IACS Members are making significant progress in their efforts to reduce the number of such reservations, with a main goal to increase the uniform implementation of Class technical requirements. Currently there are about 190 IACS URs, many of fundamental importance to the design and build of ships. Over the past five years, the number of reservations recorded by the IACS Council has fallen steadily while the number of new URs has increased.

Most reservations concern a particular provision of a UR, not the entire UR, and about 75% of all URs carry no reservation at all.

The task of reducing the number of reservations falls to the IACS' seven permanent working parties, supported by various ad-hoc groups and task forces, involving more than 200 people.

As a contribution to increased transparency, the IACS website now lists all reservations, the members responsible for reservations and, where appropriate, the dates on which they anticipate implementing the requirements in full and so withdrawing their reservations.

MJ information No: 17116