The six major class societies dominate in terms of tonnage and number of vessels; they have a breadth and depth of expertise, but each has developed its specialist areas

The International Maritime Organization, knocked from the top spot this year, faces fundamental questions over its fitness to grapple with problems as thorny as decarbonisation

The Ever Given grounding kicked off a year of unprecedented global attention on the shipping industry; the ICS has used that attention to lobby for seafarers and supply chains, as well as backing a carbon levy and a net-zero-by-2050 target

Nick Brown is seeking to turn Lloyd's Register towards a maritime and ocean economy business, which involves sweeping away non-core activities; he believes data is the catalyst that will upend the class model

Carbon dioxide emissions per tonne mile is now the metric against which shipping’s progress is being gauged. A failure to adapt and grasp the nettle of decarbonisation is the surest guarantee of obsolescence

The China Classification Society believes more work is needed to evaluate the carbon emission reduction effect of the alternative fuels. Shipping should have an evaluation system based on ship type, ship routes and emission reduction targets