In accordance with the Decree of the Government of Ukraine "On improvement of technical, classification and shipping supervision on maritime and river transport” ¹ 814 dated 08/06/98 the Shipping Register of Ukraine is a classification society which carries out technical supervision and classification of sea-going and river merchant ships in accordance with Article 22 of the Merchant Shipping Code of Ukraine and Articles 26 and 29 of the Law of Ukraine "On Transport". Sea-going ships, ships of combined (river-sea) navigation irrespective of patterns of property and administrative belonging are the subject of classification and technical survey of the Register:
· self-propeller ships irrespective of their main engines power
· non-self-propeller ships irrespective of their gross tonnage
· sailing ships and power-sail ships
The Shipping Register of Ukraine has established an Quality System Certification Body which was accredited in National Certification System UkrSEPRO (accreditation certificate dated 06.04.2001 ¹ UA 5.001.036), Quality Management Systems Certification Body which was accredited in international certification system SIC (System of Independent Certification) (accreditation certificate dated 27.10.2004 ¹ UA.02.009) and Shipping Register of Ukraine Quality Management Systems Certification Body.
In accordance with Order of the Ministry of Transport of Ukraine "On approval of high priority measures concerning implementation of Quality Management System in enterprises and organizations of the water transport sector on the years 2002-2005" ¹ UA.02.009 dated 27.12.2002 No 936, State Department of Sea and River Transport of Ukraine by the order ¹14 "On appointment of the main Body on Certification of Quality Systems, Quality Management Systems of the Ministry of Transport in the field of water transport" has appointed the Shipping Register of Ukraine as an Quality System and Quality Management System certification body of Ministry of Transport in the field of water transport and combined it kind of business.
In June, 2005 Elisio-Carlos Miranda Cerezo, Deputy Director of General Directorate of Merchant Shipping of Spain visited the Head Office of the Shipping Register of Ukraine with the purpose of preliminary assessment of the RU on conformity with the requirements of Council Directive 94/95/EC.
The Register's further purpose is recognition of the Classification Society by the European Union. Presently The Shipping Register of Ukraine is finishing the development of Technical Regulations on a base of Council Directive 96/57/EC on Marine Equipment; Directive 94/25/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 June 1994 on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States relating to recreational craft; Council Directive 82/714/EEC on Technical Requirements for Inland Waterway Vessels; Council Directive 98/18/EC on Safety Rules and Standard for Passenger Ships.
The internal Quality Management System certified on accordance to the requirements of DSTU ISO 9001-2001 in national certification System UkrSEPRO; highly qualified surveyor staff; own Rules on classification and building of ships are the guaranty of stability and qualitative services provided by the Shipping Register of Ukraine.
On 2007 there were more than 3000 ships with general gross tonnage more than 2,3 mn. From general number of ships under the technical supervision of the Shipping Register of Ukraine there are about 735 sea-going ships and combined navigation (river-sea) ships with a total gross tonnage 1,5 mn. and above 146 of which are certified in compliance with the requirements of International Conventions and Codes.
34 shipping companies and 112 ships are certified on compliance with ISM Code, 253 ships are certified on compliance with ISPS Code.
The Quality Management Systems of about 77 companies were certified in the Certification Systems UkrSEPRO and the Register. More than 790 hydrotechnical constructions were examined, for 627 of which were issued the Operating Fitness Certificates.
In 2005 the Shipping Register of Ukraine opened a new Representative Office in Budapest (Hungary).