Vessels are designed and built according to rules and regulations applicable for the type of vessel. Classification societies such as Lloyds Register develop technical standards and rules for the construction and survey of ships and their machinery, enabling compliance with International regulations. The international Maritime Organisation (IMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for regulating shipping. The international framework for regulating ships is achieved through conventions, such as ‘Safety of Life at Sea’ and ‘Prevention of Pollution from Ships’ which are implemented by the maritime authority for each member state, with the support of classification societies. The maritime authority in the UK is the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), which is an executive agency of the UK Department for Transport.

The designs for the new vessels are submitted to Lloyds Register and the MCA to verify compliance with the rules and regulations and attain approval. Surveyors from Lloyds Register and the MCA will survey the ships during the build and subsequent vessel trials to verify compliance and subsequently during periodical surveys, throughout the life of the ship.