Editing Ship class (section)

==Merchant vessel class==
Merchant ships are almost always classed by a [[classification society]]. These vessels are said to be ''in class'' when their hull, structures, machinery, and equipment conform to [[International Maritime Organization]] and [[MARPOL]] standards. Vessels ''out of class'' may be uninsurable and/or not permitted to sail by other agencies.

A vessel's class may include endorsements for the type of cargo such as "oil carrier", "bulk carrier", "mixed carrier" etc. It may also include class notations denoting special abilities of the vessel. Examples of this include an [[ice class]], fire fighting capability, oil recovery capability, automated machinery space capability, or other special ability.