EN IEC 60945 Marine Navigation and Radiocommunication Equipment and Systems - General Requirements - Test Methods and Required Test Results

The “EN IEC 60945 Marine navigation and radio communication equipment and systems - General requirements - Test methods and required test results” standard, which is based on a European standard and later published by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), helps to meet a requirement of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Radio and navigation equipment defined in this convention must obtain type approval from the relevant authorities to meet performance standards no lower than those accepted by the IMO.

The general requirements performance standard for ship radio equipment and electronic aids to navigation adopted by IMO is given in IMO Resolution A.694 and is appended to this standard as Annex A, which forms the basis of this standard.

This standard describes the minimum performance requirements, test methods and required test results for general requirements applicable to features common to all equipment described below:

Shipborne radio equipment that is part of the global maritime distress and safety system required by the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and the Torremolinos International Convention for the Safety of Fishing Vessels.
Navigation equipment carried on board and, where appropriate, other aids to navigation required by the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and the Torremolinos International Convention for the Safety of Fishing Vessels.
For electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) only, all other bridge equipment, equipment near receiving antennas and equipment that may interfere with the safe navigation and radio communications of the ship.

However, the requirements of this standard are not designed to prevent the introduction of new techniques in equipment and systems, provided that the capabilities provided are not inferior to those specified.

In short, the EN IEC 60945 standard is an international standard focusing on navigation and communication equipment used on ships. This standard specifies the minimum performance requirements for marine navigation and function of radio equipment used on ships, including the ability of the devices to operate in marine environments, electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), power supply, safety and performance.

Companies that manufacture navigation or communication equipment used in the marine environment must comply with this standard to prove the quality of their products and to gain access to global markets. After all, this standard is one of many international standards created to ensure that electrical devices reach a certain level of safety and performance.

The IEC 60945 standard ensures the proper and safe operation of marine electrical equipment, particularly those used for navigation and telecommunications, ensuring consistent and reliable use at sea.

This standard covers many aspects of the safety, performance and function of a marine device. These can be listed as follows:

Electromagnetic compatibility: This concept, called EMC for short, refers to the ability of an electrical device to operate properly in the presence of other electronic devices without emitting or being affected by excessive electromagnetic interference (EMI).
Marine durability: Devices used at sea must operate properly in a specific environment that can include extreme temperatures, high humidity levels, motion and vibration from ship operation, and high salt levels in the air.
Operation and usability: According to the IEC 60945 standard, marine-used instruments must be readable in a variety of light conditions and comply with specific requirements for safe operation in marine conditions.
Power supply: To ensure IEC 60945 compliance, marine devices must be able to withstand power supply problems such as transients or voltage changes that may occur on board.
Safety: Compliant devices must meet minimum safety standards, such as safe practices regarding electromagnetic radiation, thermal safety, hazardous substance emissions, and electrical grounding, and fail-safe software design.

In general, IEC 60945 is a comprehensive standard designed to encourage the creation of safe, effective, and user-friendly marine devices. These devices are all bridge-mounted equipment or equipment near receiver antennas that could interfere with the ship's safe navigation and radio communications.

The main test methods defined in this standard are:

Unwanted electromagnetic emissions testing
Emission test performed
Radiated emissions test from enclosure junction test
Electromagnetic environment immunity test
Immunity test against low frequency interference test performed
Immunity test against conducted radio frequency interference test
Immunity test to emitted radiofrequencies
Immunity testing against fast transients on AC power, signal and control lines
Immunity testing against surges on AC power lines
Power supply immunity short-term change test
Power supply fault immunity test
Immunity test against electrostatic discharge test

The main test methods defined in this standard from an environmental perspective are:

Durability and resistance to environmental conditions
Dry heat test
Dry heat functional test
Damp heat test
Low temperature test
Low temperature functional test
Thermal shock test
Drop test
Water drop test
Vibration test
rain test
Immersion test
Solar radiation test
Oil resistance test
Corrosion test

Our organization has a strong staff that closely follows the developments in the world in the field of science and technology and constantly improves itself. Among the numerous test, measurement, analysis and evaluation studies provided for businesses in various sectors, there are also test services in accordance with the standard “EN IEC 60945 Marine navigation and radio communication equipment and systems - General requirements - Test methods and required test results”.