Det Norkes Veritas Turns 150

“Building Trust: the History of DNV 1864-2014”, a four-year research project done by the department of historical studies at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), has been published.

The volume describes how the organisation has developed from a minor Norwegian classification society, into the world’s largest enterprise of its kind with the formation of DNV GL in 2013.

The book was written by Norwegian historians Gard Paulsen, Håkon With Andersen, John Peter Collett and Iver Tangen Stensrud.

By issuing certificates, conducting inspections, defining norms and setting standards in a number of areas, the DNV has facilitated trade and transport, made agreements between geographically separated parties possible, influenced marine insurance and financing, and regulated aspects of maritime technology.

The history of DNV is also the story of risk management as a speciality, and a precondition for technological development in society.

The services represented by DNV can be understood as mechanisms in what could be called the almost invisible infrastructure of trust, both in Norway and internationally.

Building Trust is published in English by Norway’s Dinamo Forlag, and a total of 25 000 copies have been printed by TBB in Slovakia.

“Celebrating the 150th anniversary of Det Norske Veritas provides an opportunity both to understand and acknowledge our history better, and to use a deeper grasp of the past as knowledge and inspiration for our meeting with the future,” said Henrik O. Madsen, President and CEO of the DNV GL Group.

[mappress]

May 29, 2014