07:34 GMT, January 9, 2012 BMT Defence Services Ltd, a subsidiary of BMT Group Ltd, the leading international maritime design, engineering and risk management consultancy, has had its status as Recognised Organisation (RO) renewed by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) with an increased scope.

The RO status permits BMT to undertake assurance activities on behalf of the MOD Naval Authorities. BMT’s delegation to carry out structural and watertight integrity surveys in support of safety certification as well as overseeing third-party inclining experiments to ensure accuracy, has been renewed by the MOD. BMT’s experience and expertise in this field enables it to deliver assurance against MOD and commercial standards for a range of new and existing ships.

Under the renewed RO scope, BMT has also been given full delegation for undertaking plan approval activities for auxiliary and combatant ships for the Buoyancy and Stability Naval Authority. BMT is the only one of the four RO organisations to have been given this status. The MOD Naval Authority plan approval process is similar to gaining plan approval from a classification society for a commercial build and involves an audit of submitted plans, computer models and operator guidance documents against an agreed set of standards and operating regimes. The audit gives assurance that the design is going to perform as expected and within the limits of the level of risk that the MOD is prepared to accept.

Prior to receiving this status, BMT proved its ability in this field by undertaking extremely complex and time sensitive projects. These projects included the plan approval for the full sized PACSCAT (Partially Air Cushioned Supported Catamaran) trials ship built to demonstrate the technology for the MOD fast landing craft requirement and the LPD Class vessels HMS BULWARK and HMS ALBION.

Muir Macdonald, Managing Director at BMT Defence Services comments: “We are delighted that UK MOD has recognised BMT’s unique blend of Technical Assurance experience, independence and industry associations in renewing the company’s RO status. From initial concept, through design, construction, service and disposal, BMT’s Design, Product, Engineering Policy and Project Assurance expertise can deliver the confidence that requirements and standards compliance has been achieved.”