Polish Register of Shipping
Encyclopedia
Polish Register of Shipping, (in Polish: Polski Rejestr Statków S.A.), also known as PRS, is an independent classification society
established in 1936. It is a non-profit organisation working on the marine market, developing technical rules and supervising their implementation, managing risk and performing surveys on ship
s. PRS has been authorized by a number of State Maritime Administrations to act on their behalf. PRS is the only classification societies
which has its own team of scuba divers surveyors performing underwater inspections. The Society's head office is placed in Gdańsk
, Poland
.
2. Performing surveys for compliance with the requirements of the Society’s own rules for classification and construction and/or the requirements of the relevant international conventions as well as national regulations regarding the following:
3. Provision of technical expertise and advisory services.
4. Certification
4. Industrial supervision
5. Others activities
Classification society
A classification society is a non-governmental organization that establishes and maintains technical standards for the construction and operation of ships and offshore structures...
established in 1936. It is a non-profit organisation working on the marine market, developing technical rules and supervising their implementation, managing risk and performing surveys on ship
Ship
Since the end of the age of sail a ship has been any large buoyant marine vessel. Ships are generally distinguished from boats based on size and cargo or passenger capacity. Ships are used on lakes, seas, and rivers for a variety of activities, such as the transport of people or goods, fishing,...
s. PRS has been authorized by a number of State Maritime Administrations to act on their behalf. PRS is the only classification societies
Classification society
A classification society is a non-governmental organization that establishes and maintains technical standards for the construction and operation of ships and offshore structures...
which has its own team of scuba divers surveyors performing underwater inspections. The Society's head office is placed in Gdańsk
Gdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
.
Main activities
1. The development and updating of the rules for classification and construction of floating objects, industrial objects as well as statutory and administration survey guidelines resulting from authorizations granted to PRS by Governments.2. Performing surveys for compliance with the requirements of the Society’s own rules for classification and construction and/or the requirements of the relevant international conventions as well as national regulations regarding the following:
- floating objects, including naval craft,
- special purpose objects intended for the State security and defence,
- construction of steel structures, pipelines and industrial installations, as well as land objects,
- construction and repair of containers,
- manufacture of materials and products,
- approval of products, manufacturers and service suppliers.
3. Provision of technical expertise and advisory services.
4. Certification
- Certification of quality management systemQuality management systemA quality management system can be expressed as the organizational structure, procedures, processes and resources needed to implement quality management.-Elements of a Quality Management System:# Organizational structure# Responsibilities# Methods...
s (ISO 9001) - Certification of environmental protection systems (ISO 14001)
- Certification of work safety management systems (PN-N-18001)
- HACCP CertificationHazard Analysis and Critical Control PointsHazard analysis and critical control points, or HACCP , is a systematic preventive approach to food safety and pharmaceutical safety that addresses physical, chemical, and biological hazards as a means of prevention rather than finished product inspection...
- Products certification for conformity with the European Union directivesEuropean Union directiveA directive is a legislative act of the European Union, which requires member states to achieve a particular result without dictating the means of achieving that result. It can be distinguished from regulations which are self-executing and do not require any implementing measures. Directives...
4. Industrial supervision
- Investors supervision of steel structures
- Supervision of gas transfer pipelines, power engineering and municipal media and their equipment
- Investors supervision of motorways, roads, viaducts, tunnels and culverts
- Supervision of land environment protection objects
- Supervision of hydrotechnical objects (weirs, locks, breakwaters, platforms, wharves)
5. Others activities
- Underwater inspections
- Approval of productsType approvalType Approval is granted to a product that meets a minimum set of regulatory, technical and safety requirements. Generally, type approval is required before a product is allowed to be sold in a particular country, so the requirements for a given product will vary around the world...
- Approval of firms
- Technical expertise and advising for external bodies such as: underwriters, banks
- Research and development
History
- In 1936 Polish Register of Inland Shipping was established
- In 1946 the name of the organisation was changed to Polski Rejest Statków.
- In 1954 the institution, by decision of the Authorities in power, was transformed into State Enterprise.
- From 1972 to 2000 PRS was a member of IACSInternational Association of Classification SocietiesThe International Association of Classification Societies is a technically-based organization consisting of thirteen marine classification societies headquartered in London.-History:...
. - After the sinking of the Polish Register classed Leader L in the Western Atlantic on March 23, 2000 PRS's associate status in IACS was terminated with immediate effect.
- In 2001 Polski Rejestr Statków State Enterprise was transformed into a sole propriotership joint stock company.
- From 2006 PRS is recognised by the European CommissionEuropean CommissionThe European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
, EMSA. - On June 3rd, 2011, PRS was re-admitted into IACS.