History

BRS (Bulgarian Register of Shipping) was founded as the national Classification Society of Republic of Bulgaria in 1950. BRS is a Classification Society for technical supervision and classification of civil ships. Apart from that at the request of maritime Administrations and within the range of its competency BRS performs  technical supervision for the implementation of the requirements of international conventions, regulations and codes.

In the initial years after the foundation of BRS all surveys were performed on the basis of the Russian maritime Register. In 1961 BRS became Member of the International Organization for Technical Supervision and Classification (OTAC) and started taking part in Work groups for development of Unified Rules of OTAC. With the adoption of the new edition of the Bulgarian Code of Civil Shipping, in 1970 all Bulgarian-flagged vessels were transferred under the supervision of BRS. In 1971 the first issue of BRS Rules for classification and construction was published.

The last three decades marked the expansion of activities on mutual supersession with members of IACS, the transformation into a Joint-Stock Company and the privatization of BRS in 2001. In order to comply with the requirements of the internal Qyuality System as well as the stipulations of IMO regulations and European Directives, the following organizational changes were implemented:

1. a) Introduction of 3-stage control system
2. b) New Structure for better distribution of responsibilities
3. c) Introduction of a new Internet-based ship inspection database – BRIS.

At the moment the main trend in BRS operation is expansion of activities abroad and development of a wide network of Appointed Surveyors and Agents in major ports such as Istanbul, Piraeus and the Black Sea/Mediterranean region as well as other locations around the globe, so that to provide a wider coverage for BRS customers.

BRS develops technical requirements which provide safe navigation of ships in accordance with their intended purpose, the safety of life at sea and at inland waterways, the safety of the cargo transported; it also carries out technical supervision for the implementation of these requirements as well  as performs classification of ships. BRS activities on the supervision are performed on the basis of the Rules issued by BRS, and the main purpose of that activity is to ascertain whether the ships and containers, subject to supervision, as well as the materials and products, intended for the construction and repair of ships and ship  equipment, comply with the Rules and the additional requirements.