Compliance with international conventions is mandatory for the issue of statutory certificates by or on behalf of a member state, without which ships cannot legally operate internationally. IACS Members are authorised by more than 100 IMO member states to undertake statutory international and national regulation compliance surveys and to issue the necessary certification on their behalf. Compliance with a classification society's rules is accepted by the international community as the only recognised technical basis in this respect. IACS has held consultative status with the IMO since 1969 and is the only non-governmental organisation with Observer status which is able to develop rules. As the leading international authority on ship structural and engineering design, construction and maintenance standards, IACS frequently provides technical input to IMO - notably for studies into specific ship types and various safety and pollution prevention issues.
Convention is one of the most significant steps forward in ship safety for many years.
To meet the challenge of implementation, IACS took the initiative by developing procedural guidelines and unified interpretations of the ISM Code, together with related requirements for the training and qualification of compliance auditors. These empower individual states to verify the condition and acceptability of foreign vessels using their ports.