Classification societies Rina and Bureau Veritas have taken different approaches toward providing classification services to National Iranian Tanker Co (NITC) and the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) after the US reintroduced sanctions on the two entities earlier this month.

Italy's Rina will continue to work with the two Iranian state-linked shipping firms that returned to Washington’s sanctions list this month, but Bureau Veritas of France has decided to suspend its business with Iran.