Quick answer: Classification society engine maintenance is about proving your machinery is maintained, not just that it runs. Classed and surveyed vessels have to show their machinery is maintained Classification societies generally require main engines, transmissions and generators to be maintained on the manufacturer’s schedule, with the work performed by certified technicians and documented in records a surveyor can verify. As the authorized MAN and John Deere dealer for South Florida, Scarano Marine performs class-compliant engine, transmission and generator maintenance, works directly with surveyors during inspections, and produces the documentation your vessel needs for ABS, Lloyd’s Register, DNV, Bureau Veritas and RINA.
What Classification Society Engine Maintenance Requires
Whether your vessel is classed with ABS, Lloyd’s Register, DNV, Bureau Veritas or RINA, the underlying requirement is consistent: machinery maintained to the manufacturer’s schedule, serviced by certified technicians, and backed by records that can be verified at survey. A surveyor doesn’t just want the engine to start — they want evidence that the maintenance behind it was done correctly and documented.
That’s where authorized-dealer service carries weight an independent shop can’t match. Dealer-documented records, factory diagnostic data and genuine-parts documentation are the strongest evidence a vessel can present, because they come directly from the manufacturer’s own tools and procedures.
What We Provide for Classed Vessels
- Maintenance to the manufacturer’s schedule for MAN and John Deere engines, ZF and Twin Disc transmissions, and Kohler, Northern Lights and Cummins Onan generators
- Certified-technician service — the authorized MAN and John Deere work that satisfies the “who performed it” side of a survey
- Factory diagnostic data from MAN-cats and John Deere Service ADVISOR, on file as part of the record
- Genuine-parts documentation with part numbers
- Baseline data and records establishing the machinery’s condition and history
- Survey reports prepared for the society documenting the inspection and its findings
- Direct coordination with surveyors, including performing inspections in their presence
Working Directly With Surveyors
Class inspections aren’t done at arm’s length — surveyors are often present for the work, and we’re set up to do it that way. Depending on what the society wants to witness, that can include:
- Borescope inspections of cylinders and internal components, recorded and documented
- Transmission inspections through the inspection plate
- Injector removal for inspection of the cylinders and components
- Functional testing of engine alarms and shutdowns — activating the safety systems so the surveyor can confirm they work
- A written report for the society covering the inspection, the data and the findings
Real Class Work
On a 2020 Heesen 49-meter, we removed three injectors from each engine and conducted a borescope inspection, then checked the functionality of the alarms and shutdowns — all in the presence of ABS surveyors, with a report prepared for the survey.
On a 112-foot Sunseeker, we carried out the QL3 scheduled maintenance interval on the MTU 16V2000 M94 engines for a Lloyd’s Register survey.
These are the kinds of inspections a surveyor expects to see documented — done by certified technicians, witnessed where required, and recorded in a form the society accepts.
Why an Authorized Dealer Matters at Survey
Beyond satisfying the society, having a MAN-certified dealer perform the work protects the owner directly. It keeps the engine warranty intact, it puts the liability for the work with a manufacturer-authorized shop, and it means the records and diagnostic data behind the survey come from the factory’s own systems. For a classed vessel, that combination — certified work, genuine parts, factory data and verifiable records — is exactly what a surveyor and an owner want behind the machinery.
Preparing for a Class or Flag Survey
If you have a class or flag machinery survey coming up, we can maintain your engines, transmissions and generators to the manufacturer’s schedule, perform the inspections the society requires, coordinate directly with your surveyor, and prepare the documentation. Learn about our marine diesel diagnostics and fleet and management services, or reach us directly.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do classification societies require engine work to be done by a dealer?
Classification societies generally require machinery to be maintained on the manufacturer’s schedule and expect the work to be performed by certified technicians. Authorized-dealer records, factory diagnostic data and genuine-parts documentation are the strongest evidence a vessel can present at survey.
Which classification societies do you work with?
We perform class-compliant engine, transmission and generator maintenance and inspections for vessels classed with ABS, Lloyd’s Register, DNV, Bureau Veritas and RINA, and coordinate directly with their surveyors.
Can you perform inspections with the surveyor present?
Yes. Surveyors are often present for the work — borescope inspections, transmission inspections, injector removal, and functional testing of alarms and shutdowns. We’re set up to perform these in the surveyor’s presence and prepare a report for the society.
Why use an authorized MAN dealer for class work?
It keeps the engine warranty intact, places liability with a manufacturer-authorized shop, and ensures the records and diagnostic data behind the survey come from the manufacturer’s own tools — the certified work and verifiable documentation a surveyor expects.
Do you handle generators and transmissions for class, or just main engines?
Both. Class covers the vessel’s machinery, so we maintain and document MAN and John Deere engines, ZF and Twin Disc transmissions, and Kohler, Northern Lights and Cummins Onan generators to the manufacturer’s schedule.