Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) has secured designation by the U.S. Coast Guard as a Similarly Qualified Organization under Title 46, Code of Federal Regulations § 28.76. This places IRS among only three classification societies authorised to provide safety and compliance services to the U.S. commercial fishing sector.
The designation follows over four years of technical evaluation. The U.S. Coast Guard reviewed IRS’s governance, quality systems, survey procedures, and technical capabilities before granting formal approval.
IRS is already authorised as an Authorized Class Society and Authorized Measurement Organization. The new designation allows IRS to conduct mandatory safety examinations, compliance oversight, and issue classification documents for commercial fishing vessels. It also enables biennial compliance exams for fish processing vessels and fish tenders in the Aleutian trade, as well as dockside safety inspections and the issuance of U.S. Coast Guard safety decals and certificates.
Mr. P K Mishra, Managing Director of IRS, said the designation strengthens the society’s ability to support the U.S. fishing community. He added that it provides vessel owners with an additional trusted pathway for regulatory compliance while upholding rigorous technical standards.
