Founded in New York as the American Shipmasters' Association (ASA) to certify the competency of ship officers and to survey/classify merchant vessels. The mission of ABS is to serve the public interest and client needs by promoting the safety of life, property, and the natural environment, primarily through the development and verification of standards for the design, construction, and operational maintenance of marine-related facilities.3 Although available sources detail more of its recent history, its founding in 1862 firmly places its origins in the pre-1950 period, acting as a crucial classification society for the safety and standardization of the growing American merchant fleet, including that engaged in Atlantic trade. The absence of specific pre-1950 details in the consulted sources 3 indicates the need to consult ABS's own historical archives or specialized literature on classification societies.