of Marine Technology for Lloyd's Register and Professor of Marine Engineering at City, University of London, said:"Originally the LRTA papers, originally known as the Staff Association papers, were conceived in the early 1920s as a means of circulating up-to-date technical information among the surveyors of Lloyd's Register wherever they worked around the world. Until well after the Second World War the proceedings were regarded as an internal document for use by Lloyd's Register, however, during the 1980s the proceedings of the LRTA were made generally available, and this action was broadly welcomed by the marine industry."

Interesting articles in the LRTA papers include deep diving chambers and atmospheric suits to unusual features of ship design, construction and repairs.

The historic Lloyd’s Register Technical Association papers are freely available across Archive.org, Google Books and the Heritage website.