Interpreting the Register Books

Mid-20^th Century Register Books

By the mid-20^th Century, despite an exponential expansion in worldwide shipping was just beginning, new challenges arose for Lloyd's Register to tackle. British shipping and shipbuilding was in steady decline, while interest started shifting towards East Asia. The British Corporation, a rival classification society, was amalgamated with Lloyd's Register in 1949, leaving a legacy of its notations, rules and procedures in the Register Books of that period.

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Official Number and Call Sign

Where applicable, the first column contains the six-digits Official Number assigned to the ship, useful to distinguish ships with the same name.

The four Call Sign letters were used to identify the ship at sea. The first number refers to the vessel's position in the Register.

The notation MT [date] indicates the expiry date of a Passenger Certificate issued by the British Ministry of Transport (now Department for Transport).

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Names and Equipment

Report on Electrical Equipment for Auris, 19 April 1948... View record

This column contains the name and any ex names of the ship. The figures following a late name of a vessel indicate the year in which the change of name occurred.

The following abbreviations are used for the ship's equipment:

DF	Direction Finder
ESD	Echo Sounding Device
GC	Gyro-Compass
PFD	Position Fixing Device
RDR	Radar
SBS	Submarine Signalling Apparatus

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Tonnage

The Gross and Net tonnages are, with a few exceptions, the official tonnages measured according to the law of the country in which the ship is registered.

When these are printed in italic, the tonnages have been measured in accordance with British rules and are accepted under British law, albeit the ship not sailing under the British flag.

The third figure recorded is the total Deadweight tonnage of cargo and bunkers at the summer loadline, as stated by the owners.

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Owners and Registration

The name recorded is that of the Managing Owner, or of the firm in which the managing owner is a partner. The Managers of the ship are recorded below, where applicable.

The column contains the Flag under which the ship sailed and the Port of Registry. Where the port of registry is not known, it is substituted by the Home Port printed in italic.

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Classification

Certificate of Class for Auris, 5 November 1948... View record

In the mid-20^th Century, 100A1 becomes the standard classification notation, although earlier versions still can be seen.

✠	The cross pattée denotes that the ship was built under the supervision of the surveyors in accordance with Lloyd's Register's Rules and Regulations. If no other notation follows, the class has been withdrawn on expiration, non-payment of fees due, or non-compliance to the Rules and Regulations.
100A1	Notation for sea-going iron or steel ships classed with Lloyd's Register.
90A1	Notation previously assigned to iron or steel vessels of a lower standard, discontinued in the 1950s.
A1	Notation with no figures prefixed, assigned to ships operating within specially sheltered waters, such as harbours, rivers or estuaries.
[date] A1	Notation assigned to wood or composite ships. The number prefixed indicates the term of years for which the ship was classed. Cont. or Rest. indicate continuation or restoration of class after the original term of years has expired. A number of years suffixed to the notation (e.g. -8yrs), denotes the period of extension granted.
1	This figure signifies that the ship has equipment of anchors, chain cables, and hawsers in accordance with the Rules and Regulations. In rare cases where normal equipment is unnecessary, this figure may be omitted from the notation.
-	This symbol in the position usually occupied by the figure 1 means that the equipment of the ship is not in accordance with the requirements.
Examined LR	Notation indicating that the ship has been surveyed for maintenance by Lloyd's Register.
with fbd	Notation signifying that the freeboard assigned is a condition of the ship's class. The scantlings of ships built since 1949 were based upon a specified draught and this notation was no longer assigned to new vessels.
SS [date]	Date of the last Special Survey. Records of any later Special Survey and the latest records of all other periodical surveys are published in the monthly Supplement.
(Dr) [date]	Special Survey including drilling of shell and deck plates.
(M) [date]	Modified Special Survey, the date indicates the period for which the class is maintained.
(P) [date]	Progressive Survey.
LR class expgd.	Notation indicating that the class has been withdrawn by Lloyd's Register for non-compliance with the Rules and Regulations or for reported defects.
LR class w'drn.	Notation indicating that the class has been withdrawn at the owners' request.

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Classification Symbols of the British Corporation

The British Corporation for the Survey and Registry of Shipping was formed by a group of Scottish shipowners and shipbuilders on the river Clyde. In 1890, the British government added the British Corporation as a load line authority, ending Lloyd's Register's monopoly in Britain. After years of competition, the British Corporation was eventually amalgamated with Lloyd's Register in 1949, with separate rules until 1954.

The following notations were inherited by the British Corporation.

*	This symbol denotes that the ship was built under the supervision of the surveyors in accordance with the rules of the British Corporation. If no notations follow, the vessel's class has been withdrawn on expiration, non-payment of fees due, or non-compliance to the British Corporation rules.
BS	Hull and equipment of iron or steel ships classed according to British Corporation rules. If the notation H✠ is present, the vessel had been surveyed during construction by Lloyd's Register's surveyors.
BSt	Notation for wood ships classed according to British Corporation rules and built of teak.
BSo	Notation for wood ships classed according to British Corporation rules and built of oak or wood of similar durability.
BSp	Notation for wood ships classed according to British Corporation rules and built of hard pine or wood of similar quality.
BSf	Notation for wood ships classed according to British Corporation rules and built of spruce or similar soft wood.
(EI)	Notation indicating that the equipment of the ship is not in accordance with the full tabulated requirements.
with fbd	This notation denotes that the hull has been built with modified scantlings and arrangements approved for service in any part of the world at the assigned freeboards. This notation was discontinued in 1947.
SS [date]	Special Survey. Records of any later Special Survey and the latest records of all other periodical surveys were published in the monthly Supplement.
(Dr) [date]	Special Survey including drilling of shell and deck plates.
(M) [date]	Modified Special Survey, the period for which the class is maintained follows the date.
(P) [date]	Progressive Survey.
BC class expgd.	This notation indicates that the class has been withdrawn for non-compliance with the British Corporation rules.
BC class w'drn.	This notation indicates that the class has been withdrawn at the owners' request.

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Classification of Machinery

Information relative to machinery is located beneath the classification notation.

LMC	Lloyd's Machinery Certificate, indicating that the machinery has been classed with Lloyd's Register.
✠LMC	The cross pattée signifies that the machinery was built under the supervision of Lloyd's Register's surveyors (see above for LMC).
*LMC	The asterisk signifies that the machinery was built under the supervision of the British Corporation's surveyors (see above for LMC).
Lloyd's RMC	This notation indicates that the vessel's refrigerated cargo installation has been classed with Lloyd's Register.
✠Lloyd's RMC	The cross pattée signifies that the machinery was built under the supervision of Lloyd's Register's surveyors (see above for Lloyd's RMC).
MBS	Machinery classed according to British Corporation rules.
MBS*	The cross pattée signifies that the machinery was built under the supervision of Lloyd's Register's surveyors (see above for MBS).
MBS✠	The asterisk signifies that the machinery was built under the supervision of the British Corporation's surveyors (see above for MBS).
E✠	Engines surveyed by Lloyd's Register upon construction.
B✠	Boilers surveyed by Lloyd's Register upon construction.
E*	Engines surveyed by the British Corporation upon construction.
B*	Boilers surveyed by the British Corporation upon construction.
RMC	This notation indicates that the vessel's refrigerated cargo installation has been classed with the British Corporation.
RMC*	The asterisk signifies that the machinery was built under the supervision of the British Corporation's surveyors (see above for RMC).

When the refrigerated cargo machinery notation is shown in parenthesis, e.g. (Lloyd's RMC), (✠ Lloyd's RMC), (RMC), (RMC*), class has been temporarily suspended.

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Other Classification abbreviations

APT	After peak tank
FPT	Fore peak tank
DT	Deep tank
a or f	Aft or forward
MT	Midship deep tank
DB	Double bottom
FP [...] °F	Flash point in degrees Fahrenheit

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Other Classification Societies

When the ship's classification society was known, a two-letter code was present on the right side of the classification column.

AB	American Bureau of Shipping
BV	Bureau Veritas
GL	Germanischer Lloyd
HR	Hellenic Register of Shipping
NK	Nippon Kaiji Kyokai
NV	Norske Veritas
RI	Registro Italiano Navale

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Blank columns

Absence of classification notations means that the ship was never surveyed by Lloyd's Register.

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Basic Information

This column provides details on various aspects of the ship. It records the Date and Place of Build and the Shipbuilders.

The overall Length, extreme Breadth, and summer Draught are stated in feet and inches. These were provided by the owners or obtained from other reliable sources. If not available, the dimensions were taken from the ship's Certificate of Registry and printed in italic.

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Ship Type

The destination of use of the ships is often indicated, e.g. ferry, tanker, trawler, etc.

With the decline of sailing vessels, all ships started to be listed in the same volume alphabetically. The Propulsion of the ship is therefore indicated.

Aux	Sailing ship with auxiliary motor
M	Motorship
S	Steamship

Information about Rig is still retained through the following abbreviations:

Bk	Barque
Bkn	Barquentine
Bg	Brig
Bn	Brigantine
Ctr	Cutter
Dy	Dandy
G	Galliot
Gl	Galleas
H	Hoy
K	Ketch
Kf	Koff
Lr	Lugger
Sk	Smack
Sp	Sloop
Spt	Spritsail
Sr	Schooner
Trb	Trabacolo
Yl	Yawl

Unless otherwise stated (see picture), ships are of steel contruction. More details are provided for the propulsion system where possible:

P	Paddle
Q	Quadruple screw
Q 2f 2a	Four screws, two forward and two aft
T	Twin screw
T 1f 1a	Two screws, one forward and one aft
Tr	Triple screw

Different Engine Types are also distinguished:

D-E	Diesel-electric
GT	Gas Turbine
T-E	Turbo-electric

See an example of a diesel-electric schematic diagram from the Ship Plans and Survey Reports collection here.

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Ice Navigation

Ships presenting specific reinforcements to navigate amongst ice were marked by the notation Str. nav. ice. If shown in parenthesis, the notation had temporarily been suspended.

The degrees of strengthening were (in decreasing order):

Ice Class A

Ice Class B

Ice Class C

Ice Class D

Ice strengthening

Ice stiffening

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Decks

More information about the vessel's decks (dk) can be retrieved through the following abbreviations.

Typology

A dk	Awning deck
CSD	Closed shelter deck ship
OSD	Open shelter deck ship
OSD/CSD	Shelter deck ship which has arrangements for both the open and closed condition. The tonnages, draught, etc. recorded are those for the open condition.
Prom dk	Promenade deck
S dk	Shelter deck
U dk	Upper deck

Material

irn	Decks of iron
stl	Decks of steel
teak s	Teak-sheathed decks
ws	Wood-sheathed decks

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Other abbreviations

alt	Altered
btm	Bottom
Cmd.	Commissioned
Cmpl.	Completed
Comp	Composite
conv	Converted from
DB	Double bottom
EW	Electrically welded
fwd	Forward
Lch.	Launched
len	Lengthened
LF	Longitudinal framing
Mchy.	Machinery
ND	New deck
NS	No sparring (cargo battens not fitted)
pt	Part
Recmd.	Recommissioned
Ref	Ship fitted with refrigerated cargo installation

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Machinery

Report on Oil Engine Machinery for Auris, 21 April 1948... View record

This column contains detailed information about the ship's machinery. The engine Type is recorded when it has been built under licence.

A cross pattée (✠) or asterisk (*) indicate that engines or boilers, which have been installed as replacements or additions, have been built under the supervision of the surveyors to the rules of Lloyd's Register of the British Corporation respectively.

C	Compound expansion engines
D	Diagonal engines
E	Engine
H	Horizontal engines
L	Lever engines
Q	Quadruple expansion engines
S	Simple expansion engines
T	Triple expansion engines

More details on the engine follow:

Cy.	Cylinders. The figures prefixed indicate the number of cylinders and those which follow indicate the cylinder diameter and length of stroke.
DA	Double acting, the number prefixed indicates the stroke cycle.
DR	Double reduction gearing.
NE	New engine(s).
NR	Nuclear reactor.
OF [date]	Fitted for burning oil fuel. A date following is the date of installation of the oil-firing system.
(OF)	Oil-firing installation temporarily out of use.
Rht	Engines fitted with reheater(s).
SA	Single acting, the number prefixed indicates the stroke cycle.
SR	Single reduction gearing.

Below the engine details, the name of the Engine Builders is stated, as well as the Place of build.

If the ship was fitted with Boilers, the recorded details would appear underneath the engine builders name.

db	Donkey boiler.
(db [...] ℔)	Donkey boiler temporarily out of use.
DB	Double-ended boiler.
(DB [...] ℔)	Double-ender boiler temporarily out of use.
[...] ℔	Working pressure of boilers to which the saturated steam safety valves are set.
NB	New boiler.
ndb	New donkey boiler.
NWTB	New water tube boiler.
nwtdb	New water tube donkey boiler.
PrB	Press boiler or other pressure vessel used in connection with the preparation of oil, meal, etc. in a floating whale oil factory.
SB	Single-ended boiler.
(SB [...] ℔)	Single-ended boiler temporarily out of use.
sg [...] ℔	Steam heated steam generator with working pressure
Spt [...] ℉ [...] ℔	Superheater. The temperature is that at the superheater outlet and the pressure is that at which the superheater safety valves or their pilot valves are set.
VB	Vertical boiler.
(VB [...] ℔)	Vertical boiler temporarily out of use.
WTB	Water tube boiler.
(WTB [...] ℔)	Water tube boiler temporarily out of use.
wtdb	Water tube donkey boiler.
(wtdb [...] ℔)	Water tube donkey boiler temporarily out of use.

See an example of a Report on Donkey Boilers from the Ship Plans and Survey Reports collection here.

Other abbreviations indicate where the machinery has been fitted in the vessel's hull:

a	Aft
c	Centre
f	Forward
p	Port
s	Starboard
upr	Upper

See an example of a machinery arrangement plan from the Ship Plans and Survey Reports collection here.

A complete list of abbreviations can be downloaded here.

Following the Second World War, energy demand drove the development of more and bigger oil tankers and accellerated the fragmentation of the bulk cargo trade into specialist sectors. This was a symptom of the remarkable growth in world trade soon to come. World seaborn trade rose from 490 million tonnes in 1948 to 3,210 million tonnes in 1973.

Conversions tended to precede the design of new specialist vessels. In pursuit of economies of scale, ships increased in size and were designed to be easier and speedier to load and unload. Many of solutions adopted pre-dated the war, although without a stable demand they had rarely been implemented.

When there was demand, as in the case of tankers, then shipyards adopted more productive methods to increase output. The new techniques were monitored by the classification societies, which also studied issues such as the impact of size on structural strength. Bigger ships and increased volumes of oil and cargo needed adequate facilities, resulting in the re-development of ports.

The page shown above has been taken from the 1958/59 edition of Lloyd's Register of Ships. The linked documents belong to the tanker Auris, active in the mid-20^th Century. Auris was the first merchant ship propelled by a gas turbine, built in 1948 at Hebburn-on-Tyne. Discover more details on her, including surveys and plans, following the links below:

Mid-20th Century Register Books

See also

Plan of Profile and Decks for Auris, 18 December 1945

First Entry Report for Motor Tanker Auris, 12 March 1948

"Shell Oil Tanker 'Auris': The First Merchant Ship to be Propelled by a Gas Turbine", by John Lamb, Marine Research & Development Department, Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Company, 21 January 1952

Auris, 1948

Mid-20^th Century Register Books