TOP TEN revealed


IN 2025


What’s driving the change Innovation and new propulsion paths


Under the leadership of ABS’s outgoing chairman and CEO, Christopher Wiernicki, the society pushed for bold innovation. At the 2025 London International Shipping Week, Wiernicki urged the maritime sector to ask, “Does it make us safer?” — a guiding principle that underpinned new technical notations. In 2025 ABS updated its containership lashing-system notation (CLP- V(PARR)) to include a seasonality factor, giving operators better flexibility under varying sea conditions.


More strikingly, ABS granted “Approval in Principle” (AiP) for two nuclear- powered vessel designs: a 15,000 TEU containership concept using molten salt reactor technology, and a floating nuclear-power barge for port support or coastal power supply. ABS also floated proposals for offshore “floating nuclear data centers” to serve burgeoning AI and cloud-computing infrastructure needs.


Simultaneously, ABS advanced other fuel pathways: dual-fuel solutions for LNG, methanol or ammonia, and safety advisories for ammonia as marine fuel. It also developed simulation models to address lithium-ion battery thermal-runaway risks aboard vehicle carriers.


Sustainability, decarbonisation & digitalisation across the board Other societies in the top 10, such as DNV, ClassNK, BV, Korean Register of Shipping (KR), and Rina, reaffirmed their commitment to supporting decarbonisation, regulatory compliance, digital transformation, and new- technology adoption.


DNV forecasts substantial growth in vessels delivered with alternative-fuel capabilities, projecting that by 2030, such ships could consume roughly 50 million tonnes of non-oil fuels annually — a major step toward global emissions reduction.


124 | ISSUE 115 | MAR 2026 | THE REPORT


classification societies


According to Lloyd's List, the 2025 ranking of world-leading classification societies brings a notable shift in the maritime industry’s landscape. For the first time, American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) overtakes DNV to become the largest class society in terms of gross tonnage in service — a milestone that reflects both growing capacities and changing dynamics. Meanwhile, China Classification Society (CCS) climbed from sixth to fifth place, replacing Bureau Veritas (BV) in the top-five.


This reshuffling underscores a broader transformation. Classification societies are no longer just certifiers of seaworthiness, they are becoming central actors in the shipping industry’s technological, environmental, and regulatory evolution.


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