Safety at sea

To examine survey reports and adjudicate on the assignment of classification for vessels inspected by surveyors, a Classification Committee was formed in 1835 (see LR/1/1/3). Made up of ship underwriters and ship owners, members of the General Committee in London would take turns to attend meetings of the Classification Committee throughout the year. Some of the earlier minutes for the Classing Committee can be found within the General Committee minute books. After legislation was introduced in the 1930's making freeboard mandatory for all seafaring vessels, Lloyd's Register was requested by the UK Government to issue freeboard certificates and resulted in the development of a Freeboard department, the freeboard submission books LR/1/1/3/5 are reflective of this work. The records of the committee comprise minutes, submission books (lists of classed vessels reviewed by the committee), Casualties Submitted (lists of classed vessels lost at sea, foundered, sunk or otherwise wrecked), attendance books and reports and memoranda. A fundamental body of LR, the committee’s work has provided the operational enforcement of the rules in assigned freeboard and class notations and reviewing the work of surveyors. At their core, the committee’s records reflect a steadfast commitment to safety at sea.

From 1835 LR formed the Sub-Committee for Surveyors (see LR/1/1/2), which informed the governing General Committee of proposals for rule requirements and amendments, based upon their knowledge, experience and research. Despite having final approval of the rules, the General Committee (GC), under the Society's constitution, consisted of merchants, underwriters, and shipowners with limited technical knowledge of shipbuilding. Therefore, the GC relied on the technical advice of the Principal Surveyor when discussing submissions from the Sub-Committee for Surveyors on amendments to the rules or adoption of new ones. 

As the industry developed, the technical details of the Rules required more effort, and the need for the contributions of shipbuilders, steelmakers, forgemasters and engineers became more apparent. To address the issue, the GC formed the Technical Sub-Committee (TC) in 1891 (see LR/1/1/6). The Technical Committee would consider questions of framing or altering rules for constructing ships and machinery. From this point LR could embrace industrial innovation from shipbuilders and naval engineers, whilst ensuring that safety and technical integrity were not compromised. Running in parallel to the Sub-Committee for Surveyors, the TC would later supersede it. 

Published annually from 1878 to 1980 (except during the years 1916-18 and 1940-46), the Register of Yachts (see LR/5/1/3) works in much the same way as the Register of Ships. Two supplements containing additions and corrections were also issued annually. Digitised copies of this can be found on the Heritage Centre’s website.

Information collected for the purposes of the Register of Ships was also used for the formation of other publications such as the Casualty Returns or Wreck Returns (see LR/5/1/7). These bound volumes comrpise tables with data on ship wrecks and casualties. They list the circumstance (cause of disaster), vessel name, number in the Register Book, date of disaster, tonnage of vessel, cargo (if known), nationality and description (type of vessel). Also Included are summaries of shipwrecks and casualties for Steam and Sailing vessels for relevant years. These offer a useful summary of maritime disasters and losses. Digital copies can be accessed on the Heritage Centre website.

Always at the cutting edge of research and innovation, the records of the Lloyd’s Register Staff Association, later the Lloyd’s Register Technical Association (see LR/5/6/1) was established in 1920 to share technical expertise and knowledge within Lloyd’s Register. Whilst they were usually used to increase LR’s competitive advantage in the industry, researches will find that they are also a valuable record of industrial responses to disasters, accidents and incidents. These too have been digitised and can be found on our website. 

Over the years, Lloyd’s Register has merged with other classification bodies, freeboard authorities and maritime information/intelligence organisations. 

The Liverpool Underwriters’ Registry for Iron Vessels, established in 1862 operated as a rival to Lloyd’s Register until they were merged in 1885. Formed out of what was felt to be a deficiency in the rules and regulations for iron vessels, an increasing presence at major ports such as Liverpool, it offered pioneering approaches surveying and classification. Records of its surveying, classification, publications and governance can be found under the reference LURIV.

Formed in 1890 in Glasgow, the British Corporation Register of Shipping was a classification body and freeboard assigning authority which existed in direct competition with Lloyd’s Register until the two finally merged in 1949. Records of its governance, surveying operations, and rules and regulations can be found under the collection reference BCR1.

Established in 1971 as a guide for vessels navigating commercial ports and terminals worldwide, the Guide to Port Entry, produced by OneOcean is another fascinating resource for researchers investigating safety at sea. Combined with their other publication, The Ships Atlas (from 1984) offer unique perspective on a wide range of factors affecting how ports are accessed, as well as the challenges likely to be faced. A crucial guide for vessels, they also offer a look at how ports have changed and expanded. To the year 1999, these publications have been digitised and can be found on the Heritage Centre website.

Internal publications such as the Lloyd's Register 250 Years of Service, Nigel Watson (London, 2010), and the History of Shipbuilding for further information on safety in shipping.

Resources and publication produced by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), e.g. the catalogue and code listing for rules, regulations and conventions etc.- https://www.imo.org/en/publications/pages/catalogueandbookcodelists.aspx

Reports, data portal and published material from the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB): https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/marine-accident-investigation-branch