CIRM Standards Guide

This is CIRM's guide to the international performance standards and testing requirements applying to bridge navigation and communication equipment.

NOTE: This guide provides a high-level overview of applicable standards for quick reference; it is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all testing requirements applying to equipment. Further testing requirements may apply to equipment, for example where listed in the EU Marine Equipment Directive (MED).

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General requirements / Transverse standards

Description IMO requirements International standard
General requirements for equipment A.694(17) IEC 60945
EMC requirements for equipment A.813(19) IEC 60945
Bridge Alert Management (BAM)
Installed on/after 1 Jan 2014
MSC.302(87) IEC 62923-1
IEC 62923-2
IEC PAS 62923-101
Cyber security requirements for equipment - IEC 63154
Digital interfaces - IEC 61162-1
IEC 61162-2 (High-speed)
IEC 61162-3 (NMEA 2000/Canbus)
IEC 61162-450 (Ethernet)
IEC 61162-460 (Cyber secure and safe/redundant ethernet)
Data interfaces - IEC 63173-1 (S-421 route plan based on S-100)
IEC 63173-2 (Secure communication between ship and shore (SECOM))
Navigation displays
Installed on/after 1 Jan 2024 (ECDIS, INS, Radar)
Installed on/after 1 Jul 2025 (other displays)
MSC.191(79) amended by MSC.466(101)
SN/Circ.243/Rev.2
MSC.1/Circ.1609
IEC 62288
Description IMO requirements International standard ITU-R Recommendation MED designation (current IR)
Automatic Identification System (AIS)
Installed on/after 1 Jan 2000
MSC.74(69) Annex 3 IEC 61993-2 M.1371 MED/4.32
Bridge Navigation Watch Alarm (BNWAS)
Installed on/after 1 Jul 2003
MSC.128(75) IEC 62616 - MED/4.57
Echo Sounder MSC.74(69) Annex 4
A.224(VII)
ISO 9875 - MED/4.6
Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS)
Installed on/after 1 Jan 2009
MSC.232(82)
MSC.1/Circ.1503/Rev.2
IEC 61174
IEC PAS 61174-1
IHO S-57, IHO S-52, IHO S-52 Annex A, IHO S-64, IHO S-61, IHO S-63
- MED/4.30
Electronic inclinometers
Installed on/after 1 Jul 2015
MSC.363(92) ISO 19697 - -
GNSS - BeiDou equipment
Installed on/after 1 Jul 2016
MSC.379(93) IEC 61108-5 - MED/4.63
GNSS - GPS equipment
Installed on/after 1 Jul 2003
MSC.112(73) IEC 61108-1 - MED/4.63
GNSS - Glonass equipment
Installed on/after 1 Jul 2003
MSC.113(73) IEC 61108-2 - MED/4.63
GNSS - Galileo equipment
Installed on/after 1 Jan 2009
MSC.233(82) IEC 61108-3 - MED/4.63
GNSS - DGPS & DGLONASS equipment
Installed on/after 1 Jul 2003
MSC.114(73) IEC 61108-4 - MED/4.63
NavIC/IRNSS receiver equipment
Installed on/after 1 Jul 2020
MSC.449(99) IEC 61108-6 - -
Gyro Compass A.424(XI) ISO 8728 - MED/4.65
Gyro Compass for High Speed Craft A.821(19) ISO 16328 - MED/4.65
Heading Control System
Installed on/after 1 Jan 1999
MSC.64(67) Annex 3 ISO 11674 - MED/4.16
Heading Control System for High Speed Craft A.822(19) ISO 16329 - MED/4.40
Integrated Navigation System (INS)
Installed on/after 1 Jan 2020
MSC.252(83) amended by MSC.452(99) IEC 61924-2 - -
Magnetic Compass A.382(X) ISO 25862 - MED/4.1
Multi-System Shipborne Radionavigation Receiver
Installed on/after 31 Dec 2017
MSC.401(95) amended by MSC.432(98)
MSC.1/Circ.1575
- - -
Radar
Installed on/after 1 Jul 2008
MSC.192(79) IEC 62388 - MED/4.34 (CAT 1)
MED/4.35 (CAT 2)
MED/4.36 (CAT 3)
MED/4.37 (CAT 1H and CAT 2H)
MED/4.38a (CAT 1C)
MED/4.38b (CAT 2C)
MED/4.38c (CAT 1HC)
MED/4.38d (CAT 2HC)
Rate of Turn Indicator A.526(13) ISO 20672 - MED/4.9
SART (9 GHz Radar)
Installed on/after 1 Jan 2024
MSC.510(105) IEC 61097-1 M.628 MED/4.18
SART (AIS)
Installed on/after 1 Jan 2010
MSC.246(83)
MSC.256(84)
IEC 61097-14 M.1371 MED/4.55
Speed and Distance Measuring Equipment (SDME)
Installed on/after 1 Jul 2014
A.824(19) amended by MSC.96(72) & MSC.334(90) IEC 61023 - MED/4.7
Track Control System
Installed on/after 1 Jan 2020
MSC.74(69) Annex 2 IEC 62065 - MED/4.33
Transmitting Heading Device (THD)
Magnetic, Gyroscopic or GNSS
MSC.116(73) ISO 22090-2 (Magnetic)
ISO 22090-1 (Gyroscopic)
ISO 22090-3 (GNSS)
- MED/4.2 (Magnetic)
MED/4.41 (GNSS)
MED/4.46 (Gyroscopic)
Voyage Data Recorder (VDR)
Installed on/after 1 July 2022
MSC.333(90) amended by MSC.494(104)
A.662(16)
MSC.1/Circ.1222/Rev.1
IEC 61996-1:2013+AMD1:2021
ISO 22472
- MED/4.29
Simplified Voyage Data Recorder (S-VDR)
Installed on/after 1 July 2022
MSC.163(78) amended by MSC.493(104)
A.662(16)
MSC.1/Circ.1222/Rev.1
IEC 61996-2 - MED/4.47

Communications equipment

Description IMO requirements International standard ITU-R Recommendation MED designation (current IR)
EPIRBs (406 MHz)
Installed on/after 1 July 2022
MSC.471(101) IEC 61097-2 - -
Float free release and activation for emergency radio A.662(16) - - -
Inmarsat C equipment
Installed on/after 1 Jan 2024
MSC.513(105)
MSC.1-Circ.1676
IEC 61097-4 - MED/5.13
Inmarsat FB500 equipment MSC.130(75) IEC 61097-15 - -
Integrated Communication System
Installed on/after 1 Jan 2024
MSC.517(105) TBD - MED/5.21
MSI - Enhanced Group Call (EGC) equipment
Installed on/after 1 Jul 2012
MSC.306(87) amended by MSC.431(98) IEC 61097-4 - MED/5.4
MSI - HF direct printing equipment
Installed on/after 1 Jan 2024
MSC.508(105) - M.492, M.540, M.625, M.688 MED/5.5
MSI - NAVTEX equipment
Installed on/after 1 Jan 2024
MSC.508(105) IEC 61097-6 M.540, M.625 MED/5.3
Portables - Aeronautical VHF on-scene two-way radios
Installed on/after 1 Jan 2024
MSC.80(70) amended by MSC.516(106) EN 301 688 - MED/5.16
Portables - Two-way radios for fire-fighter's communication MSC.338(91) - M.489, M.1174 MED/5.20
Portables - VHF two-way radios for survival craft
Installed on/after 1 Jan 2024
MSC.515(105) IEC 61097-12 M.489 MED/5.17
Radio installations - MF for voice, DSC, reception of MSI & SAR info
Installed on/after 1 Jan 2024
MSC.512(105)
MSC.1-Circ.1676
IEC 61097-9
61097-3
M.493, M.541 MED/5.10
Radio installations - MF/HF for voice, DSC, reception of MSI & SAR info
Installed on/after 1 Jan 2024
MSC.512(105)
MSC.1-Circ.1676
IEC 61097-3 M.493, M.541 MED/5.14
Radio installations - VHF for voice & DSC
Installed on/after 1 Jan 2024
MSC.511(105)
MSC.1-Circ.1676
IEC 61097-7
61097-3
M.489, M.493, M.541, M.689 MED/5.1
Radio installations - VHF two-way radios for survival craft
Installed on/after 23 Nov 1996
A.809(19) Annex 2 IEC 61097-12 M.489 MED/5.18
Ship Earth Station for use in the GMDSS
To operate on service recognized on/after 1 Jan 2021
MSC.434(98) IEC 61097-16 - -
Watch Receivers for VHF, MF & HF DSC - IEC 61097-8 M.489 (VHF), M.493, M.541, M.1171 (MF/HF) MED/5.2 (VHF)
MED/5.11 (MF)
MED/5.15 (MF/HF)

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