IEC 61162 — Standard

About the Standard

Scope title: digital interfaces for maritime navigation equipment

IEC 61162 is a standard published by International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). It publishes international standards for electrical, electronic and related technologies; it is the foundation of the EMC and electrical safety body of work. CISPR publications belong to a special committee within the IEC.

See the other 102 codes from IEC

Coverage areas

Denizcilik Testleri — What Does This Testing Field Cover?

The section below describes the field that code IEC 61162 belongs to; it is not the text of the standard or the regime itself. The scope title of the code is given above, and technical requirements are shared at the quotation stage.

Marine testing shows that equipment used on board withstands the marine environment and shipboard operating conditions. The character of the environment is decisive: continuous salt-laden humidity, rolling and pitching, engine-borne vibration, limited opportunity for maintenance and the difficulty of evacuation in the event of a failure.

The most distinctive aspect of the field is the CONSEQUENCE OF FAILURE. A device that fails ashore is replaced; a navigation device that fails at sea means the ship does not know its position. Durability expectations and the certification burden for marine equipment are therefore markedly higher than for comparable equipment ashore.

Navigation and communication equipment is assessed under IEC 60945; this standard carries environmental durability, EMC and functional requirements together and distinguishes categories according to where the equipment will be mounted on board: protected, exposed deck and submerged categories are subject to different requirements.

On the digital interface side the IEC 61162 series is used. This is the body of protocols enabling devices on the bridge to talk to one another; in integrated bridge systems it must be shown that data exchange between devices works correctly.

On the shipboard electrical installation side the IEC 60092 series applies: cable types, installation rules, protection coordination and fire behaviour. Flame spread and halogen-free construction carry particular weight for cables on board, because smoke in an enclosed space directly obstructs evacuation.

On the shock side, naval vessels carry their own regime: the MIL-S-901 high-impact shock test simulates the effect of an underwater explosion. Testing at this scale is not required for civil ships, but vibration and inclination/roll tests are standard.

On the regulatory side the Marine Equipment Directive (MED) is decisive: equipment within scope carries the "wheelmark" and this is a regime SEPARATE from CE. Behind the requirements stand the SOLAS convention and International Maritime Organization resolutions; the scope list is updated regularly.

Classification societies add a second layer. DNV, Lloyd's Register, ABS, Bureau Veritas and similar bodies issue their own type approvals; a shipyard usually requires both the wheelmark and the relevant class approval. The two processes do not substitute for one another.

Method groups in this field

Environmental durability
Temperature, humidity, salt fog, vibration, rain and immersion under IEC 60945; levels according to the mounting category.
Electromagnetic compatibility
The EMC sections of IEC 60945; emission and immunity requirements specific to the shipboard environment.
Mechanical
Vibration, shock, inclination and roll tests; MIL-S-901 high-impact shock for naval vessels.
Electrical installation
Cable and installation requirements under the IEC 60092 series; cable fire behaviour and halogen-free construction.
Digital interface
Data interface conformity under the IEC 61162 series and integrated bridge system compatibility.
Fire safety
Reaction to fire, smoke and toxicity for shipboard interior materials; fire resistance for hoses and penetrations.

Commonly confused in this field

The wheelmark is not the CE marking; it is a different regulatory regime with its own scope list.
MED approval and classification society type approval do not substitute for one another; a shipyard usually requires both.
The IEC 60945 category selection depends on the mounting location; an approval obtained for a protected area is not valid for an exposed deck.
An approval obtained for a civil ship does not satisfy naval shock requirements.
An onshore EMC report is not sufficient for marine use; IEC 60945 defines its own limits and set-ups.
Scope lists are updated; equipment once outside the scope may later fall within it.

Which decisions these results support

Marine equipment type approval and the wheelmark
Classification society type approval
Compliance with shipbuilding and shipyard procurement specifications
Shock qualification in naval programmes
Verification of integrated bridge system compatibility

Structure of the Code

Published by: IEC
Serial number: 61162
Part: without partition

Codes in the library without release year is kept. The current version changes over time; If the year is specified in your specification, that version is taken as basis, if not specified, the most current version is applied.

Scope

Marine Testing

Related Tests and Services

A separate test page based on this code has not yet been released. The code falls within the scope of the following test families.

Marine Testing

Technical Requirements

Standard texts are copyright of the relevant organization; test condition, sample and acceptance criteria cannot be fitted here.

Technical requirements specific to your product, once we clarify the scope At offer stage shared in writing.

Relevant Product Groups and Legislation

This code is included in the standard tag of the product pages below.

These product pages carry notes for the following markets: European Union, United Kingdom, USA, China. Whether the standard is mandatory in the relevant market varies depending on the product group and the applicable legislation.

Regulations published with this code on the same product pages:

2014/35/EULVDThe Low Voltage Directive. Governs the electrical safety of equipment operating in the 50–1000 V AC range; the manufacturer makes the declaration, with no notified body involvement.
2014/30/EUEMCThe Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive. Covers both the interference a device emits into its environment (emission) and its resistance to interference from outside (immunity).
(AB) 2019/2023EcodesignEcodesign requirements for washing machines and washer-dryers. Sets thresholds for energy and water consumption and washing/rinsing effectiveness.
(AB) 2019/2014Energy LabelEnergy labelling for washing machines. Class, water consumption and programme duration are declared on the label; EPREL registration is mandatory.
2011/65/EURoHSRestriction of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment; an integral part of the CE declaration.
2012/19/ABWEEEWaste electrical and electronic equipment. Requires product marking and registration with the collection system.
(AB) 2019/2020EcodesignEcodesign requirements for light sources. Covers efficiency, colour consistency, switching-cycle durability and product-information requirements.
(AB) 2019/2015Energy LabelEnergy labelling for light sources. An A–G class and EPREL registration are mandatory.
(EC) 1907/2006REACHRegistration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals. Creates a notification obligation for SVHC substances in the product's content.
(EU) 2023/1542Batteries RegulationSustainability, safety and transparency for batteries. Carbon footprint declaration, recycled content and the battery passport apply on a staged timetable.
UN Manual of Tests and CriteriaUN 38.3Transport safety of lithium cells and batteries. The T1–T8 test series is applied in the defined order; shipment cannot proceed without a report.
(EU) 2023/988GPSRThe General Product Safety Regulation. Establishes a safety framework for aspects not covered by sector-specific legislation.
2014/53/EUREDThe Radio Equipment Directive. Spectrum, EMC and electrical safety are assessed together on the radio interface; the 3.3(d)(e)(f) cybersecurity articles apply from 1 August 2025.
(EU) 2024/2847CRAThe Cyber Resilience Act. Cybersecurity requirements for products with digital elements; reporting from 11 September 2026, full application from 11 December 2027.
(AB) 2022/2380Common Charging InterfaceA common charging solution for certain radio equipment. A USB-C interface and declaration of charging information on the label are mandatory.
(AB) 2023/1670Ecodesign (smartphones)Ecodesign requirements for smartphones and tablets. Sets requirements for durability, repairability, spare parts and software-update duration.
(AB) 2023/1669Energy Label (smartphones)Energy labelling for smartphones and tablets; battery life, drop resistance and a repair score are declared on the label.
(EU) 2017/745MDRThe Medical Device Regulation. Classification (I, IIa, IIb, III), clinical evaluation, technical documentation and post-market surveillance obligations; the notified body's role grows as the class rises.
(EU) 2017/746IVDRThe In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices Regulation. In vitro diagnostic devices fall under this regulation instead of the MDR.
(AB) 2017/745 art. 33EUDAMEDThe European medical device database. From 28 May 2026, the actor registration, UDI/device, certificate and market surveillance modules are mandatory; placing on the market is not possible without a valid SRN.
2006/42/ATMachinery Directive (overlap)Relevant essential requirements also apply to medical devices that also qualify as machinery.
(EU) 2023/1230Machinery RegulationReplaces 2006/42/EC and becomes mandatory on 20 January 2027 with no further transition period. Requires notified-body involvement for Annex I high-risk machinery.
2014/34/ABATEXEquipment and protective systems used in explosive atmospheres. The category and conformity route are determined by zone classification.
2000/14/ATNoise EmissionNoise emitted into the environment by outdoor equipment. Machinery within scope requires a sound-power-level declaration and marking.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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