Oslo: The EFTA Surveillance Authority has closed its inspection at DNV. The EFTA team assisted by the Norwegian competition authorities left the DNV head office at Høvik on Friday last week.

On 29 January 2008 unannounced inspections of the premises of five of the European class societies and the premises of IACS (International Association of Class societies) commenced.

The EU Commission stated that it was acting on information that suggested that practices of IACS and its members have sought 'to reduce or eliminate the level of competition between IACS members and to foreclose competitors (non-members of IACS)'.

During the inspection, DNV cooperated fully with the inspectors and made all information asked for available.

DNV’s objective is to safeguard life property and the environment. The organisation has at all times worked to manage risk and to improve safety standards, especially within the maritime industry. To be able to meet these ambitions, DNV cooperates with other class societies, as well as shipowners, ship yards, suppliers and authorities to improve safety.

For example, DNV and other IACS members have met the industry demands for constructions of more robust and safer ships as well as contributing significantly to technical progress in the industry. This has been achieved by developing Common Structural Rules for tankers and bulk carriers.