Our history
Lloyd’s Register Foundation was set up in 2012, but it is the product of an organisation with a long tradition of public benefit, Lloyd’s Register.
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It started with a cup of coffee
Safety has been at the heart of Lloyd’s Register’s work since 1760. In that year, 11 men met in Edward Lloyd’s coffee house to talk about publishing a list of ships, a register to define their quality and safeguard life and property carried on them. In the years since then Lloyd’s Register has applied its expertise across the energy and transportation sectors, helping to make the world a safer place. Lloyd’s Register’s constitution required it to enhance the safety of life and property at sea, on land and in the air. Further, it required the organisation to support public education within the transportation industries, engineering and technological disciplines.
For many years, Lloyd's Register made funds available for this purpose. In 2004, to bring a sharper focus and greater professionalism to its charitable work it set up The Lloyd's Register Educational Trust (LRET) to fund advances in transportation, science, engineering and technology education, training, and research worldwide for the benefit of all. The LRET was wholly funded by Lloyd's Register.
And now the Foundation
We live in a world where the external challenges are becoming greater and require us to operate more efficiently and effectively. Lloyd’s Register recognised that its governance structure needed to evolve to optimise its commercial operations which, in turn, fuel the charitable output of Lloyd’s Register.
On 2 July 2012, Lloyd's Register converted its status from an industrial and provident society to a company limited by shares, called Lloyd's Register Group Limited. The shares in Lloyd's Register Group Limited are owned by a the new parent, Lloyd's Register Foundation, a registered charity. Importantly, the objectives and mission of the Foundation remain the same as those of Lloyd's Register previously, which is to protect people from harm, ensuring the infrastructure that we depend on for day-to-day living is safe for society both now and in the future, and ensuring the world has the right skills and education required to keep people safe.
From 1760 to today
A young charity steeped in unique maritime heritage.
1760
A Society for the Registry of Shipping is formed by customers of Edward Lloyd's coffee house in London. They employ retired sea captains to inspect and classify vessels which call at 16 ports in the UK from all over the world.
1799
A dispute over the system of classification leads to the publication of two rival Registers; namely the shipowners' red book and the underwriters' green book. This is resolved in 1834 when they reconstitute as Lloyd's Register (LR) of British and Foreign Shipping.
1818
Technological innovations with the change from sail to steam lead Lloyd's Register to class its first steamer in 1818, first iron vessel in 1837, and first steel vessel in 1867.
1835
Lloyd's Register takes the initiative over load lines in 1835, instituting what becomes known as Lloyd's Rule. In the 1870s Chief Ship Surveyor Benjamin Martell discusses his detailed research on the subject with Samuel Plimsoll. In 1930, International Convention on Load Lines is formally adopted. Load lines are still in use across ships worldwide today.
1900s
As global shipping begins to grow, with new ship types, propulsion fuels and trade routes, Lloyd's Register continues to evolve. The organisation inspects transatlantic passenger lines to liquefied natural gas carriers, while also diversifying its services following the containerisation revolution and developments in the offshore industry.
2004
Wholly funded by Lloyd's Register. the Lloyd's Register Educational Trust is formed to focus on the organisation's charitable work.
2012
Lloyd's Register Foundation is formed, following Lloyd's Register's conversion from an industrial and provident society to a company limited by shares - Lloyd's Register Group. The Foundation is the sole shareholder of Lloyd's Register Group.
2020s
In 2020, the Lloyd's Register Foundation and Lloyd's Register Group establish the Maritime Decarbonisation Hub, which aims to accelerate the safe, sustainable and cost-effective decarbonisation of world shipping through industrial collaboration.
In 2022, the Foundation celebrated its tenth year of operation.