What Is Marine EMC?
Marine EMC testing is a group of tests in which ship and offshore platform equipment are measured for emissions and immunity in accordance with IEC 60945 (navigation and communications equipment) or IEC 60533 (ship electrical and electronic installation) and classification society combined requirements (IACS UR E10).
Purpose of Marine EMC
The aim is to verify that the equipment does not interfere with other systems on the ship and withstands electromagnetic loads in the ship environment.
Which Products Is Marine EMC Applied To?
- Navigation and radar equipment
- Ship communication devices
- Bridge control and indication systems
- Engine room automation equipment
In Which Sectors Is Marine EMC Used?
Standards Related to Marine EMC
- IEC 60945maritime navigational and radio communications equipment test
- IEC 60533
- IACS UR E10
- IEC 61000-4 series (test methods)
- Marine Equipment DirectiveEU ship equipment directive test
- IMO RequirementsInternational Maritime Organization requirements test
- SOLAS EquipmentEquipment covered by the safety of life at sea convention test
Marine EMC Conditions
- Emissions
- Conduction and radiant emissions; limits defined in the standard
- Immunity
- Electrostatic discharge, radiated field, fast transient, ripple, conduction RF, voltage disturbance
- Environment class
- Different requirements depending on location, such as bridge, engine room or open deck
- Function criterion
- Performance criteria defined in the standard; navigation function should not be impaired
Equipment for Marine EMC
- Semi-anechoic room and EMI receivers
- IEC 61000-4 series immunity generators
- LISN and current probes
- Function-monitoring equipment
Sample Requirements for Marine EMC
- The shipboard installation location (environment class) of the equipment must be declared
- Wiring and grounding should represent ship installation
- Function criteria must be defined in advance
- If classification society approval is required, testimony should be planned
Duration of Marine EMC
Typically 2–4 weeks depending on coverage.
Marine EMC Procedure
- 1The environment class and the standard to be applied are determined.
- 2The specimen is set up with representative wiring.
- 3Emissions measurements are performed.
- 4Immunoassays are performed and function monitored.
- 5Results are compared with the limits.
- 6If necessary, it is reported with the testimony of the classification society.
Marine EMC Acceptance Criteria
The acceptance criterion is the preservation of the emission limits of the applied standard and the defined function criteria during immunity tests.
Evaluation of Results
Civilian EMC (EN 61000-6 series) report does not meet marine requirement; IEC 60945 defines different levels and different functional criteria. Notified body participation is also required for equipment covered by the Ship Equipment Directive.
Marine EMC Report
- Applied standard and media class
- Setup description and photographs
- Emission measurement results
- Immunoassays and functional recordings
- Measurement uncertainty
Accreditation
EUROLAB holds internationally recognised accreditation obtained from accreditation bodies party to the IAF and ILAC multilateral recognition arrangements, under ISO/IEC 17025 for laboratory testing, ISO/IEC 17020 for inspection and surveillance, and ISO/IEC 17021-1 and ISO/IEC 17065 for system and product certification. This chain ensures the reports and certificates issued are accepted worldwide.
Whether this test can be offered within accredited scope depends on your product and the standard applied; since accreditation is method-based, the scope is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.
Scope and authorisationsRelated Regulations
- Ship Equipment Directive 2014/90/EU (MED)
- Class society rules
Denizcilik Testleri — What Does This Testing Field Cover?
The section below describes the field that the Marine EMC test belongs to; the conditions and acceptance criteria of this particular test are given in the sections above. The scope specific to your product is confirmed in writing 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
Related Tests
Frequently Asked Questions About Marine EMC
Is the civil EMC report sufficient for ship equipment?
No. IEC 60945 and classification society rules define different test levels and functional criteria; Separate testing according to these standards is required for marine approval.