Lloyd’s Register has today announced the introduction of RuleOutlook Live, a new interactive online service to keep ship owners and operators informed and up to date with the regulatory environment affecting the maritime industry.

RuleOutlook Live presents comprehensive and timely information on future legislation emanating from such bodies as the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) and the European Union (EU). It highlights the impact of proposed legislation on various sectors of the industry, such as shipyards, ship owners and flag administrations, and it will track relevant changes to legislation already in force.

Robert Smart, Head of External Affairs at Lloyd’s Register, says, “In the increasingly complex regulatory environment in which the maritime industry operates there is a clear need for all industry sectors to understand the impact of new and proposed legislation so that they can plan in advance for the impact of regulatory changes. RuleOutlook Live will enable the industry to know what it has to do, and by when, in order to comply. We believe it will offer significant benefits to both our clients and our own surveyors.”

The RuleOutlook Live database contains synopses of proposed and forthcoming legislation together with in-depth impact analysis from our relevant knowledge experts. The synopses are updated on a regular basis to give an overview of all the issues surrounding a piece of legislation, advice to clients on specific work programs and the application of the legislation to different ship types and sizes.

Users are able to search the database using a number of different search criteria, such as new and existing vessels, deadweight, length and gross tonnage. The system is designed to be easy to access around the clock from anywhere in the world. RuleOutlook Live also includes an invaluable database of frequently asked questions.

Available initially to existing Lloyd’s Register’s ClassDirect Live clients and flag states, the service will be rolled out to shipbuilders this autumn.