Marine Equipment (Wheelmark) Certification

Wheelmark (the ship's wheel mark) is the mark showing conformity of marine equipment under the EU Marine Equipment Directive (2014/90/EU). The directive establishes a common conformity regime within the EU for equipment required by IMO conventions (SOLAS, MARPOL). Notified-body involvement is mandatory in this regime without exception.

• Manufacturers of life rafts, life jackets and rescue equipment
• Manufacturers of fire-extinguishing and detection systems
• Manufacturers of navigation and communication equipment
• Manufacturers of pollution-prevention equipment
• Firms supplying equipment to EU-flagged ships

Mandatory for equipment within scope for use on ships flying the flag of an EU member state. Conformity assessment is carried out by a notified body, and a module is also chosen for the production phase; that is, the certificate is not one-off — production surveillance is continuous.

• Determining whether the equipment is on the scope list in the directive's annex
• Determining the applicable IMO convention and test standard
• EU type examination by a notified body
• Choosing the production-phase module: product quality assurance, product verification, or full quality assurance
• Showing the Wheelmark, the notified body's number and the year
• Periodic surveillance audits
• Notifying design changes

1. 1Application and Product DescriptionThe product family, model list, technical specifications and target market are determined. The applicable standard and certification route become clear at this step.
2. 2Technical File ReviewDesign documents, the bill of materials, critical-component certificates and the instructions for use are examined.
3. 3Product TestingThe tests the relevant standard requires are carried out. The test report is the fundamental basis for the certification decision.
4. 4Factory AuditIf the scheme requires it, the continuity of manufacturing and factory production control (FPC) are verified on site.
5. 5Issuing the Certificate and MarkingOnce conformity is verified, the certificate is issued; the marking rules for the product and packaging are applied.
6. 6Follow-up AuditsDepending on the scheme, periodic factory audits and/or follow-up testing on samples taken from the market are carried out.

The validity period varies by scheme: some product certificates are indefinite and rely on periodic factory audits, while some schemes (e.g. country market marks) require annual or per-shipment renewal. Every design change to the product requires the certificate to be reviewed.

• The list of product models and variants
• Technical drawings, diagrams and the bill of materials
• Certificates for critical components
• The instructions for use and a sample label
• Existing test reports, if any
• Production-site details

There is no fixed list price; the cost is calculated based on the following variables and provided in writing in the quote.

• The number of models and variants in the product family
• The test scope the applicable standard requires
• Whether a factory audit is required
• The number of target markets and whether each requires separate testing
• Whether existing test reports can be accepted

Product certification is carried out under ISO/IEC 17065; The tests that form the basis for certification are carried out in laboratories with ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation. The two scopes are separate. Recognition between accreditation bodies is provided through IAF and ILAC agreements.

The scope under which this scheme can be offered varies according to your product and activity; it is confirmed in writing at the quote stage.

• CB SchemeIECEE CB Scheme
• ATEXExplosive Atmosphere
• IECExExplosive Atmosphere
• E-MarkVehicle Homologation
• CEEU Product Conformity
• UKCAUnited Kingdom Conformity
• ENECElectrical Product Safety
• GSGermany Product Safety