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Marine Equipment

Red Ensign Marking of Marine Equipment

The UK Merchant Shipping (Marine Equipment) Regulations 2016

The UK's Marine Equipment legislation is the Merchant Shipping (Marine Equipment) Regulations 2016 SI 2016/1025 as amended by the Merchant Shipping (Marine Equipment) (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 SI 2019/470. These bring the European Union's Marine Equipment Directive (2014/90/EU) into UK law. The Regulations, together with Merchant Shipping Notice MSN 1874 (M+F), set out the performance and testing standards, and the conformity assessment procedures, to be met by Marine Equipment placed on board a UK ship. Marine Equipment which has been approved is marked with the 'Red Ensign Mark'.

List of Equipment

Only those products listed in Annex 1 of MSN 1874 can be marked with the Red Ensign. The Annex is divided into several sections:

  1. Life-saving appliances
  2. Marine pollution prevention
  3. Fire protection equipment
  4. Navigation equipment
  5. Radio-communication equipment
  6. Equipment required under COLREG 72 (Navigation lights)
  7. Other safety equipment
  8. Equipment under SOLAS Chapter II-1 (Water level detectors)

Each type of equipment has its own UK item number, and the applicable International regulations are listed. The testing standards that must be used, and the conformity procedures (Modules) that must be followed, are also listed.

MSN 1874 also lists Marine Equipment's which do not have appropriate or agreed testing standards, but may be moved to the allowed list when a suitable standard is approved.

BTTG® - Approved Body 0338

BTTG® is an Approved Body 0338 under the UK's Marine Equipment Regulations for Fire Protection Equipment. Our scope includes the following items:

  • UK/3.1 Primary decks covering
  • UK/3.3 Fire-fighter’s outfit: protective clothing (close proximity clothing)
    • UK/3.3a - Protective non reflective clothing for firefighting (EN 469)
    • UK/3.3b - Reflective clothing for specialised fire-fighting (EN 1486)
    • UK/3.3c - Protective clothing with a reflective outer surface (ISO 15538)
  • UK/3.4 Fire-fighter’s outfit: boots
  • UK/3.5 Fire-fighter’s outfit: gloves
  • UK/3.6 Fire-fighter’s outfit: helmet
  • UK/3.18 Surface materials and floor coverings with low flame-spread characteristics
    • UK/3.18c - floor coverings
  • UK/3.19 Draperies, curtains and other suspended textile materials and films
  • UK/3.20 Upholstered furniture
    • UK/3.20a - complete piece of furniture
    • UK/3.20b - cover material for any filling material
    • UK/3.20c - cover material for flame-retardant filling material
    • UK/3.20d - flame retardant filling material
  • UK/3.21 Bedding components
  • UK/3.44 Fire-fighters outfit — lifeline

BTTG® is accredited for all of the relevant Modules – B, D, E and F.

Module B - UK Type-Examination

All Fire protection equipment must undergo Module B (UK Type-Examination) by an Approved Body. The manufacturer must submit the equipment together with a Technical File for type-examination. BTTG® Certification services, backed by the specialist knowledge of staff from the BTTG®'s ISO/IEC 17025 accredited and IMO approved test laboratories, will assess the equipment and Technical File, together with any test reports, for compliance with the relevant testing standards and International regulations.

Once approved, a Module B UK Type-Examination Certificate is issued. All Fire protection equipment must also undergo one of Modules D, E or F – checking of the product or of the production.

Modules D & E

BTTG® are accredited for Module D (Production-Quality Assurance) and E (Product-Quality Assurance). Module D is suitable for manufacturers with an approved quality-control system, such as ISO 9000 or similar systems. Module E is for manufacturers with an approved quality system for final inspection and testing.

More information on our Module D & E services can be found here.

Module F

BTTG® are also accredited for Module F (Product Verification), suitable for manufacturers of marine equipment who do not have an approved Quality System.

The manufacturer must present their product in lots or batches. The Approved Body selects from the batch at random, and carries out tests to demonstrate conformity with the original equipment. Once this is done, a Module F Certificate is issued, identifying the approved batch.

The UK Marine Equipment Database

The details of all approved Marine Equipment will be published by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency, available to the public.

Only those products with a valid Module B UK Type-Examination Certificate and also a valid Module D, E or F Certificate will be visible.