Classification society DNV has released the new Naval Technical Assurance certification concept, as an alternative approach to the classification assurance process. The new concept is set down in the DNV-SE-0555 Naval technical assurance service document, published on 25 August 2021.
The regulation of naval and occasionally governmental vessels is significantly different from merchant vessels and requires more diversified and broader assurance processes. Combining DNV’s competence in naval surface, subsurface and governmental vessels, Naval Technical Assurance is an overarching service for naval vessels, enabling DNV to adjust the assurance scope to provide customers a service tailored to their requirements.
Under the umbrella of Naval Technical Assurance, DNV offers verification according to a variety of different standards, may be flexibly combined with DNV’s classification portfolio. These standards include:

- National legislation prescribing clear safety objectives and/or a regulatory system.
Detailed navy proprietary regulatory systems, in some cases combining this with a clear safety objective.
- Regulatory systems mainly relying on Classification Society services.
- Regulatory systems applying NATO’s ANEP-77 Naval Ship Code as the main means of material safety and seaworthiness control.
- This results in a customized service from the first concept of a new vessel, through design, newbuilding, operation, and end-of-life.

“Naval Technical Assurance enables us to address customer requests in a flexible way and handle their exact assurance needs in a tailored manner,” says Christian von Oldershausen, DNV Maritime Segment Director for Navy. “With Naval Technical Assurance’s structured processes, we can compile different services and support facilities to address the needs of our customers and now have a second path for verification services alongside our classification services.”
The relevant assurance scope is defined by establishing a standards plan consisting of all design elements, components and systems and the respective standard(s) to be verified against. The “Certification Matrix” is a complementary document that defines the body that will certify each part, component, or system, according to the standards plan.