A classification society is an organisation that establishes and applies technical standards in relation to the design, construction and survey of marine related facilities including ships and offshore structures. These standards are issued by the classification society as published rules. A vessel that has been designed and built to the appropriate rules of a Society may apply for a certificate of classification from that Society. The Society issues this certificate upon completion of relevant classification surveys. Such a certificate does not imply, and should not be construed as an express warranty of safety, fitness for purpose or seaworthiness of the ship. It is an attestation only that the vessel is in compliance with the standards that have been developed and published by the society issuing the classification certificate. As an independent, self-regulating body, a classification society has no commercial interests related to ship design, ship building, ship ownership, ship management, ship maintenance or repairs, insurance or chartering. In establishing its rules, each classification society may draw upon the advice and review of members of the industry who are considered experts in their field. Classification is one element within a network of maritime safety partners, the other role is statutory certification. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS) is an umbrella convention concerned with many aspects of the sea and its uses, including the granting of registration of a ship by a State. Once a ship is registered, the flag state has certain duties laid out in UNCLOS. In particular, under Article 94, the flag state must effectively exercise its jurisdiction and control in administrative, technical and social matters over ships flying its flag and take such measures for ships flying its flag as are necessary to ensure safety at sea. International conventions have been agreed, setting out uniform standards to facilitate acceptance of a ship registered in one country in the waters and ports of another and in the general furtherance of safety at sea and protection of the environment. These standards are commonly referred to as statutory requirements. Broadly they cover three distinct areas: (1) aspects of the ship's design and its structural integrity (2) accident prevention (3) situation after an accident Some or all of these may also be reproduced in particular class society's rules. Remark: There is a trend towards a shift from classification to certification societies