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Foreword (1 November 2016)

As the demand for additional accommodations of offshore personnel grows to support the offshore oil and gas industry, it is envisage that there will be a growth in the use of offshore accommodation barges.

Noting the special design and operational characteristics of accommodation barges, ABS has developed this Guide to establish the classification requirements for this type of barges. The requirements contained within this Guide include either via direct inclusion or a reference to other ABS Rules or Guides as well as IMO Regulations in existence prior to the issuance of this Guide. The requirements in this Guide are applicable to accommodation barges of a conventional barge displacement hull. For column stabilized or self-elevating accommodation units please refer to the ABS Guide for Building and Classing Mobile Offshore Units.

This Guide references relevant international Regulations and guidelines that are considered to be applicable. While it is the intent of the Guide to be consistent with these Regulations and guidelines, it is the ultimate responsibility of the users of this Guide to refer to the most recent text of those Regulations and guidelines.

This Guide is to be used in conjunction with other Rules published by ABS and IMO Regulations.

This Guide is for the use of designers, builders, owners and operators of accommodation barges and specifies the ABS requirements for obtaining the classification notation À A1 Accommodation Barge.

This Guide supersedes the ABS Preliminary Rules for Building and Classing Accommodation Barges and Hotel Barges issued in 1989 and becomes effective on the first day of the month of publication.